Boot, ankle boot

Dr. Martens boots were developed by a German doctor, Klaus Märtens, after a skiing accident in 1945. He modified army boots by using softer leather and air-padded soles. In the late 1950s, the British shoe manufacturer R. Griggs Group Ltd bought the rights to produce the shoes in the UK. The name was anglicised, the heel slightly re-shaped, the trademark yellow stitching added and the soles marketed as 'AirWair'.

The shoes and boots were popular with people working in trades that required them to be on their feet a lot: postmen, police officers and factory workers. By the late 1960s they were adopted by skinheads and later by other subcultures.

Doc Martens were restyled for a fashion market in the 1990s. This purple and yellow tartan example from 1995 was given to the museum by the brand’s PR agency, Ogilvy, Adams & Rinehart.

After a slump in popularity in the late 20th/early 21st century, Dr. Martens regained popularity by re-issuing 'classic' styles, a strategy adopted by other brands such as Adidas and aligning the company with 'cool' bands.