2023.06.20

The Global Standard for Work Pants: The Appeal of the Dickies' 874®

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Fort Worth, Texas, is a twin city to the commercial and cultural hub of Dallas. In 1922, 'Dickies', was born in this city and has been creating workwear for workers for 101 years.

We spoke with Sam Fitzgerald, Dickies Marketing Manager at VF Corporation Japan, about the long history of Dickies and their classic product, 'ORIGINAL 874 ® WORK PANTS (Original 874 ® Work Pants)'.

Dickies was Born from the Transition from Hat Making to Workwear Tailoring

The whole story began in 1918 when founders C.N. Williamson and Colonel E.E. Dickie started making hats. From there in 1922, they shifted to tailoring work attire for workers.

Since then, they have consistently continued to produce workwear for workers. They started with 'Bib Overalls' and then moved on to making a broad range of workwear.

Despite the impact of the Great Depression in the 1930s, they kept growing steadily and, during World War II in the 1940s, received a government order to produce 9 million military uniforms, temporarily stopping the production of consumer goods.

In the 1950s, Dickies workwear was adopted by oil companies in the Middle East, gaining a reputation as a 'durable Texas-born workwear' and started being distributed in not only the Middle East but also Europe.

C.N. Williamson is on the left and Colonel E.E. Dickie is on the right

The Birth of their Signature ORIGINAL 874® WORK PANTS

Later, the renowned 'ORIGINAL 874® WORK PANTS' was launched, an item that has been loved all over the world for over half a century. Let's discuss the 874®, from its release to the present day.

"The 874® was released in 1967. The fabric used, known as TC twill, is a blend of 65% polyester and 35% cotton, which contributed to its popularity due to its superior durability and resistance to tearing. It quickly became a best seller.

"The 874® incorporates various details of the Dickies work pants that had been available up till its launch, such as the wide belt loops, all made from the durable TC twill fabric. Its design hasn't changed much even after more than 50 years."

ORIGINAL 874® WORK PANTS 　7,700 yen (tax included)

In the 1990s, Dickies became incredibly popular in Japan

Around 1994, the 874®, referred to as 'Dickies chinos', caused a major boom. The unique stiffness and toughness of the material were novel to the Japanese youth. Let's delve into the 874® from the perspective of the 1990s.