Welcome to the 140th insertion of DEMUR®, an analytical series highlighting the intricacies of the artistic world and the minutiae lying within. In this episode, we explore the wardrobe of a tradesman, searching for the smelliest Levi’s and dirtiest Carhartt jackets to trace workwear’s placement in Y2K style.
Before the Instagram explore page was filled with tonal work jackets and seemingly unwearable denim, workwear was found only in your dad’s closet. Yet, in an age where fast fashion has assimilated dense cotton and rigid bottoms, brands like Carhartt, Dickies and A.P.C have consequently become household staples. On the backs of influencers and celebrities alike, these heritage labels have sparked a vintage revolt, encouraging wear and tear in light of sustainability.
In order to accurately trace the rise of workwear and vintage staples, we must rewind to the ‘90s fashion circuit. Houses like Maison Margiela were among the first to introduce one-off, upcycled vintage to the runway, using an avant-garde approach to distort gloves and other oddities into runway pieces. Out of financial necessity, Martin would hand-select flea market textiles and manipulate each season after season, marking a paradigm shift in the couture world.
By now, anti-fashion was in full swing, meaning Helmut Lang was already designing for post-punk and rave youth. Unveiling a new trope of utilitarian ideals, the Austrian creative began introducing workwear atop the catwalk, hiding aviator and bondage strap details in many of his ‘minimalistic’ garments. Concealing outlandish designs from the exterior, Lang would debut his iconic painter denim in the Spring of 1998, shocking an affluent consumer basis with intentionally distressed workwear essentials.
While common today, Helmut Lang’s forward-thinking revolutionized our view of high fashion. Middle-class wear was previously looked down upon but was now sold at an incredibly large margin. Influencing Dolce & Gabbana’s SEX era and Virgil Abloh’s modern-day work at Louis Vuitton, we’re able to draw a distinct lineage from forefathers to present-day trends.
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