The Evolution of Carhartt Work Pants
Sean Wotherspoon, Travis Scott and Kanye love them: We're talking about Carhartt Work Pants and their most coveted model – the Double Knee Pants, which can withstand twice as much thanks to their canvas-reinforced knee area. How did these items make it from construction workers' legs to the world's runways? We'll tell you!
From Michigan to the World
Before we get to the reasons why (worn-out) Carhartt Pants are so sought after, let's take a trip back to Michigan in the 19th century: Since 1889, Carhartt has reliably supplied America's workers with robust workwear in typical beige and brown from here – initially mainly for railway workers, and for decades now, construction workers and farmers have also sworn by the traditional brand.
Advertisement from Carhartt's early days
Carhartt in the 90s
In the 90s, American East Coast rappers brought Carhartt from hardware stores to the streets. The explanation for Carhartt's unexpected new clientele at the time is simple: the pants and jackets were comparatively inexpensive. The brand, thanks to its connection to the working class, stands for "rough, rugged and raw" like no other. And: winters in New York and other cities are damn cold – which is better endured in sturdy Carhartt Pants than in flimsy jeans.
Prince Paul (left) and Shyheim (right) in Carhartt in the 90s
Bigger is better
Carhartt benefited from another trend in the 90s, rather by chance: at that time, skaters and hip-hoppers began to wear their clothes increasingly oversized – partly because larger clothes offer more freedom of movement for tricks (and more storage space). And where could you find XXXXL sizes back then, before there were suitable streetwear labels for it? Yep, at the hardware store at Carhartt, where oversized items were regularly available, away from the fashion industry's skinny trend.
Carhartt becomes Carhartt WIP (and yet it doesn't)
Since the late 90s, Carhartt's history has been divided: The Work Wear Line continues to function in the USA and hardware stores around the world as "Carhartt". But if you go into a Carhartt store in the metropolises of the world, you're shopping at "Carhartt WIP" (Carhartt Work in Progress). The latter is a licensee of Carhartt and produces modern reinterpretations with the brand's logo that focus more on style than on work suitability. In plain English: Carhartt WIP has the more current cuts. The pieces from "real" Carhartt are more robust, often of higher quality and more durable.
The big "C": Things go in circles
But back to the present, where Kanye West, among others, celebrates Double Knee Pants – often in a worn-out state, preferably with paint splatters. But how does a Kanye, who a few years ago wore outrageously expensive leather jogging pants, come to this style?
Kanye West: Formerly Luxury, Today Work Wear
Probably because fashion has always thrived on contrasts: After high fashion comes workwear. After bling-bling comes holes and stains. And after "everyone with a full bank account wears the same expensive jeans that no one cares about next season" comes... what? Individuality and longevity. It's clear that Carhartt comes into play here again: Double Knee Pants are precisely so high-quality crafted to last as long as possible – regardless of trends, and even if you work in them, skate, or simply want your clothes to last a long time.
The fact that you can often tell from the pants that they've been worked in makes them even better for us: The more worn, the more character each pair of pants has – because every hole and every paint splatter is unique. Literally the icing on the cake ;) And psst: When worn, these pieces are also instantly comfortable!
Our limited selection of Carhartt Work Pants will be available starting Friday, March 18th, at 6 PM here in the current drop! If you want early access to the Vintage Work Pants Drop before everyone else, sign up here for our Double Double Family program. It's free, of course!
