Aldaniel Ahmadul • 01 Sept 2025 • Fashion
Malaysia’s Futuremade Studio (FTMD.) teams up with Timberland on a hands-on capsule that salutes makers, mud, and mornings in the workshop.
On August 16th 2025, Malaysia’s Futuremade Studio (FTMD.) launched their newest collaboration with Timberlands (yes, THAT Timberlands), titled 'All The Dirty Work' which aims to salute the makers, mud, and mornings in the workshop.
The collection focused on the new take of the Timberland Men’s 3-Eye Lug Handsewn Boat Shoe as well as a collection of other clothes.
Founded in 2013, Futuremade Studio (FTMD.) is a Malaysian label built around functional, city-ready garments with an outdoor heartbeat. Its ethos blends multicultural influences, recreation, and exploration: summed up in the “wear to better self” spirit and a design language that favors utility and texture. FTMD.
The brand was started by Tunway, a Penang-born creative who helped popularize modern Malaysian streetwear. Under his direction, FTMD. has expanded across Chinese-speaking markets and built a strong resume of collaborations (Vans, atmos, Reebok) while staying true to its utilitarian roots.
A look at their recent collection which encapsulated the city style energy they do
All The Dirty Work isn’t about grime or mud—it’s about the behind-the-scenes labor that makes creation possible. The philosophy highlights overlooked hours, small details, and the unseen effort that bring an idea to life.
This spirit is captured visually through Peranakan tile motifs, inspired by Tunway’s fascination with the tiles during his time in Penang.
Beneath the WWES tee’s graphics lies the story of Datin Rosmah Yaakub, founder of Kéceramics, a handmade tile studio she began in the 1990s. Over three decades, her tiles have become central to heritage restoration—most notably at the Masjid Kampung Kling in Melaka—while also evolving into contemporary interiors. Her legacy, now carried on by her daughters, reinforces the collab’s ethos: honoring imperfect, hands-on work and the cultural textures that make Malaysia unique.
Rosmah recalls that Kéceramics began almost by accident. Born out of frustration and a need for a creative outlet. Working with clay taught her to value imperfection, as handmade craft demands passion and the courage to make mistakes. For her, “the most beautiful things are created through imperfections.” That philosophy not only keeps Peranakan tilework alive but also mirrors the ethos of All The Dirty Work: celebrating messy progress and quiet resilience behind every finished piece.
The project traces back to November 2023, Tunway was inspired by the Louis Vuitton × Timberland boots. He was set to explore how his own brand could channel Timberland’s DNA into something new. He worked meticulously to balance Timberland’s rugged outdoor identity with FTMD.’s clean, utilitarian aesthetic. The goal was to craft something fresh.
That philosophy extended into the 3-Eye Lug Boat Shoe. Instead of chasing Timberland’s usual “premium” lane, FTMD decided to think inside out—questioning conventions and reworking details to suit their own narrative. As Tunway explains, “the FTMD team wanted to bring out another side of it.” That meant choosing suede not just for its look, but to highlight a different texture and mood within Timberland’s outdoor DNA. The lining was also intentionally kept non-pigskin so the shoes would remain accessible across Malaysian cultural contexts. The lavender laces acts almost like FTMD.’s signature, injecting a subtle but unmistakable mark of identity into a classic Timberland silhouette.
We really loved the story behind the shoe. At first, the color choices felt a little unusual, but in the best possible way—they came across fresh, unique, and over time started to grow on us. The lavender laces especially stand out as a bold yet refined move, showing how modern leather footwear could benefit from more color beyond the usual earthy palettes.
The Worker Pants with the WWES embroidery are another standout. The motifs stitched along the fabric are eye-catching and carry cultural weight, but they’re also subtle enough to be wearable day-to-day. They could easily spark conversations—exactly the kind of detail that makes a collab piece memorable.
For FTMD., this marks a milestone—placing a Malaysian independent on the global stage while staying true to its DNA. The collection feels authentically work-is-work thanks to its materials and functional design, but it also succeeds in revealing another side of Timberland: one that embraces imperfection, cultural nuance, and new ways of storytelling.
For Timberland, the project continues its legacy of culture-shaping partnerships—rooted in the same spirit that made the 1973 Yellow Boot iconic, but refreshed through FTMD.’s perspective. Together, they’ve shown how a global brand can be reimagined from the inside out, surfacing another side that feels both local and universal.
If you liked what you read and saw here with their collection, check it out on FTMD's store here! The collection was running for a few weeks now so cop the shoes before they run out of stock for good!
Futuremade also recently announced a new collection in a recent collab in Shenzhen! If the vision and city fashion motif piqued your interest, also go check out their newest collection here!
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