Dr Martens

DR MARTENS SHOE COMPANY

The Dr. Martens story started in 1945 post-war Munich, as 25-year-old soldier Dr. Klaus Maertens was struggling with the pain of a broken foot. Using a bit of ingenuity he fashioned a unique air-cushioned sole that was much more forgiving than the traditional hard leather soles most shoes used. Maertens made a prototype of the shoe with an old cobbler's last needle and showed it to his ol’ mate Dr. Herbert Funk, a mechanical engineer. The pair went into business salvaging disused military supplies to make their unique boots. By 1959 the two entrepreneurs had grown into a booming business! Mainly selling them to women, they decided it was time to advertise in overseas magazines as this revolutionary Air Wair technology. Today, Dr Martens boots and shoes are known around the world.


The Griggs Company, a shoe making company in England saw the Air Wair and acquired an exclusive license for the manufacturing of this shoe. They made a few little changes and made the upper part a bulbous leather, a distinctive yellow welt stitch, and a unique sole pattern, completed by the black and yellow heel loop featuring the brand name “Air Wair” and slogan “With Bouncing Soles.” This gave birth to the most iconic Dr. Martens boots of all time, the 1460 8 Eye Lace Up Boot.

The 1460 became the cultural symbol of Britain’s working class. Everybody from the factory workers to the postman wore Dr. Martens boots. Leader of the prominent rock band The Who, Pete Townshend, was the first of many high profile individuals to don the iconic 1460 Boots stamping the brand in history books as the sub-culture essential. Without music, Dr. Martens would have remained a workwear boot brand.

 

Why Choose Dr. Martens Boots?

Dr. Martens or Docs are about attitude and identity. Quality, not quantity - they do a few shoes but they do them well. The 1460 8-Up is the classic docs boot, while the 1461 3-Up is the low cut version of the 1460 and is the ultimate oxford silhouette perfect for adding style to that school or work uniform. The 2976 Chelsea boot is the more formal offering from Docs paired with a pair of jeans and you instantly look more put together. Docs have always been deep at the heart of diversity and have begun producing more conscious products such as their Vegan Leather range.

Whether they are to stomp around a muddy vineyard for days on end, for school photography day or to add a more edgy element to an outfit, be sure to purchase your Dr. Martens boots from Empire Skate & Street. We have handpicked the finest range of Dr. Martens boots, shoes and leather goods so that we can bring them to you at a reasonable price. Docs don’t make sizing easy so we want you to know that if you order from us we will always making sure you get the right fit. You can always rely on us to get the right size to you with our free returns and exchange service.