In celebration of the latest exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Superfine: Tailoring Black Style, Timberland has partnered with New York-based designer Raul Lopez of LUAR to dress American actress Myha’la, marking the brand’s first time debuting its iconic footwear on the prestigious Met Gala carpet.
“As a native New Yorker, the merging of these cultural icons is magic. Two iconic brands: Timberland being part of the fabric of the city’s cultural aesthetic and LUAR being born out of its contrasting narratives. Collaborating for New York’s biggest night of fashion and art is a historical moment!”
Raul Lopez, LUAR
LUAR is well-known for its distinct craftsmanship and tailored silhouettes, and last year Raul won CFDA Awards American Accessory Designer of the Year for the second time. For the Met Gala 2025, Timberland tapped LUAR to collaborate on two bespoke boots to complement the unique tailored designs that honor this year’s theme. To create the final pieces, Raul collaborated with Timberland’s in-house design team. Drawing inspiration from the brand’s heritage pieces and archives, iterations of the iconic Yellow Boot were reimagined into a striking thigh-high design made from luxurious wheat and chocolate moiré and handcrafted in Italy.
“The design process with Timberland was very instinctual but also strategic. We began by exploring history and studying Black Tudor’s silhouettes, who I see as some of the original dandies, to create something sculptural that could stand alone as an art piece. This year’s theme honors the spirit of American style and those who’ve shaped it, Black and Brown innovators, and for me that meant looking at the codes of New York: Timberlands, tailoring, attitude and resilience. Myha’la truly embodies this year’s Met theme because she is the new guard. She represents a generation that’s unafraid to take up space, to be layered and real, which makes her the perfect muse.”
Raul Lopez
Rising star Myha’la is part of the famed collective of stars featured in Vogue for its Superfine: Tailoring Black Style editorial, celebrating themes of menswear, identity, and the history of Black dandyism in fashion. To showcase the bold, one-of-a-kind over-the-knee Timberland and LUAR design, and emphasize the timeless silhouette, Myha’la was styled in a sculptural mini dress referencing Black Tudor’s, reinventing their classical style and tailoring for a modern interpretation. For Raul’s look, he wore a tailored long-line chocolate moiré suit with heeled Timberland ankle boots in matching fabric that still maintained iconic elements of the brand and complemented the distinctive look created for Myha’la.
“The strongest memory I have about Timberland is that everyone cool had them! I saw them on my favorite people, from R&B and Hip-Hop stars to the stylish kids at school. I wanted a pair so badly and they HAD to be the OG wheat ones! That makes this a full circle moment for me wearing these amazing custom boots to my first Met,” shared Myha’la. “I’m also such a fan of LUAR and what Raul is doing as a designer. The look he’s created for me is such an amazing blend of references that speak to my style and his creativity. I couldn’t be more excited about stepping onto the Met Gala carpet together.”
Partnering with LUAR for this iconic annual fashion moment follows a year of noteworthy collaborations with luxury brands including Louis Vuitton, Aime Leon Dore and most recently Jacquemus, cementing Timberland’s position as a leader in craft and culture. The brand’s distinctive wheat color, unparalleled craftsmanship and enduring comfort have solidified its status as the most recognizable boot in the world, a testament to authenticity and enduring legacy. Timberland has always celebrated diverse creatives and the partnership with LUAR exemplifies this, with Raul pulling various inspirations for his unique interpretation of the theme. Together, Timberland and LUAR celebrate the legacy of The Original Yellow Boot in an unexpected and elevated way, emphasizing the power of being unapologetically iconic.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute’s Spring 2025 exhibition, Superfine: Tailoring Black Style, draws inspiration from characteristics that define dandy style. To complement this, the dress code for Met Gala 2025 is Tailored for You, a nod to the exhibition’s focus on menswear and suiting that brought out the sartorial creativity of this year’s attendees. This year Colman Domingo, Lewis Hamilton, A$AP Rocky, Pharrell Williams co-chaired the 2025 Met Gala alongside Vogue Global Editor-in-Chief, Anna Wintour.
