DETROIT (WWJ) -- Detroit is a city where a combination of hard work, resiliency and ingenuity has always been the key, so it makes sense that what we create here is built to stand the test of time.
The fact that a company that best embodies that spirit also happens to be one of the city’s oldest is certainly no accident. The Carhartt brand began developing durable workwear over a century ago in the Motor City, and has since gained notoriety around the world.
But how did a Detroit apparel company intended for blue collar workers become such pop culture phenomenon, that celebrities can now be seen donning the “C” label on the red carpet?
On this episode of The Daily J podcast, WWJ’s Zach Clark and Annie Scaramuzzino dive into Carhartt’s long history in Detroit, and discover how the workwear brand has managed to find the sweet spot between ultimate function, and high fashion.
The early origins of Carhartt’s history are crucial to understanding the company’s continued success, because its core values have never changed.
Established in 1889 by Hamilton Carhartt in Dearborn, Mich., the company got its start making overalls for railroad workers in a relatively small operation that included just two sewing machines, a handful of employees, and half-horsepower electric motor.
Several years later, when the automotive industry was thriving in Detroit, Carhartt was there to meet the demand of auto and other industrial workers who needed durable clothing, and company continued to expand from there.
Among the earliest designs were the now-iconic Carhartt bib overalls and the Chore Coat, which set the standard for quality over the next 130+ years.
In the process of creating clothing that could withstand the elements, a signature style was also developed among Carhartt’s pieces that continue to make them instantly recognizable.
This rugged aesthetic soon transformed the Carhartt brand and those who wore it into symbols of hard work, not only in Detroit, but across the nation.
Its commitment to durability and functionality in all types of environments allowed Carhartt to expand in both urban and rural areas around the country and the world — from the assembly line to the farm, and beyond.
“Honest value for an honest dollar” was the original motto of the family-owned company, and that sentiment has remained true to this day.
Indeed, Carhartt is proof positive that if you build it (well), they will come.
And come they have. Over the last several years, the lines have been blurred regarding the target audience for Carhartt’s clothing, and the brand appears to be just about everywhere.
Construction workers at the job site? Carhartt. Students on their way to class? Carhartt. Iconic hip-hop stars and big name actors? You guessed it, Carhartt.
Memes and viral videos can be found across Instagram and TikTok commenting on this exact phenomenon, which has increased even further as younger generations turn away from the world “fast fashion” in favor of clothing that will last.
“It's quality and durability, but it's also authenticity," said Carhartt archivist and historian, Dave Moore. "I think you see, especially younger consumers, getting away from that fast fashion and wanting to wear something that has a history and has a story ... there's style in history."
Meanwhile, workwear-inspired fashion has also seen a resurgence in popularity over the last several years, particularly in trend-setting cities like New York and L.A.
Carhartt has been able to capitalize on that trend by simply — wait for it — remaining true to who they’ve always been; a company that consistently creates comfortable, well-made clothing.
As Detroit fashion critic Chuck Bennett points out, some of the brand’s most iconic pieces — the bib overalls and Chore Coat — have actually not changed much at all, design-wise, since they were first introduced over 100 years ago.
This serves as a prime example of how function can just as suddenly become fashion when the quality is high.
“I don’t think they were trying to become style icons when they designed the bib overalls, for instance,” said Bennett, who curates Hour Detroit's annual Best Dressed list. "It was for function, but what has happened is, that function has turned into fashion."
For internet creators like Garrett Fuller, who is the star of the popular social media account, Wayne County Lyfe, Carhartt is a goldmine for content.
Wayne County Lyfe’s videos spoof Metro Detroit culture, and as Fuller has realized, there’s nothing that says ‘It’s So Cold in the D’ quite like putting on your Carhartt jacket and beanie.
In fact, Wayne County Lyfe’s “Carhartt’s are on” catchphrase has even become a trending sound on TikTok, used to indicate that winter has arrived.
Along with the TikTok cred, Carhartt has been able to stay relevant through the decades by continuing to subtly evolve, without sacrificing the company’s high standards.
Their Work in Progress line, developed in 1989, saw Carhartt lean into more fashion-forward apparel, allowing them to expand to consumers in Europe and Asia who were looking for a slightly elevated version of the brand.
In the early ‘90s, Carhartt also began gaining traction among the hip-hop and skateboarding communities, bringing it even further into the forefront of popular culture.
Most recently, a pop-up storefront in Midtown Detroit has placed the company in the midst of other Motor City mainstays, such as Shinola and Jack White’s Third Man Records.
And while the workwear brand can be purchased at your local hardware store, it also somehow manages to fit perfectly there on W. Canfield Street in the trendy neighborhood — a true testament to the depth of its duality.
Excellent craftsmanship aside, there’s something that’s woven deep into the fabric of Carhartt’s clothing that one simply cannot manufacture with a machine — and that’s authenticity.
Whether you’re wearing the brand for fashion, for function, or for both, Carhartt has managed to give its consumers legitimacy in any space by creating clothing that is timeless and resilient — much like Detroit, the city of its origins.
As their website notes, “We make the gear. You make the history.”
So Carhartt’s on everybody, it’s time to get to work.