In 1989, 100 years after the pioneering workwear company Carhartt was founded in Detroit, Underground Resistance was born, a label and collective creating electronic music that would provide inspiration and futurism for the city’s population and beyond. With its inimitable sound, UR blended the soulfulness of Motown and Chicago with acid, electro and hi tech jazz – pushing the envelope both musically and culturally, first in Detroit and then globally. Today, co-founder Mike Banks continues to produce music through UR with releases under several aliases, along with futuristic records by artists like DJ Rolando, Drexciya, Suburban Knight and Scan 7. UR continues to be a driving force in the world of techno, releasing stellar records by long-time affiliated producers such as Mark Flash, more recent acts like Nomadico, and Bileebob and old pals like Vintage Future – not to mention sporadic releases by the Underground Resistance live band Timeline.
Carhartt WIP is ecstatic to announce its collaboration with the iconic techno collective Underground Resistance, celebrating the enduring Detroit roots of both parties. Having previously paid tribute the D’s rich sonic history with the “Sound of Detroit” series and a collaboration with Moodymann, Carhartt WIP continues to explore the intersection between clothing and music. Recently, Carhartt WIP returned to Detroit to knock on the door of Submerge, home to the city’s finest appointment-only record store – and the legendary techno label Underground Resistance, who allowed us rare insight into their deep, diverse universe.
Taking Carhartt’s workwear history and Underground Resistance’s futuristic musical vision, we began talking about what such a collaboration would represent. Carhartt founder, Hamilton Carhartt, became successful by talking with railroad workers to help him design clothing specifically to suit their needs. Almost 130 years on, Underground Resistance spoke of the harsh Detroit winters that blue collar workers face, but also the online workers, the hackers and digital laborers whose work is far removed from the manual labor of the railroads, but just as vital. Both have inspired the record label and ourselves, leading us to dub this capsule ‘Work for the Future.’
The resulting collection is comprised of five pieces, blending the functional and durable design that Carhartt WIP is famous for, along with the creative and industrial aesthetic of Underground Resistance. Included in this exclusive capsule is a Car-Lux Hooded Jacket, Watch Beanie, Siberian Parka, Pocket T-shirt and Simple Pant. Each item has been created in UR’s signature black and is adorned with a co-branded UR/Carhartt WIP label, as well as the impactful Underground Resistance logo. In selected stores and online now.
