What is Carhartt WIP? A guide to the European label
Carhartt WIP is a European company that began in 1994 as the European distributor of Carhartt and now designs its own collections under the Carhartt name. Where it comes from, what it makes, how to recognise an item and how it fits.
In this guide
Carhartt WIP is a European clothing company that makes its own collections under the Carhartt name. It began in 1994 as the European distributor of the American workwear company Carhartt and has since become a brand of its own, with models based on workwear and adapted for everyday wear in the city.
WIP stands for Work In Progress. This guide covers where the company comes from, what it makes, how to recognise an item and what to check before buying.
Where Carhartt WIP comes from
The chronology below follows the company's own history.
| Year | What happened |
|---|---|
| 1989 | Edwin Faeh begins importing Carhartt workwear into Europe through his agency All American Concept. |
| 1994 | Work In Progress is established as the European distributor of Carhartt. |
| Mid-1990s | Work In Progress acquires the licence to manufacture Carhartt products outside the United States and starts designing its own collections. |
| 1997 | The first Carhartt WIP store opens on Neal Street in London. |
The year 1994 matters most when judging an item. A Carhartt WIP item was made in 1994 or later, so an item presented as older does not fit the company history.
What Carhartt WIP makes
Carhartt WIP took the American workwear models as a starting point and adapted the proportions for everyday wear. The range is released in seasonal collections, alongside collaborations with other brands and artists.
Several models carry names from the American range. Carhartt WIP makes its own Detroit jacket, a version it calls the OG Detroit, a chore coat with a corduroy collar and patch pockets, and a hooded Active jacket. The range also includes vests, hoodies, sweatshirts, T-shirts and work trousers in canvas and twill.
Carhartt WIP jackets are collected under Carhartt WIP jackets, and the full range under Carhartt WIP.
How to recognise a Carhartt WIP item
The label settles it. A Carhartt WIP item has Carhartt WIP, or on some items Carhartt Work In Progress, on the label. An American Carhartt item has Carhartt without WIP, and on older items often Made in USA as well.
The cut, the colour and the weight of the cloth can support the label, but they do not replace it, because both companies have made models in similar colours and shapes. The full comparison of the two companies, with a table and the Detroit jacket from both, is in Carhartt or Carhartt WIP: what is the difference.
What to check before buying
Most Carhartt WIP items are younger than older American Carhartt, so different parts tend to show wear first.
- Prints and embroidery. Graphic items are a large part of the range. Lifting or cracking at the edges of a print is the fault to look for.
- The zip and the press studs. They should run and close cleanly along their full length.
- The colour. Washed and garment-dyed cloth can fade unevenly, so the sleeves and the body should be compared in good light.
- The cuffs, collar and pocket corners. These are the places where canvas and twill show wear first.
Each item is inspected, authenticated, cleaned and measured before it is added to the store. Each step is described in How leverene works.
How Carhartt WIP fits
Carhartt WIP cuts its clothing for everyday wear rather than for several work layers, and the cut differs between models and seasons. A boxy jacket and a regular jacket in the same letter can therefore measure quite differently.
The measurements are a more reliable guide than the size on the label. Every item is measured at four points: chest, length, shoulders and sleeve. With raglan sleeves there is no shoulder seam, so there are three measurements instead of four. Items shown on a model state the model's height and usual size instead of the four measurements. Comparing those numbers with a jacket that already fits well shows how an item will sit. The method is explained in the Carhartt size guide and the guide to measuring clothing.
Carhartt WIP at leverene
Carhartt WIP has its own collection, separate from American Carhartt, with pages for men and women. It also appears in the wider streetwear collection. Because every item is pre-owned, most items are available only once.
The American company is covered in the Carhartt guide, and its jacket models in Carhartt jackets compared.
Frequently asked questions
What does WIP stand for in Carhartt WIP?
WIP stands for Work In Progress, the name of the European company that was established in 1994 as the European distributor of Carhartt.
Is Carhartt WIP a real brand?
Carhartt WIP is a genuine European company that manufactures under licence outside the United States and designs its own collections. It is a separate company from the American Carhartt.
Does Carhartt WIP make a Detroit jacket?
Carhartt WIP makes its own Detroit jacket and a version it calls the OG Detroit. The label shows whether a Detroit jacket comes from Carhartt WIP or from the American company.
Where is Carhartt WIP from?
Carhartt WIP is a European company. Its first store opened on Neal Street in London in 1997.
