"Give Racism the Boot." That politically correct advertising slogan, combined with environmentally conscious products, has turned Timberland Co. of Hampton, New Hampshire, into a hot marketer and a torrid stock. With customers from suburban professionals to inner-city youths clamoring for its rugged boots and outdoorsy apparel, Timberland last month reported the strongest third-quarter sales and profits in its 20-year history.
The company is the happy beneficiary of a fashion shift: Timberland's classic waterproof boot has replaced Nike's Air Jordans as the look of choice for youths and young adults. And shoppers who come to retailers looking for Timberland's best-selling Weatherbuck waterproof...