Emma Chopova and Laura Lowena, the designers behind raucous London-based label Chopova Lowena, have fond memories of Dr Martens footwear. ‘[We remember] wearing our Docs to play at primary school, to thrash at Warped Tour, and to run between classes at university,’ say the pair, who revealed custom pairs of the brand’s Aurix line as part of their S/S 2027 show at London Fashion Week this past September. True to style, they were adorned with buckles, topstitching, faux fur and checkered finishes, capturing what they called the ‘rebellion and joy’ central to their spirited label (they say they are perfect for ‘headbanging, stomping, and dancing’).
The collaboration (available later in autumn) was part of a wider set of partnerships from Dr Martens, whose history dates back to 1945, when Dr Klaus Maertens created an air-cushioned sole to aid his recovery from a broken foot. In the decades since – and after a collaboration with British bootmaker R Griggs Group created the signature ‘Airware’ boot that saw the brand officially launch in 1960 – Dr Martens has become synonymous with rebellion and subculture, the hardwearing style adopted by punks, mods, Britpoppers and the American grunge movement of the 1990s.
The latest collaborations, which are called ‘Statements in Craft’, and also saw Dr Martens unite with Labrum and Fashion East’s Goyagoma on the London Fashion Week runway, as well as with Sage Nation in a standalone project, are part of a wider reinvention of the footwear brand (an earlier iteration of the series came with Dr Martens’ collaboration with Margaret Howell’s MHL line). In late September, Dr Martens launched its ‘With Bouncing Soles’ platform – its name a reference to a tagline that is stitched into pairs of classic Dr Martens – seeing figures such as actress Chloë Sevigny, musician Jordan Stephens and comedian Naomi Watanabe join a wider cast of ‘community and tastemakers’.
The brand says the campaign is rooted in the ‘micro-joys’ of fandom, with the majority of the participants having worn Dr Martens throughout their lives. ‘I’ve always been drawn to pieces that become more personal the longer you live in them, and Dr Martens has always represented that for me,’ says Sevigny. Each participant was asked: ‘What makes your sole bounce?’; for Sevigny, ‘it’s staying curious – taking on new roles, finding inspiration in unexpected places, and always being open to what’s next’.
‘“With Bouncing Soles” has been stitched into some of our most iconic boots and shoes since production started in 1960. [Now] it becomes the creative thread that connects the people who have shaped Dr Martens with a new generation discovering the brand for themselves,’ says Neil Cummings, global brand creative director, who has led the campaign. Beyond the initial images, a roster of events will take place at the brand’s London Brewer Street store in the coming months, from a set-up by Camberwell’s Lala Books to poetry readings, comedy nights and writing workshops.
The ‘Statements in Craft’ series will run alongside, and is rooted in the idea of collaboration – a defining tenet of the brand. Each of the various collaborations is distinct: at Sage Nation, Sage Toda-Nation took a stripped-back approach, reimagining the cult 1461 shoe with a double-welt seam which runs along the front of the shoe in a reference to his signature box-pleat trouser; at Labrum, Sierra Leone-born designer Foday Dumbuya adorned the ‘Desert Oasis’ suede boot with a floral motif as part of his S/S 2027 runway show.
Dr Martens has coined the term ‘alternative craft’ to describe the way the various designers have approached the collections: a reference to the way in which its traditional boots and shoes are handcrafted in its Northamptonshire factory using tanneries such as CF Stead in Leeds. ‘Dr Martens is a British icon built on making things properly, boots made to protect you on your journey. I saw a shared language there,’ says Dumbuya, who evoked the Olokun flower, associated with Olokun, a West African deity of the sea, on his design.
‘For me, alternative craft is about who gets to be called a craftsman. Where I come from, the people who carved the Nomoli, who dyed the cloth, who forged the bronze, they were masters, but history didn't always write their names down,’ he continues. ‘Alternative craft is honouring those hands and carrying that knowledge forward into spaces it was never invited into. Craft isn't only technique, it's memory.’
‘At Sage we use very little print or embellishment – the focus always comes down to construction and detail, which is why craft is so important to us,’ adds Toda-Nation. ‘[It’s] why the detailing on this shoe felt like the perfect touch. It was an accent that the Made in England factory in Northampton were excited to execute. We love working with our makers on designs that are new to them; I believe that’s how we can keep heritage craft around, by expanding its vocabulary.’
Dr Martens x Sage Nation is available now. Dr Martens x Chopova Lowena will be available this autumn; Dr Martens x Labrum will be available this winter
