Carhartt
Another American workwear brand that found unexpected kudos in late-20th century subculture, Carhartt
was founded in 1889 by Hamilton Carhartt in Dearborn, Michigan. The company started out making hard-
wearing clothing for manual laborers from its signature duck canvas, and over the years became a natural
supplier to Detroit’s auto factory workers, as well as blue collar workers across the United States. In 1989,
German fashion designers Edwin and Salomee Faeh, struck up a deal to create a European offshoot of the
brand called Work in Progress, creating refined, stylised versions of Carhartt’s product for the European
skaters, writers and ravers who were drawn to the brand’s rugged, affordable clothing. Since then, Carhartt
has grown rapidly in the fashion market, becoming one of the leading streetwear labels in both America and
worldwide.
