Snob Diaries: Timberland’s "This is Our Outdoors" with Talia Restrepo
Snob Diaries is a personal recap of seasonal fashion events around the world, told through the lens of our staff and close friends. Highsnobiety's contributing stylist, Talia Restrepo, takes us through a trip to Joshua Tree with iconic workwear brand Timberland.
Timberland has remained a cultural icon in both function and streetwear since the 1950s. Leading with functionality, the brand’s timeless 6-inch boot has paved its way out of the construction site and onto the runway, for brands such as Louis Vuitton, Mowalola and Supreme. Considering the brand’s continued non-conforming identity, I was looking forward to learning more about their latest tech-and-comfort-focused collection “This is Our Outdoors.” Along with 9 others, I was invited on a trip to Joshua Tree National Park, near California’s Palm Desert, to celebrate the new collection and try out some of its gear: new iterations of their Motion hiking boots, the Motion Scramble and Greenstride Motion 6 Hiker, as well as apparel and accessories.
We put it all to the test, hiking in Joshua Tree National Park and doing a meditative sound bath in Yucca Valley, while wearing the Motion Range and other outdoor and lifestyle pieces.
On Day 1, we arrived at AutoCamp. Each guest was assigned an Airstream RV equipped with surround sound speakers, slippers, and a bunch of Timberland apparel. This would be home for the remainder of the stay. Let the glamping begin!
In the afternoon, the Timberland team walked us through the technology of their new Motion Range collection. The hiking shoes, for example, feature three new technologies, offering more comfort, traction, and mobility than ever before. Their midsoles are made of at least 65% biobased materials, and their fabrics are made from at least 50% recycled plastic.
Day 2 was packed with activities. We started off the morning embroidering our Timberland gear. Then we hopped in a sprinter van and made our way to Joshua Tree National Park to hike.
A light rain was no problem in our Timberland gear. Confronted by boulders and rocks, it was time to scramble. If you, like me, aren’t familiar with hiking terms, let me tell you: Scrambling is a technical term that means exactly what you might imagine. Using a mix of climbing and hiking, you make your way with both hands and feet. Considering the rain and slippery rocks, these boots got my scramble stamp of approval.
Along the route, our hiking guide reached his hand under an unassuming bush and pulled out a colorful rock collection that he adds to on every hike.
After our hike we enjoyed a relaxing sound bath meditation and cacao ceremony, followed by an outdoor dinner of shared Caribbean dishes to round off the day.
The next and final morning, it was time to say goodbye to our campsite and the Timberland team, and we headed to the airport. Along the way, we stopped at In-N-Out – because what’s a trip to the west coast without stopping by California’s favorite burger spot?
After this excursion, what stood out to me about the collection was, not only is it highly functional, but it can be integrated with an everyday wardrobe from day to night, with simple styling. Personally, I loved mixing the menswear and womenswear collections. As Alex Dardinski, Senior Director, Advanced Concepts + Energy at Timberland says, streetwear has to be functional, first. “When people try to create purely streetwear, if it’s not rooted in something authentic, it usually doesn’t resonate. Whether it’s the 6-inch boot that was designed for construction workers that became a staple in streetwear, or a hiker that's based on really purposeful intentions around hiking, that authenticity of purpose is what builds the underpinning of any good streetwear icon. Culture creates icons, brands don’t.”
