The Extreme Craftsmanship of a Swiss Watch In a GORE-TEX Boot
The latest product set to be released from Swiss luxury watchmaker Franck Muller is not a timepiece. In fact, it’s designed to make you forget about time altogether.
The concept behind the Franck Muller x Danner Field FM boot is to "liberate people from the concept of measuring time." Or, at least, that’s what Google Translate tells me, this collaboration comes courtesy of both brands’ local Japanese imprints, so all information around the release is written in Japanese.
A hardy, old-school hiking boot typical of Danner, a maker of rugged footwear since 1932, Frank Muller’s time-inspired customizations are stamped over the entire boot’s upper.
Embossed into leather paneling, numbers are imprinted at seemingly random places and angles across the lower portion of the boot. And a similarly busy graphic focused on numbers is printed onto fabric panels at the side of the boots.
It’s an intricately embossed and relatively loud take on Danner’s hard-wearing boots, however, it doesn’t compromise on functionality. These shoes have a waterproof and breathable GORE-TEX® membrane lining and the sole is made of Traction Cascade, developed in collaboration with VIBRAM.
If you want to go hiking in Franck Muller and Danner’s new boots, they’re equipped for the great outdoors. However, you'd be risking scuffing that brilliantly textured upper.
The shoes, available in three colors, will be launched at both brands’ Japan-based stores and online at Stumptown on December 24.
Franck Muller's carefully crafted watches are designed to accurately tell the time, while these hardy boots are designed to make you go outside and forget about the concept of time altogether.
