Carhartt workwear has always been favorite among Americans for its durability and affordability. The brand started its operations in 1889 in Detroit and soon extended its horizon globally. The brand began its journey with the production of bibs and overalls for railroad workers.

Carhartt then grew exponentially and its selection increased. From simple boots to tough work pants, work shirts, work jackets, hoodies, and even shoes. They even constructed uniforms for the military in World War I and II. In no time it became one of the most sought out brands for hard-working men and women in the US.

While keeping the same tough and hard-working American mentality in their narrative, Carhartt has now evolved into a streetwear icon as well. It has become highly popular among youth and celebrities to become a staple clothing brand in the pop-culture.

With a strong start and rapid growth, Carhartt’s journey is very interesting to revisit for inspiration. We can now Carhartt’s logo on t-shirts, coats, and hoodies almost anywhere we go. We even spot in Hollywood movies with A-list actors wearing their articles.

Celebrities like Harry Styles, Jonah Hill, Kanye West, and Dwayne Johnson, proudly don Carhartt articles apart from the movies as well. This article sheds some light on Carhartt's journey of growing into a modern streetwear brand 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 was now part of every wardrobe for its affordability and especially its durability.

Traditionally, Carhartt produced clothing for workers such as farmers, miners, tradespeople, and manual laborers. 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, became its unique selling point.

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 entering the streetwear and hip-hop culture

Due to its durability and multi-functional tough designs, Carhartt became a popular choice for celebrities. Tupac, the hip-hop legend, started wearing Carhartt’s during his 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 generated a revenue of about $3,700 per month. Soon after the celebs, their fans started choosing Carhartt over other brands as streetwear. 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 and the American hard-working culture. It then reached the streets which made the brand cool. This gave them the idea to invest and delve into the streetwear business as well.

“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 streetwear and hip-hop community.

Carhartt and Nike

The next milestone of Carhartt was its collaboration with Nike, the biggest player in sportswear. The collaboration is one of its kind because while Nike is always after innovation, Carhartt is a brand known for sticking to its classic American traditions. However, no one can ignore the appeal of Nike's swoosh on Carhartt’s durable canvas.

Relying on the same idea, both the brands collaborated and created 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.

The crux 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 and shows its versatility.

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 and helps it speak out to an even larger set of audience.