Boots that grew up alongside street fashion.
1960 | Wollaston, UK | Bill Griggs / Klaus Martens

In 1947, Dr. Klaus Martens, who was serving as a military doctor in the German army, developed and began selling soft, comfortable boots equipped with air-cushioned soles. Initially, the soles were made from discarded rubber tires from the German Air Force.

The comfortable and durable soles became popular, and their reputation spread across the ocean to England. Bill Griggs, the third generation of the Griggs family, who had been running a shoemaking business in Wollaston, north of London since 1901, patented shoes using this groundbreaking sole, and in 1960, the Air Wair brand of shoes using air soles was born.

This brand is now known as Dr. Martens, and the Model 1460 released at that time remains the company's flagship 8-hole boot. The sole is finished with the yellow stitching that is still an icon of Dr. Martens today, and the leather color was cherry red. Incidentally, the model name comes from the release date of April 1, 1960, and the name Martens is the British pronunciation of Martens, the inventor of the sole.

With the catchy slogan "With Bouncing Soles," still used today, these £2 shoes became popular among workers. Soon after, Pete Townshend of The Who and Joe Strummer of The Clash began incorporating them into their fashion as a symbol of their working-class pride, and they became beloved by punks and skinheads. From the 1980s onward, their simple design and versatility made them a staple of street fashion.

Currently, in addition to the aforementioned 8-hole boots, the brand offers a variety of styles, including 3-hole low-cut shoes, side-gore boots, sandals, and other variations and patterns, and continues to be supported worldwide as an indispensable brand in street fashion.