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Work clothes are in fashion. The last time workwear was this big was in the early 2010s, when expensive fringed jeans and high-end boots were key elements of workwear. But in this renaissance, affordable brands like Carhartt and Dickies are coming to the fore. Instead of obsessing over replicating dated pieces, the chic dude is daringly into workwear, pairing vintage work pants with graphic tees and Nike trainers.
In short, the best workwear brands to wear right now are the ones you can buy for cheap at places like your local surplus store or even on Amazon. One often overlooked brand is Ben Davis, a San Francisco-based company that has been offering workwear essentials like zip-up shirts and work pants for almost 90 years.
Ben Davis may have been founded in 1935, but the brand’s connection to American workwear history goes back much further. Founder Ben Davis’ grandfather is none other than Jacob Davis, who is credited with inventing jeans and partnering with Levi Strauss to mass-produce them. Ben Davis followed in his grandfather’s footsteps in workwear, but the label focused on work shirts and chinos rather than jeans.
Ben Davis currently makes T-shirts, work coats, sweatshirts, zip-up jackets and beanies, but the label’s hallmark is the quarter-zip shirt. The shirt has a collar, a front zipper and two chest pockets, usually striped. The fabric is very durable and the shirt is very stylish, a cross between a polo shirt and a work shirt.
Despite an equally authentic pedigree, Ben Davis is largely understated in comparison to Carhart. The latter label has earned its street credibility through its active involvement in streetwear, the launch of fashion label Work In Progress, and collaborations with Converse, New Balance, APC and Junya Watanabe. Similarly, Dickies has a long list of streetwear collaborators, including several Supreme collections and collaborations with Wacko Maria, Obey and thisisneverthat.
Ben Davis, on the other hand, mostly caters to his core demographic with only occasional glimpses into the fashion world. Their most famous foray into fashion was their 2019 collaboration with Supreme, which featured zip-up coats and shirts in unconventional colors.
The San Francisco-based brand has also made forays into the fashion market in Japan, which has long held American heritage brands in high regard. But their streetwear efforts are much smaller than those of brands like Carhartt. To their credit, Carhartt and Dickies have managed to create incredibly stylish streetwear without losing focus on their core clientele.
However, Ben Davis has had no problem gaining fans in the streetwear and fashion worlds. Hip-hop icons Snoop Dogg and NWA help them do just that. Ice Cube, Eazy-E and Dr. Dre wear half zippers in music videos and photos.
Authenticity and accessibility aside, Ben Davis has a great logo. Instantly recognizable by the yellow smiling gorilla against the red background, the “Plenty Tough” slogan is all about the quality of the clothing.
Tim Werth, SPY’s web director, put it simply: “They have a nice little guy. You can’t underestimate the value of a cute little guy.”
But can Ben Davis be as big as Carhart? If they want to, they may have to step up their collaboration and revive their diffusion brand Project Line. For now, the smiling gorilla will likely keep its style low-key for those in the know, while the brand will continue to focus on making durable clothing for those in need.
A durable Ben Davis zip-up shirt with two chest pockets and available in solid or striped colors. The thick fabric is made from a cotton and polyester blend.
Ben Davis teamed up with Supreme in 2019 to create colorized versions of Ben Davis classics such as coats, zip-up shirts and work trousers. Unsurprisingly, the limited edition is long sold out, but you can still find some on Grailed.
The Ben Davis hat is the platonic ideal of a dad’s hat. It is comfortable, versatile and affordable, and is also available in a wide range of pastel colors. The cap is made from soft cotton and feels like the hat you’ve been wearing for decades.
The Ben Davis logo subtly reflects this on a pocket T-shirt. The logo is on a small pull tab at the top of the pocket instead of a large pull tab that takes up the entire pocket. Made from 100% cotton, this t-shirt is available in a range of everyday colors as well as safe hues like yellow and orange.
If you don’t make headwear, are you really a workwear brand? Ben Davis’ affordable beanie comes in a variety of colors and is made from acrylic.
Post time: Nov-17-2022