The Rise of Extra-Wide Workwear: the Legacy of Ben Davis Gorilla Cut
The lineage of Ben Davis links directly to the invention of modern workwear. In 1871, tailor Jacob Davis partnered with Levi Strauss to patent copper rivets on denim work trousers. Decades later, in 1935, Jacob’s grandson Ben Davis established his own label in San Francisco alongside his father, Simon Davis. Their goal was simple: manufacture virtually indestructible clothing for the West Coast’s burgeoning industrial workforce.
The grinning gorilla logo, an image that would later populate skate decks and hip-hop album inserts, served as visual shorthand for rugged durability. Machinists, rail yard laborers, and bridge construction crews adopted the brand's heavyweight work shirts and carpenter trousers because they held up against abrasive grit. Unlike midwestern and eastern labels that favored softer duck canvas, Ben Davis formulated a proprietary 50/50 poly-cotton blended twill. The blend resisted oil absorption, dried faster in damp coastal fog, and rarely ripped under machine stress.
Yet utility alone does not explain longevity. Industrial workers demanded ease of motion when climbing scaffolds or squatting across rail lines. The brand widened its patterns, eventually codifying an exaggerated fit that cleared heavy steel-toe work boots without catching at the knee. That pragmatic pattern change laid the groundwork for an aesthetic rebellion.
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