Carhartt workwear has always been favorite among Americans for its durability and affordability. The brand started its operations in 1889 Detroit and soon extended its horizon on a global level. The brand began its journey with the production of bibs and overalls for railroad workers. Later, Carhartt exponentially grew its selection and evolved into a streetwear icon. The brand became highly popular among youth and celebrities to become an icon in the pop-culture.

With an extraordinary start and rapid growth, Carhartt’s journey is very interesting to revisit for inspiration. Now we can see Carhartt’s logo on t-shirts, coats, and hoodies anywhere we go, and the watch cap has become a fashion staple in the industry.

But the ups and downs behind the success story are noteworthy to catch the attention of celebrities like Harry Styles, Jonah Hill, Kanye West, and The Rock, who proudly donned Carhartt staples as fashions icons. The article sheds some light on the journey through which Carhartt became the modern fashion icon and subsequently a billion-dollar brand.

The roots and the rise

Carhartt brand is the brainchild of Hamilton Carhartt, who started a workshop in Dearborn, Michigan. With five workers and two sewing machines, Hamilton established a very small operation in 1889. However,  by World War II, the brand has become a part of every wardrobe for its affordability and durability. Traditionally, Carhartt produced clothing for workers such as farmers, tradespeople, and workers.

The company, therefore, ensured that their products must be durable to hold up in all types of conditions. This durability, the most significant ingredient of the Carhartt mix, became a unique selling point for Carhartt. The feature benefited Carhartt to the point, that the brand has generated revenue of one billion dollars in 2019 and is still operating as a family-owned company.

Carhartt becoming the icon of hip-hop culture

Due to its durability and multi-functional designs, Carhartt soon became the favorite streetwear of Americans. The brand delved a little more into pop culture when Tupac, the hip hop legend, started wearing Carhartt’s during stage performances and music videos. In 1992, Tommy Boy Records used Carhartt jackets as a promotional product and sent hundreds of pieces to the influencers.

Carhartt recognized the opportunity to make its products visible. The product named Tommy Boy jackets generates a revenue of about $3,700 per month. In the same year, New York Times officially announced Carhartt jackets as a fashion icon for rappers, preppies, and youth in its published article. The brand history tells us that while Carhartt’s workwear represents its authenticity, streetwear is what made the brand cool to attract the mainstream fashion industry. But the company has already started doing more for further success.

“Work In Progress” by Carhartt

In 1989, Carhartt collaborated with a brand and brought forward a new collection, “Work in Progress.” The line featured clothes with slimmer fits and enhanced street aesthetics. If you go through the timeline, it was the same era when hip-hoppers began to adopt Carhartt’s t-shirts and jackets as their fashion marks.

Carhartt has always made it clear that their original clothing line is an entirely different entity from “Work In Progress.” Every season they come out with a lookbook for the WIP where a simple beanie has a price tag of around $60. The rates are antithetical to what the brand originally offer to their working-class brand.

The WIP products are more expensive because although they are designs on Carhartt’s basic principles, the materials that the partners use to make the collection are elite and for a different category of buyers.  The WIP is a workwear collection, but the colors, design, and materials that the brand used to make its products are largely appealing to the consumers of the streetwear and hip-hop community.

Carhartt and Nike

The next milestone of Carhartt was its collaboration with Nike, the biggest player in the field of sportswear. The collaboration is one of its kind because while Nike is always after innovation, Carhartt is a brand known for keeping the traditional design. However, no one can ignore the appeal of Nike’s swoosh on Carhartt’s canvas. Relying on the same idea, both brands teamed up on the four pairs of Nike shoes.

The products were a mixture of Nike’s silhouettes and Carhartt materials, especially canvas. The Air Force 1 Utility Low, The Air Force 1 Low, The Air Max 95, and The Vandal Supreme High are the versions created by a collaboration of the two brands.

The punchline of the whole story is that the legacy of Carhartt appeals to a broad range of consumers, especially the working class. The brand broadcasts the idea of grit, hard work, and tradition, but its collaboration with Nike and its WIP shows that the brand does not hesitate to step into new territories. Carhartt’s work pants and work shirts proudly outfit hardworking men and women in the industries.

Persuing the entire journey of the brand, we can conveniently say that the ultimate growth and progress of Carhartt comes from its devotion to the working class. While its turning point towards pop culture and streetwear made it into a billion-dollar brand in the current competitive industry.