One of the UK’s most recognisable footwear brands, Dr. Martens celebrated its 50 year anniversary in 2010 and have continued to go from strength to strength ever since, launching a new advertising campaign towards the end of 2011. They have also now launched their 2011/12 winter sale, which can be accessed online at www.drmartens.com. It started in stores on Boxing Day, so if you are lucky enough to have a local DM retailer in your area, you can head over there to take advantage of discounts of up to 50% on all this season’s top styles. With heavy utility boots and footwear returning to fashion for both men and women over the past couple of years, Dr. Martens have been adopted by a new generation of celebrities and models worldwide as they take over yet another period in the history of youth culture. Defined by their iconic shape, unique air-cushioned soles and bright yellow stitching, DMs have come a long way since the launch of the flagship 1460 boot on April 1st, 1960.
The pioneering cushioned soles of the Dr. Martens we know and love were originally developed by a German, Dr. Märtens, who invented them for orthopaedic purposes following a foot injury he suffered when skiing. After first joining forces with his university friend Dr. Funck, the duo took their burgeoning business overseas where they encountered the Griggs family, shoemakers based in Wollaston, Britain, who had been making boots since 1901. In 1960 the Dr. Marten brand was born and the classic 1460 style launched from the Griggs factory on Cobb’s Lane, although these revolutionary shoes were originally designed as industrial footwear. The utility boot of choice, Dr. Martens were worn by the working class as they laboured in factories and on the streets, worn by workmen, postmen, and even policemen. It took some time for the boots to attract the attention of the youth subcultures with which they are generally associated.
The bright yellow stitching of DMs is part of their iconic look.
It was not only the working public who recognised the comfort and practicality that Dr. Martens presented. Pete Townshend, guitarist of The Who fame, chose to wear a pair on stage around 1966. Martin Roach, author of Doctor Martens: The Story of an Icon, attributes the sudden explosion in popularity of the Dr. Martens brand to this particular decision. Teenagers in the 50s and 60s had been gradually rebelling against the traditions of their parents, and suddenly a generation of youth subculture had a physical representation of that defiant attitude. The boots were adopted first and foremost by skinheads, but one group after another appropriated the brand for their own purpose; punks, goths, two tone, Britpop; every crowd had a way to wear Dr. Martens that set them apart from every other. The official Dr. Marten website identifies the reason for this widespread adoption of their boots, claiming “they all have one common denominator, a primal urge to be different.”
Townshend claims he originally wore DMs on stage for function over fashion.
With the media coverage of the Dr. Martens 10th anniversary, followed by their newest campaign, blogs and writers have been quick to label the brand’s “return” or “comeback”. Yet the simple truth is the Dr. Martens never went away; they have sold over 100 million pairs since 1960, and a spokesman from retailer Schuh, who have stocked and sold the brand for years, explains, “the iconic eight-tie boots is a naturally ‘cool’ product, looks good, is great quality and has served its customers faithfully over the years, handling whatever they wish to throw at it from festival mud to mosh pits.” The list of Dr. Martens wearers goes from the music industry, with bands such as the Sex Pistols, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Foo Fighters, to figures in film, TV and fashion, including Kate Winslet, Daisy Lowe and Alexa Chung, all having been pictured in the iconic footwear. With many variations on the original boot design, available in different materials, cuts, and colours, Dr. Martens call their products “a blank canvas on which a generation can paint their personality.”
That brings us neatly to Dr. Martens in the modern day and 21st century youth culture. With the 50th anniversary in 2010, Dr. Martens recruited 10 contemporary bands and 10 film makers to reinterpret classic tracks of the last 50 years and create a celebration of both the footwear and the accompanying culture. The timing couldn’t have been better, with grunge and punk filtering into the world of fashion and heavy duty work boots suddenly back in demand. Then, in autumn 2011, Dr. Martens launched their #FirstandForever marketing campaign, playing on the dual ideas of a first pair of Dr. Martens and a first moment in one’s life, e.g. a first kiss, first crush, or first heartbreak. Starring models Agyness Dean and Ash Stymest, the campaign brings Dr. Martens firmly back to their British roots in terms of atmosphere and iconography. Shot by Gavin Watson, famous for his portrayals of British youth and subculture, the adverts capture the essence of rebellious youth in which the brand first found success.
Models Agyness Dean and Ash Stymest feature in this traditionally British ad campaign.
