Brand: Babylon LA x Dr. Martens
Model: 1461
Release Date: Available Now
Price: $150
Buy: Babylon LA's website, Slam Jam
Editor’s Notes: Next up in the beat-up shoe Olympics: Babylon LA's Dr. Martens collab. After tackling the 1460 boot with BEAMS, the Los Angeles brand links back up with Dr. Martens for a 1461 shoe collaboration designed to be destroyed.
As displayed in the picture above, the Babylon x Dr. Martens 1461 arrives with a tear-away upper, olive canvas on top of Dr. Martens' black Wanama leather.
To get the shoes to that point, wearers have two options: let natural aging and wear do its thing or speed things up with the trusted carving kit.
Either way, those lucky enough to cop will likely be waving bye-bye to the upper at some point, as it was "designed to mark and tear with wear and may eventually tear off entirely," according to the brands.
The concept certainly nods to the energy of both labels, especially Babylon, whose founders Lee Spielman and Garrett Stevenson centered the label around their hardcore punk roots.
In addition to the shoe's inevitable deterioration, the word "CHAOS" surfaces on the translucent lug sole of Babylon's 1461 shoe.
Babylon's peace logo materializes as a rip-off heel patch and the shoe's zipper. At the same time, Dr. Martens' signature "AirWair" pull tab sprouts from the shoe's opening, indicating the presence of the brand's sole technology responsible for bounce, comfortability, and sturdiness.
Babylon LA's Doc Martens undoubtedly advance fashion's autumn scuffed-up craze, where heavy distressing, destructive makeup, and, of course, beat-up shoes are making rounds this Fall '22 season.
Though, Babylon's Docs aren't as wild a take as Balenciaga's extremely-pummeled sneakers and MSCHF and Jimmy Fallon's candy stompers.
Given the cool, battered spin on the timeless model, it's not surprising that Babylon's Dr. Martens 1461 shoes are already sold-out at Dr. Martens, with limited sizes lingering on Babylon's online store.
For those fortunate buyers or others looking to cop, here's some food for thought: please be kind and wear Babylon's Dr. Martens to shreds.
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