Timberland to host London exhibition dedicated to its yellow boot

By

Barbara Santamaria

Published
Nov 7, 2018

Timberland is hosting an exhibition at the Vinyl Factory in Central London on 9 -10 December to mark the 45th anniversary of to its famous yellow boot.

The exhibition will include a selection of rare archive styles created in collaboration with Stussy, Supreme, Off-White, Opening Ceremony, OVO and Pharrell Williams. It will also provide an occasion for the brand to unveil a 45th anniversary limited-edition boot which will be available to buy from this month.

Defined by its wheat-coloured leather and thick rubber tread sole, the boot style was created by Sidney Swartz in 1973 for blue-collar workers. In the 90s, the boot was adopted by the hip-hop community, becoming a symbol for musicians such as Tupac, Mobb Deep and DMX. Over the last three decades, the Original Yellow Boot has continued to be in the spotlight thanks to music and fashion icons including Rihanna, Beyonce, Jay-Z, Drake and Jennifer Lopez.

Some of these personalities will be highlighted in a Timberland ‘Hall of Fame’ in the London exhibition, tracking the boot’s influence in the music and fashion scene over the past decades.

The boot's 45th anniversary celebrations come as the American brand prepares to welcome its new global creative director, Christopher Raeburn. Appointed last month, the British designer will be in charge of creating footwear, clothing and accessories for the brand, with his first line launching for Autumn/Winter 2020.