Unfortunately, as with many things, the production of Dr. Martens has become unsustainable in the UK and the majority of production was moved to Asia in 2002. However, the original Cobb’s Lane factory in Wollaston is still fully functional and ships around 50 pairs of Dr. Martens every day. The Vintage collection of footwear is made entirely in England, handcrafted by cobblers using the original construction techniques of 1960 and producing classic designs. The original 1460 boot is still in production and remains the brand’s most popular product. The 14-hole black leather boot won two fashion awards in April 2010 at a New York fashion show, winning the titles of “most popular men’s footwear in latest fashion” and “best counter-culture footwear of the decade”. Yet possibly the most interesting aspect of this side of Dr. Marten’s success is that, in the words of designer Wayne Hemingway, “they have reached iconic status and the joy of Dr Martens is they weren’t designed to be a fashion item.”
Hemingway, now famous as the founder of the Red Or Dead brand, began his career repairing worn Dr. Marten boots and selling them on in Camden. The popularity and profits of this enterprise allowed for his later success. Jean Paul Gaultier worked with Dr. Martens to create a unique keyhole design boot in black or white, and a white pair was exhibited at the Northampton Museum and Art Gallery in their celebration of the Dr. Martens brand, alongside the oversized boots worn by Elton John in his rock opera, Tommy. Dr. Martens have extended far beyond the usual boundaries of a brand, becoming famous worldwide for the freedom, independence and rebellion that they have represented for over fifty years. Mainstream fashion may think that it has adopted Dr. Martens and somehow “made” them stylish, but the truth is that the brand has simply added yet another generation of youth culture to its extensive fan base.
Designer Jean Paul Gaultier helped to create these diamond cut out DMs.
The Dr. Martens winter sale is now on, and for a limited time you can also receive free UK delivery on all orders over £50.
- Kat Humphries
Sources and Further Information:
Versatile fashion icon the Dr Marten boot celebrates its 50th birthday – dailyrecord.co.uk
About Dr. Martens – drmartens.co.uk
Dr Martens at 50: these boots were made for… everyone – guardian.co.uk
Agyness Dean Brings Back Dr Martens – look.co.uk
Dr Martens: Fifty years old and still going strong – stylesalvage.blogspot.com
Dr Martens: The craft of an iconic shoe – stylesalvage.blogspot.com
Dr. Martens – wikipedia.org
Sperry Top-Sider was first known for their nautical bent on design. As the Sperry logo reads, they have a ‘passion for the sea,’ thus the fashions that are reminiscent of time spent on or near the water. One of the newer fashions for women in the Sperry collection is the Women’s Chatham Slip-on. If you are looking for an attractive loafer/moccasin that is the epitome of comfort, this would be the shoe to consider. The Chatham retails for $90 and is available in a number of colors including Black Patent, Bronze Croc, Burgundy Croc and Leopard Pony in women’s sizes 6 though 11. Unfortunately, they are not available in narrow or wide widths as they only come in medium.
The Chatham is crafted from handsewn full grain leather with memory foam that provides comfort all day long, even if you are on those feet for hours on end. Another feature of this shoe is that it was manufactured to have ultimate traction whether on wet or dry surfaces with a sole that is manufactured with rubber that doesn’t leave skids and marks.
The Croc and Patent shoes can be easily cleaned with a damp rag while the pony hair style needs to be brushed clean. It is suggested that after you have wiped your shoes clean that you simply allow them to air dry. Chatham can be worn for everyday comfort or for business casual with their timeless appeal. You will find Sperry Women’s Chatham shoes in fine shoe stores and from online distributors as well.
If ever there was a fun shoe, Sanuk is that shoe! Well, it isn’t really a shoe because it is the name for a company behind literally hundreds of styles, but each and every pair is more fun than the pair before it. In fact the name even means fun in Thai, so the next time you put on a pair of Sanuks, make sure to have fun and smile!
Many Sanuk shoes are manufactured with some of the most natural and environmentally safe materials available. Innovative uses for hemp, jute, natural latex, cork and even recycled plastics go into making shoes that are comfortable like you can’t imagine. They call this the RASTA Project (Recycled and Sustainable Trade Alliance) which is a subsidiary of Sanuk. You will quickly spot shoes manufactured for the Rasta Project because of the bits of frayed edges and all-natural appeal.
Although the company is relatively new, Sanuk shoes are now being sold in more than 50 countries around the world and they are quickly becoming a trend setting name to contend with. Also, it is almost unimaginable that these shoes are as inexpensive as they are when they are so much in demand. You can find them in some of the most off-the-beaten-path novelty shops, shoe stores, chain stores and most importantly online as well. You will never own a more comfortable shoe that you can have fun with as any one of the shoes by Sanuk. Be prepared to buy more than one pair, they really are that unique.
