When it comes to boots with the characteristic yellow stitching, then the talk can only be of the English shoe manufacturer Dr. Martens. The latest addition to our brand portfolio shows that streetwear is constantly evolving and has long since gone beyond the classic sneaker. Thanks to the help of various subcultures, the cult brand with a rich history has made the transition from sturdy working-class shoe to fashion statement in its 60-year history. Especially musical trends like Punk and Grunge helped the boots of Dr. Martens gain a new image away from the functional working boot to an edgy garment with message. We are happy to offer selected models of Dr. Martens in our online store from now on.
DR. MARTENS - FROM WORKER'S BOOT TO FASHION STATEMENT
FROM THE BAVARIAN PROVINCE TO ENGLAND
Even though Dr. Martens have been produced in England since the 1960s, the brand's origins lie in Germany. More precisely, in Seeshaupt near Munich. There, shortly after the end of the Second World War, the German doctor Klaus Märtens and his fellow student Dr. Herbert Funck began to manufacture safety boots from army remnants.
After the boots had gained a certain popularity in the 1950s and there were already more than 200 designs, Märtens and Funck also placed advertisements internationally. One of them caught the eye of the Griggs brothers. They were the third generation to run the Griggs Company – a manufacturer that had been producing workers' shoes in Wollaston, Northamptonshire since 1901 and was one of the pioneers of the English shoe market. The Griggs brothers were particularly impressed by the air-cushioned sole – an innovation that Märtens once invented to speed up the healing process of his broken foot. So they acquired a production license, added a few design details like the iconic yellow stitching, and named their new product Dr. Martens after Doctor Märtens.
SUBCULTURES DISCOVER DR. MARTENS FOR THEMSELVES
On April 1, 1960, the time had come: the first Dr. Martens boot with eight eyelets was launched under the name 1460 (in homage to its release date) and was primarily worn by postmen and factory workers. Soon after its launch, the story of Dr. Martens took an unexpected turn. The boots, originally designed for workers, were picked up by various subcultures to express their closeness to the working class. For example, Dr. Martens found great appeal in the punk scene. Musicians like Pete Townshend of The Who wore Dr. Martens during their concerts and thus charged the boots with an anti-establishment attitude. By the end of the 1960s, Dr. Martens had finally become a symbol of rebellion and self-expression and remained popular for the next 30 years in burgeoning music genres such as Grunge and Hardcore.
After Dr. Martens went through a rough patch in the early 2000s and was on the verge of going out of business, the company was forced to reorganize. As part of the restructuring, collaborations with high-fashion designers like Rick Owens and streetwear labels like Stüssy helped the brand tap into new groups of buyers and fight its way to the top of the fashion world. After more than 60 years in the game, Dr. Martens are now hipper than ever and convey a historically grown message like hardly any other brand. Whether it's the Audrick Chelsea Boot, Audrick 3-Eye Shoe, Audrick 8-Eye Boot, 101 Suede Ankle Boots or various fancy variations of the 1460 - we have the most popular models of Dr. Martens in stock for you now.