Author Archives: metropolisvintage

DETROIT – home of tough automobiles, tough living, and tough music like The Stooges and MC5. Also born here was Carhartt, an enduring classic of working man’s a brand that has become one of our most popular vintage items over the years. Unsurprisingly, the most popular by far has been what they call the Detroit Jacket. Introduced in 1954, it only became known by its current moniker during the late nineties. Carhartt brass previously referred to it as “the zipper jacket” as it was one of the few models to have a zip-up front. Made for a customer as rugged as the thick duck canvas it was built from, another key part of the appeal is the way the jacket looks as it ages. The Carhartt Detroit Jacket wears its long, durable history on its sleeve – and its fabric – and this longevity is a built-in factor inherent to its enduring and current success and collectibility. The more history your jacket has got, the more desirable it can be. For a company that celebrates the opening of each new store by smashing a wall with a sledgehammer instead of having a ribbon-cutting ceremony, this works perfectly. Carhartt’s blue-collar roots and work ethic came above ground and began to be celebrated in wider circles when the jackets started being adopted by the hip-hop community, being adopted by such labels as Tommy Boy Records and worn around town by celebrities such as Kanye West, Johnny Depp, and many more.

Second in line to the Detroit Jacket in Carhartt fame are their famed hooded pieces and vests, both of which are major sellers around these parts. For a company that’s been around for  133 years, Carhartt still makes clothes that are as durable as their reputation for quality!