One of the most famous names worldwide in casual and athletic shoes is Skechers. We have all owned at least one pair in our lifetime, but there is a totally new and innovative shoe that they have added to their already extensive line. Shape-ups are engineered in such a way that you actually get a workout every time you wear them! Simply by walking you will find that you are working muscles not only in the lower legs but throughout the entire lower portion of your body.
The actual name of the shoe goes beyond ‘Shape-ups’ for a very good reason. They are called, ‘Shape-ups Kinetix Response S R T” because they work with your body’s motion. You will find that just the act of moving (kinetics) around draws on the biomechanics of the shoes causing you to use muscles you never knew you had. They are advertised as promoting not only muscle tone, but weight loss as well with these resistance training lace up shoes.
Retailing at just $100, they are so much less expensive than many athletic shoes with comparable benefits and you can choose from a variety of colors including:
* Black/Pink
* Silver/Blue
* Black
* White/Purple
* White/Silver
* Grey/Pink
* Black/Blue
* White/Silver/Orange
Although you can find them in stores, you will most certainly find Skechers Shape-ups at better prices online. Also, you will never need to fight off other shoppers and deal with traffic to and from the mall. Available in women’s sizes 6.5 through 11, you will find a color and size to suit you.
There are a great number of companies that try to market imitation Crocs, but no matter how hard they try, there really is nothing like the originals. For an all purpose shoe that can be worn to the beach as easily as to the mall or grocery store, you can’t beat Crocs. They come in virtually any color you can imagine and in sizes for men, women and children. While you would think that Crocs can only be worn during the summer months, they actually have styles that can be worn to school, in the workplace and anywhere casual to business casual attire can be worn.
Most noted for being made of rubber, Crocs can be worn in any kind of weather while not damaging the shoe. Some shoes are made with sling backs while others are open. They have crocs that resemble loafers and women’s slip-ons while other styles for children have swirls of color and what resembles metallic glimmers in the shoe.
Under the Crocs brand there are three unique lines. Starting with the original Crocs, the company also manufactures shoes under Open Minded and Jibbitz. Each has its own signature style, but all part of the Crocs parent company that has built a name for affordable casual shoes that can be worn indoors or out and are, for the most part, almost indestructible. You may find that Crocs are a few dollars more than imitation rubber shoes, but you get what you pay for. They may look like a Croc but they won’t wear like the real thing and they certainly won’t last as long. If it’s value you are looking for, go Crocs.
Although there are tons of summer shoes on the market, none are more conscious of the world in which we live than the manufacturers of Reef flip flops. With a true love for the ocean and the marine life found in the depths, the founders of the company have made it their goal to provide flip flops that are stylish, comfortable, affordable and environmentally friendly. You will find that these amazing flip flops are among the most fashionable to be found and reasonably priced.
There is a line manufactured by Reef, the Supreme Collection, which uses a significant portion of recycled materials when producing the shoes. With anywhere from 25% to 51% recycled materials, they are seeking to make a shoe that provides maximum comfort with a minimal impact on the environment. One pair in particular, the Playa Negra, has uppers that are made with water based synthetic materials that are considered to be ‘water friendly’ when worn on the beach.
While these shoes are not priced as low as those you would find in a discount department store or a corner Walgreen’s, they are still quite moderately priced and infinitely better made. The best time to shop for them is off season where you will find them drastically reduced to make way for the upcoming line for the following summer, but it is possible to find them discounted year round online. In fact, many online merchants also offer reduced, free or expedited shipping with certain size orders.
What could probably be the most famous, or at least the biggest seller, flip flop manufacturer in the world is Havaianas. Known for their comfort, style and durability, Havaianas flip flops and sandals are reasonably priced and widely sought after. With literally hundreds of styles to choose from for men, women and children, there is no end to the amount of Havaianas a person could own!
One of the hottest sellers is the Limited Edition Collection that was introduced for the summer of 2010, but continues to sell like crazy. This collection is based on teams from around the world which meant that you could support your favorite national team while wearing you Havaianas. These shoes are so popular that some of the teams have sold out and are actually becoming collectors’ items.
While based in South America, Havaianas can be purchased around the world both online as well as in local retailers. Even though seasons change in much of the world, many countries and areas within those countries stay warm year round. With a huge international presence, it is possible to find Havaianas any time of the year whether you are in the frigid north or the temperate south. Even so, during the colder months of the year it is quite likely that you will find end of season discounts and sales. Look for merchants that offer discounts on purchases of multiple pairs or those with discounted or free shipping. Make a good buy better with promotional deals.
