In the Beginning:
For over fifty years
the production of iconic footwear brand
Doc Martens
has been managed by the Griggs,
a prominent British cobbler family from Northhamptonshire.
…
The design and functionality of Doc Martens
was the brainchild of two German inventors-
Dr. Martens and Dr. Funck.
In the 1950s, they partnered with the Griggs family
uniting an innovative shoe concept
with the know how of shoe manufacturing.
…
(image from creative match.com):
…
Originally, a simple black leather lace up boots with
thick rubber soles and yellow stitching,
designed for work comfort –
the collaboration would give rise to shoe wear
which came to symbolise:
a self expression, tied to a group identification
challenging the status quo.
During the 1980s wearing Docs
singled the wearer as
‘free to be me’.
…
Docs became the shoe wear for those of
counter-culture, anti-establishment sentiments.
…
Peter Townsend
songwriter and guitarist of the rock band ‘Who’
was credited with the christening of
the shoe as “rebellious cool”
when, as legend goes …
After performing in concert,
he went to bed exhausted with
only a bottle of cognac in hand and Docs on his feet.
(You get the visuals.)
…
Docs were the
marching shoes of various
‘styled tribes’
whose attire were expressions
of their demand to introduce a new social agenda.
…
(image from articles.latimes.com)
…
Punks, Goths, Grunge,
Mods, Britpop, Glam rockers
all paid sartorial homage to the label.
…
Docs have now become mainstream.
In addition to the original Black leather boot and yellow stitching
there are various shapes, colours, patterns
from which to choose.
They are a statement maker for the wearer
…
Simply,
Docs are required footwear for those
who are cool, with an irreverent bit of edge.
…
(images from the dailymail.co.uk):
Wearing Docs:
Jean Woods, Septuagenarian
fashion-forward-forever
…
From
teens
To
pensioners
…
From
creatives
To
corportates
…
From
ladies
To
Gents
…
Sooner or later –
everyone needs a Doc.
…
(images from chictopia.com):
Colour/pattern mix and teal green
…
Not-rushed in loafers
…
Candy floss pink from head to toe
…
Black/white and a pop of red
…
East coast prep
…
All white brights
…
Biker
…
Serious business
…
Subdued
…
Vegan shoes
…
Brogues
…
Fashion News Flash:
The End of the Old
The Start of the New
On Thursday, 24 October 2013
the Griggs family concluded a deal with
private equity firm Permira, which
saw the Dr. Martens concern sold
for 300 million pounds.
…
Perimra hopes to continue with brand expansion
into the Chinese retail market and a initiation
of a children’s wear range.
…
What’s next for the Doc?
Hopefully continued innovation, which
manages to stay true to what the
label has come to represent …
trying something new
without sacrificing what is
tried and true
…
Watch/Listen: a brief history and commentaries from
aficionados of the Doc Martens shoe
(Warning advisory: some usage of colourful language)
…
…
Like this:
Like Loading...
