In essence, Dr. Martens’ shoes are pretty simple. Sturdy premium leather meets a yellow welt stitched Airwair sole, in either a high or low-cut profile.
Not taking anything away from the brand (they’re one of my go-tos), but Dr. Martens’ way of approaching footwear is undoubtedly a testament to the less-is-more mantra.
In fact, the label has rarely swayed from the basics it’s become renowned for throughout its entire history, and the fact it’s still one of the most popular brands around shows it needn’t look elsewhere anyway.
But what happens when the basics are stripped back even further? Well, its latest link-up with Samuel Ross’ A-COLD-WALL* should shine a light.
Landing online on December 12, 2022, Dr. Martens x ACW* FW22 hones in on clean lines and distilled aesthetics, reworking the 1461 and 1460 in a way that “rejects the overdesigned mainstream.”
Building on previous seasons, ACW* adds a double-height Bex sole for a strong foundation on both silhouettes.
The crisp architectural structures where the eyelets would traditionally be placed firmly stand out on the silhouettes’ profiles — a mainstay of the collaboration that can be traced back to their nascent collection. Similarly, laces too have been taken away and replaced with sleek front zips.
This ACW* link-up is the latest in a string of recent collaborations from Dr. Martens, with more likely to be arriving in the weeks remaining of 2022.
From Swarovski and OUR LEGACY WORK SHOP to Rick Owens and Engineered Garments in the last two months alone, there aren’t many labels that don’t want a piece of DM.
And, in all honesty, who can blame them?
