Forgotten for a while, they are now back in vogue during the latest Paris Fashion Week Men’s, which saw them worn by the most stylish people on the streets and strutting down the most hyped catwalks. Not one, not two, but three runways in the Ville Lumière featured these pieces, from the second show by the superstar Pharrell for the menswear of Louis Vuitton to the co-ed défilé by Grace Wales Bonner to Yosuke Aizawa’s White Mountaineering. What are we talking about? Timberland yellow boots, what else?
The second show by Pharrell Williams for the menswear of Louis Vuitton featured a collaboration with Timberland. Photo courtesy of Timberland
For a moment, they were so popular and mass-marketed that we are sure that you or someone in your family may still have a pair lying around the house. And now, they are back in fashion and highly sought after.
Form and Function, not Trends and Runways: The Hard-Working New Englanders the Timberlands Were Originally Made for
It all started in 1955 in the quaint city of New Market, New Hampshire. Here, the Swartz family conceived a new idea for a robust, completely waterproof, and warm boot. It was in 1973 that the company gained global attention, thanks to the production of the original 6-inch boot, as we all know it today. Initially designed for the blue-collar workers of New England, the so-called Timberland Yellow Boots transcended their utilitarian roots to become a genuine style symbol. This trend was just relaunched two weeks ago on the fall-winter 2024/25 men’s catwalks – and it will rock next winter, of course.
The Boot as Style: The Italian Paninaro Starter Pack’s Must-Have
Back in the 1980s in Milan, if you wanted to be cool, you had to belong to a clique of young people, the so-called Paninari, who often met in front of fast-food restaurants, specifically Burghy. What set them apart? Easy: Levi’s jeans, Timberland Yellow Boots, and Moncler bomber jackets.
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When the NYC Hip-Hop Community Took It All – The Reason Why You Can Now Find Timbs in Drake’s Shoe Closet
On the American scene, the Timberland wave arrived a few years later, in the mid-1990s to be precise, gaining a foothold in hip-hop and streetwear culture and influencing the rest of the world as well. “Timberland is being adopted by a consumer that we didn’t know existed relative to our target audience,” Jeffrey Swartz, executive vice president and grandson of the company’s founder, said to The New York Times in 1993.
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It’s been more than thirty years since Timbs clomped onto the hip-hop stage, and they’re still there. Do you remember Drake in the ‘Hotline Bling’ music video in 2016? Well, in one of his most successful video clips, he sported a pair of Timberlands.
Regarding the connection with hip-hop culture, Timberland marked the 50th anniversary of their Yellow Boot with ‘This Is Not a Boot: The Story of an Icon,’ a short documentary directed by New Zealand filmmaker Tom Gould. Narrated by diverse voices, including archival footage from founder Nathan Swartz’s family, the film features global hip-hop icons like A$AP Ferg and Rakim, as well as niche figures like Italian artist J-Ax.
@timberland From a construction boot to status symbol, Timberland has always been a staple. Our documentary, “This Is Not A Boot: The Story of an Icon,” presented by @highsnobiety is coming soon. #Timberland #Timberland50 #BuiltForTheBold #ThisNotABoot #Timbs #Butters ♬ original sound - Timberland
These Boots Are Made for the Catwalks: Timberland Just Took Over Paris Fashion Week Men’s
During the latest Paris Fashion Week, the brand made a strong impression as it embraced the Parisian spirit. It took over the city with an array of activations, including posters, billboards, and shop window displays, adorning the streets with the iconic boot’s silhouette and its distinctive yellow colours along with the phrase ‘Je T’imbs’ – combining the super popular abbreviation of Timberlands – Timbs – with the French ‘Je t’aime.’
Parisian activations by Timberland. Photo courtesy of Timberland
Moreover, in Louis Vuitton’s Fall/Winter 2024 menswear collection, their creative director Pharrell Williams made a bold statement by showcasing the iconic Timberland Yellow Boots on his runway, but with a contemporary and stylish twist, adorned by the distinctive LV logo.
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The iconic Timberland boot stole the spotlight at the Louis Vuitton men's fall-winter 2024/25 catwalk. Photo courtesy of Timberland
Wales Bonner, a luxury brand that seamlessly blends European heritage with the Afro-Atlantic spirit, also chose to include Timberlands in their latest show. Designer Grace Wales Bonner added a touch of personal style by embellishing its Premium 6-inch boots with silver details.
In her latest fall-winter 2024/25 show, Grace Wales Bonner also collaborated with Timberland. Photo courtesy of Timberland
Representing the contemporary Japanese wardrobe, even Yosuke Aizawa’s White Mountaineering brought the boots to the catwalk, choosing the Motion Scramble Hiker and Chelsea Boot for their runway show.
The latest FW24/25 show by White Mountaineering brought the Timberland boots to the catwalk. Photo courtesy of Timberland
Oops, fancy a ‘cuppa’ now? No stress, Timberland kept the party going, teaming up with Recto Verso, a Parisian café, spicing up the joint with some all-American vibes.
Timberland even teamed up with Parisian café Recto Verso. Photo courtesy of Timberland
Lucrezia Spina
MA alumna in Fashion Omnichannel & E-Commerce, Milan