CARHARTT WIP: THE STORY OF A BRAND THAT BEGAN ON CONSTRUCTION SITES AND ENDED UP ON STREETS AROUND THE WORLD
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CARHARTT WIP: FROM DETROIT TO THE STREETS OF WARSAW
In 1889, Hamilton Carhartt started a small tailoring business in Detroit — a few sewing machines, five employees, and one goal: to make clothes that would withstand anything. Cotton duck canvas, triple stitching, reinforced pockets. Clothing for railroad and industrial workers, designed to last for years, not just seasons. This goal remained unchanged for the next hundred years. What did change was who wore these clothes and why.
In the 1980s, Carhartt jackets began appearing on the streets of New York — not on construction sites, but in neighborhoods where hip-hop and graffiti were emerging. Durable cotton, roomy pockets, neutral colors, and the absence of any trendy logos proved to be the ideal uniform for communities that valued authenticity above all else. The brand from Detroit made its way to the streets not through an advertising campaign, but because it was simply good — and it looked as good as it sounded.
HOW CARHARTT WIP CAME TO BE
In 1994, Edwin Faeh obtained a license to distribute Carhartt in Europe and founded Work In Progress. The idea was precise: to retain the DNA of the original — materials, durability, character — but redesign the cuts for the European market and urban culture. More fitted silhouettes, new colors, a different scale. This is how Carhartt WIP was born — a European interpretation of an American classic that quickly became more than just a clothing line.
The brand-building strategy was as original as the product itself. WIP didn't buy its way into culture — it built it from the ground up by sponsoring local skateboarding competitions, collaborating with the graffiti and hip-hop scenes, creating its own fanzines and events. In 1997, the first store opened in London, along with its own skate and BMX teams. In 2000 — the Combination Records music label, focused on independent electronic music. In 2008 — Carhartt WIP Radio. The brand developed like a subculture, not a corporation.
WHY CARHARTT WIP LOOKS THE WAY IT DOES
The strength of Carhartt WIP's aesthetic lies in the fact that it doesn't try to look like streetwear — it simply is streetwear, because it stems from the same roots. The classic Detroit Jacket, wider-cut trousers, subtle logo t-shirts — these are silhouettes that don't follow seasonal trends because they were never dependent on them. Durable fabrics, characteristic duck canvas, organic cotton in newer collections — quality remains the foundation of everything.
Over the years, Carhartt WIP has collaborated with brands and artists who understand this aesthetic: A.P.C., Comme des Garçons, Vans, Polar Skate Co, Gosha Rubchinskiy, Brain Dead. Each collaboration brought something new, but none disrupted the brand's identity. This is a rare skill — to remain true to oneself, regardless of who stands beside you.
MORE THAN CLOTHES
Carhartt WIP is one of the few streetwear brands that consistently goes beyond apparel. Accessories — wallets, keychains, Acrylic Watch Hats — have the same status as jackets. Lifestyle products like coolers or beach towels appear in collections not as gadgets, but as a natural extension of the brand's philosophy into daily life. This isn't diversification for diversification's sake — it's a consistent portrayal of how the brand understands style beyond the wardrobe.
CARHARTT WIP AT NEWBORN K
NEWBORN K collaborates with the official Carhartt WIP distributor — all products are original and come from current collections. Our offer includes the full range of the brand: Detroit and Belmar jackets, trousers and shorts, t-shirts, shirts, accessories, and lifestyle products. For both women and men — the selection includes over 100 items from the current collection.
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