Dr. Martens is launching a short film celebrating the seismic first decade of the Jadon boot and its place in culture.
Featuring insights and anecdotes from Dr. Martens ex-and-current Creative Directors Damien Wilson and Darren McKoy, photographer Tommy Ton, fashion blogger Bryanboy, and DM’s collectors and collaborators from over the years.
When Dr. Martens design team created the Jadon boot, they had a clear objective: a boot that stood apart from the 1460 boot but retained its DNA. A positive mutation. A natural progression.
A boot that would capture the Docs heritage and inspire another 50 years of rebellious attitude. The Jadon boot tapped into a growing subculture of alternative wearers whose style was becoming louder and bolder.
The boot is instantly recognisable by its formidable Quad sole, a literal and metaphorical platform for a new generation of vibrant, fluid, fearless self-expression.
“People were starting to dress a little bit more extreme, and that’s Dr. Martens stomping ground, so that’s where we started,” said Damien Wilson, Former Creative Director.
In the years after its birth, the Jadon boot left its sole print on blogs and mood boards worldwide.
In true Docs style, nowhere was it more ardently adopted than in the music world. An unmissable, stomping go-to for bold non-conformists, the Jadon boot has music stitched in.
An antidote to the mainstream. A canvas for Docs most alternative collaborations. And a springboard for innovation and progressive design.
“The Jadon boot plays an important role in music. Pop, grunge, progressive alternative. The boot empowers the artists that truly adopt the brand,” said Darren McKoy, Creative Director.
The Jadon boot has ten years under its belt and a solid foundation of timeless Dr. Martens DNA.
In 2023, we’re celebrating its journey, what it represents for the Dr. Martens brand and our wearers and where it’s going next.
The Dr. Martens Jadon Boot is available online and in any Dr. Martens retail stores in New Zealand.
About Dr. Martens:
The first pair of Dr. Martens boots rolled off the production line on the 1st of April 1960. With its trademark yellow stitch, grooved sole and heel-loop, it was a boot for workers, initially worn by postmen and police officers; it was comfortable, durable and lightweight compared to its competitors at the time.
Throughout Dr. Martens history, the brand has been adopted and subverted by diverse individuals, musicians, youth cultures and tribes. These people stand out from the crowd, and a pair of DM’s have always accompanied their journey of self-expression.
The simple silhouette allows people to customise each pair. At the same time, on a practical level, their famous durability and comfort make them ideal footwear for the world of gigs and street fashion.
On an emotional level, they are a flag of attitude and empowerment.
The Northamptonshire factory where it all began still exists to this day in the village of Wollaston. A specific range of ‘Made In England’ products are manufactured here by a small, close-knit team of people schooled in traditional shoe-making and a process that hasn’t changed since our first pair six decades ago.
