Everything is coming up Timberland.
Days after the campaign release of MSCHF’s Timberland-inspired style, Esenes Worldwide is making its RicePaddyTabi boot available for pre-order. The design borrows from the classic Timberland boot as well as Margiela’s distinctive Tabi styles.
First created in 2018, the boots were designed by Jonathan Sung Jin Lin Lee, also known as RicePaddyDaddyy. Made during Lee’s time at Parsons School of Design, the boot applies the cloven toe of the Tabi to a Timberland boot.
The initial custom design was worn by Erykah Badu, who posted them to Instagram in 2019. Now, for the first time, they will be available to the general public.
Going on pre-sale today, the boots are butterscotch Nubuck leather and feature a brown padded collar. Like the Timberland boots that inspire them, the boots have a gum midsole, rubber outsole, as well as gold grommets. They will be available in sizes 4 – 14 for $250.
Purchases will be shipped in a “I can’t believe it aint Butters!” box. That box riffs on the the “I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter” vegetable oil spread, while also referring to a colloquial term of the original Timberland boot: Butters.
The boots follow MSCHF unveiling its tongue-in-cheek spoof of Timberland. That style uses the tread of Timberland boots as an upper. Prior to that, Louis Vuitton released a proper collaboration with Timberland under Pharrell. That link-up was first previewed in January at Vuitton’s men’s show.
Lee’s creation uses the classic shoe to reference its place as a touchstone of New York City culture. Combining that with the Tabi, which itself is a cult-favored fashion design that takes a nod from Japanese culture, the boot pays homage to Lee’s place as an Asian-American.
