Above image: Still, La Haine, 1995 dir. Mathieu Kassovitz

When La Haine was released 25 years ago, Alain Juppé, France’s then Prime Minister, famously hosted a special screening of the film for his cabinet, whom he hoped would learn something from its bleak portrayal of life in suburban Paris.

La Haine revealed something rotten at the heart of French society, a tale of police brutality, urban marginalisation, and systemic racism that has only grown in relevance. Now, Carhartt WIP are revisiting the film in collaboration with its director, Mathieu Kassovitz, for a new 7-piece capsule collection.

La Haine follows 24 hours in the life of three friends from the suburban banlieues of Paris. Set against a near constant threat of violence, the film is both an insight into the festering social inequality that prevailed under Jacques Chirac in the 1990s and a more universal story of life on the peripheries, lost youth and urban disaffection. The three main characters of Vinz, Saïd, and Hubert (played by Vincent Cassel, Hubert Koundé and Saïd Taghmaou) may have been fictitious but the lives they led and people they represented were anything but.

Shot in black and white with an excellent score and a number of unforgettable scenes, La Haine has embedded itself within popular culture. Though it can hardly be considered a cult film (it won Best Director at Cannes in 1995), its popularity bears all the hallmarks of one and Carhartt’s capsule is testament to that fact. Comprising tees and hoodies, featuring either Gilles Favier’s on-set behind-the-scenes photographs or quotable lines from the film, as well as a Hubert-style beanie, it’s a fitting anniversary tribute to a film that remains very much in the here and now.

Carhartt x La Haine is available from Carhartt-wip.com and selected stores.