Dr. Martens' Rugged Workwear Shoes Go All Topsy-Turvy
It’s difficult to know where the sole ends and the shoe starts in Dr. Martens’ latest footwear collection.
The work of Dr. Martens’ 14XX, the British label’s more experimental subline, the 14XX Protection Pack reimagines three of Dr. Martens’ most recognizable shoes (the 1460 boot, 1461 shoe, and 2976 Chelsea boot) with what looks to be an extra, unusable sole unit.
Each dressed in water-resistant, full-grain Tailgate leather, the all-black trio of shoes has a rubberized front portion with deep ridges — the type of detail you’d expect to find on the bottom of a shoe — added to the top of them.
Inspired by Dr. Martens’ history in industrial workwear, the shoes also include steel toe caps and thick, padded collars.
This type of experimental-yet-sturdy footwear is what Dr. Martens’ 14XX line has been established to create.
“Dr. Martens has always gone against the grain and 14XX marks a new design chapter of boundary-pushing, forward-thinking workwear for the brand,” Darren McKoy, Dr. Martens’ creative director, told Highsnobiety last year when 14XX was launched. “It’s all about taking the most durable, versatile, and iconic parts of our past and reimagining them for the future.”
After a sell-out debut (and a Rick Owens collaboration), the 14XX Protection Pack is the line’s second full collection available to shop online and in-store from Dr. Martens.
This is the second left-field concoction to arrive from Dr. Martens in quick succession, following hot on the heels of its chunked-up grunge boat shoe. Outside of its oft-wild collaborations, Dr. Martens is embracing the eccentric.
