Dr Martens were originally created on the 1st April 1960 and since then they have become one of the most iconic footwear brands to have existed.

Thanks to a chance partnership through a classified advert, Dr Klaus Maertens an inventor in Munich, Germany who had created a shoe sole with a honeycomb design so you were literally walking on air, met with the Griggs family who themselves had a great reputation for producing high quality footwear.

By combining forces, these two parties have worked together to create an icon that has been designed around innovation and self expression.

The classic design of Dr Martens footwear has long been associated with youth subcultures and fashion rebellion with Mods adopting them as part of their uniform in the 1960s and Punks doing the same in the 1980s.

This exposure has led Dr Martens to be regarded as the ultimate “anti fashion” product known for giving a blank canvas to express yourself with, which has ironically earned them a high fashion following.

Dr Martens are not a brand willing to rest on their laurels and they are as committed to offering the same high quality in every pair of shoes they produce. This commitment has earned Dr Martens an unrivalled reputation within the footwear market and every shoe is guaranteed to offer exceptional comfort, practicality and durability.

Aside from creating high quality shoes, Dr Martens are also devoted to streamlining a socially responsible supply chain. Each supplier is chosen based on the treatment they show to their employees; however Dr Martens don’t believe in demanding immediate compliance as research has shown that this can lead to forcing bad practices underground. Instead factories don’t need to just pass audits; they must also improve the conditions for workers.

Dr Martens work in conjunction with Impactt who are a third party company who specialise in supply chain ethics so they can monitor their suppliers.

To celebrate their 50th anniversary, and to underline their long lasting relationship with fashion and music circles, Dr Martens have joined up with some of the most stylish and high fashion bands to produce an album that truly represents the brand and the spirit of each person to pull on a pair of Dr Martens shoes in the last 50 years.

With their no nonsense approach and classic style this popularity looks set to continue for the next 50 years.