Christopher Raeburn is taking a step back at Timberland.
The British designer said on Thursday that he will transition from his global creative director role at the outdoor brand to the position of collaborator at large. Raeburn announced this news in a note on his LinkedIn profile on Thursday.
“As the world continues to evolve, so do I,” Raeburn wrote. “Four years ago, I was given the opportunity to join forces with Timberland – a brand I’ve long admired for its strong values, progressive spirit and authenticity in both products and business practices.”
“As global creative director I’ve been so proud of the work we’ve achieved across the brand, and it’s been humbling to work alongside such a talented team to push the boundaries of eco-innovation and product design,” he continued. “Collaboration has been at the centre (of) it all, with projects like Construct 10061, the Tommy x Timberland capsule, and of course Earthkeepers by Ræburn – a collection of responsibly-designed, progressively styled products that I could not be prouder of.”
In a statement to FN, a representative of Timberland said that the company has “enjoyed a terrific relationship” with Raeburn over the past four years and is excited to continue its journey together with him in his new role. Timberland noted that Raeburn will continue to lend his creative vision to its Earthkeepers platform and join a roster of collaborators who “will push the boundaries of the brand.”
Timberland also told FN that this transition was made possible by bolstering its internal design and innovation capabilities over the last four years under the leadership of Chris McGrath in footwear and Nick Barber in apparel.
“Central to this expansion is our advanced concepts and energy (ACE) team, digital product creation team, and new in-house maker space called The Shed, where our designers and developers can collaborate and bring new concepts to life in a matter of days,” Timberland added.
Raeburn first joined Timberland as global creative director in Oct. 2018 after first collaborating with the outdoor brand on a global apparel capsule collection that debuted earlier that same year at London Fashion Week. At the time of the announcement, Timberland said that Raeburn would partner with its global product, marketing, and innovation teams to “deliver a forward-thinking look and feel that pushes design boundaries while honoring the brand’s outdoor heritage across footwear, apparel and accessories.”
In his note on Thursday, Raeburn added that he is “thrilled” to carry on his work at Timberland in this new capacity and will continue to “champion Earthkeepers by Ræburn as the pathfinder for the brand.”
“We’ll have a new collection coming soon that’s steeped in progressive design and eco-innovation,” he wrote. “We’ve also got amazing new collaborations on the horizon, and some exciting work leading up to Timberland’s 50th anniversary next year.”
