Made to Flex: Timberland x Virgil Gadson

For such a down to earth guy, Virgil Gadson’s feet are rarely on the ground. This Philly native began his career in dance as a young kid, watching his favorite stars on TV, to ultimately joining them as he became a finalist on Season 12 of So You Think You Can Dance and MTV’s America’s Best Dance Crew. His background in hip-hop paired with genres like contemporary, jazz, and tap means Virgil needs to be flexible – from his mind, to his body, right down to his feet.

We sat down with Virgil to talk about Timberland, and how his lifestyle demands versatility from him every day of the week.

Q: Why is flexibility so important to you?

Virgil: “Being an artist and traveling around the world, I have to adapt to different atmospheres. Flexibility is very important to me. It’s important for my dance so I can stretch my body without restriction. It’s important in my life so that I’m not stuck in one place, one mindset.”

Q: What comes to mind when you hear “Timberland”

Virgil: “My culture. Back at home, we call them ‘butters,’ the tan boots. It’s an aspiring thing. I don’t know anyone that doesn’t have a pair of Timberland boots. It’s part of the lifestyle - even as dancers. There’s crumpers, there’s even b-boys that wear Timberland boots.”

Q: What does the Modern Trail mean to you?

Virgil: “Mixing the old with the new. The classic with the modern. The old because it’s the ingredients. The new, it’s the sauce. Then you put them together and you have the flavor…. it’s a new inspiration, it’s a new style, it’s a new way of doing things. And that is the foundation of it.”

We can relate. Blending Timberland’s heritage with modern materials and technologies is what we do best. Take our ‘butters’ for instance, add some ‘sauce’, and you’ve got a fresh pair of Killington Chukkas like the ones on Virgil’s feet. Stacked with our SensorFlex™ comfort system, the motion of the Killington is as fluid as he is. The breathable mesh uppers and leather accents mean Virgil can go from coffee, to teaching, to performing on set, all-the-while being comfortable and looking damn good doing it. 

Want to learn more about the Timberland x Thread partnership? Read this article about the collaboration here.