If someone asked you to imagine a strong shoe, one that could endure all the elements and endless wear and tear and still retain its style, you’d immediately think of a pair of Dr. Martens, right? Since 1960, the brand has proudly been Made Strong. From the factories to the streets, the iconic boots have transcended passing trends, providing a lasting staple beloved by youth culture and providing strength from the ground up.
What’s important to note, however, is while the shoes may have stayed the same, the wearers have not. The mods in the 60s, the skinheads in the 70s, the punks in the 80s and nihilistic grungers of the 90s all embraced Dr. Martens, a singular consistent to an otherwise eclectic mix of different styles, styles that often-mixed hardness and softness, masculinity, and femininity in new and interesting ways. But what was once considered strong, tough, resilient no longer looks and feels the same in 2023, in a figurative sense at least, and Dr. Martens is embracing that shift.
For our current youth generations – millennials, Gen Z, and, before long, Generation Alpha – there is strength to be derived from new sources, ones defined by creativity, community and optimism. Subcultures always thrive in the face of adversity, punitive governments, cuts to arts funding and a growing sense of unease amongst young people. Today, there are a number of parallels with past eras of social strife, but the ways in which strength is found and tapped into as a vital life source have evolved and evolved.
To exemplify this shift, Dr. Martens has partnered with a handful of new talent – Xiuhtezcatl, Niko, and Motherlan – all of whom embody the spirit of now and a new era of Made Strong. Xiuhtezcatl is an environmental activist from the US, Niko is a California-based first-generation Mexican singer-songwriter, and Motherlan are a multidisciplinary skate crew championing the influence of Nigeria. Together, they promote the global youth and style trends that define the times we live in.
Last week, the brand assembled New York’s coolest musicians and local DJs to perform their two-day event that spotlighted this reaffirmation of the importance of strength in its many different forms; an immersive Made Strong experience that also spotlighted the work of New York-based photographer-filmmaker Adam Zhu, to show the different ways in which the brand is enmeshed in art, music and style. “Made to work. And dance. And march. Built to keep your feet on the ground — with soles designed to bounce back. Resilient. Adaptable. Tenacious.”
Credits
All images courtesy Dr. Martens