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When dr.Martens first appeared in the United Kingdom, in 1960, they were work boots that would cost you less than $ 3 the pair.Today, a pair of made in England can cost you $ 225 (200 euros).So what has changed?And why now these shoes are so expensive?
DR.Martens are a style icon that has endured for more than 50 years.They have all used them, from Kanye West and Cardi B to the Dalai Lama, even going through Pope John Paul II, when the Vatican made a request for the famous 8 -eye boots in black leather, white and navy blue.While a couple ofDr. boots.Martens may not be the most expensive boots that exist, its price and its use have gone through a fairly radical transformation.And the company that produces them has also undergone dramatic changes, of being a local family property factory to be an international fashion brand owned by a private capital company.
Since 2014 the price of boots has increased almost 25%.Sales have grown year after year, and the benefits increased by 70% in 2018% by maintaining until 2019.How did the company of its humble beginnings produce 7 million pairs of these shoes a year?Before having your image so punk, the dr.Mars were not so great.The patented technology behind the boots, the sole padded with air, was invented in 1945 by the DR.Klaus Maertens, a German army doctor who injured his ankle after a ski accident and looked for a more comfortable alternative to hard leather sole boots.
The market for this new footwear technology was not the punk or skinheads that could be associated with the history of these shoes, but older women who needed a more comfortable and practical footwear.They even announced how perfect gardening shoes.
But it was not until this technology was taken to the United Kingdom in 1960 that those iconic shoes were manufactured that you could now recognize.The air -padded sole was granted to the Griggs company in Northhampton, and the 1460 boot was created.The iconic seams and the so recognizable heel link were added, and boots were sold to factories workers from all over England.
At that time, these boots only cost 3 dollars (2 euros) the pair.Even with inflation, that would be a little more than $ 50 (46 euros).They were cheap, resistant and perfect for porteros, police and for all the workers who worked standing all day.The boots were quickly adopted by any countercultural movement that appeared, and became a pillar of glam, punk, skinhead, ska and gothic style, among many others.However,Dr. fashion status.Martens was not always guaranteed.After the 90's boom, the boots went out of style, and the company was seen in bad times, almost breaking in the early 2000s.As the industry reduced, the cost of manufacturing shoes in England also became more expensive.
And for 2002 a couple of dr.Martens already cost around 80 euros.That is around 130 euros if we adjust it with inflation.Northampthonshire was once the home of the manufacture of shoes in England.In the mid -nineteenth century there were more than 2.000 shoemakers working in the region.But while many of these shoemakers were looking for life, the majority broke or transferred production abroad, and now there are just over 30 left.Dr..Martens followed the example by moving production to Asia.
The company still manufactures shoes in its Northampthonshire factory, but now it only represents 2% of its total production.Dr..Martens says that this relocation has not changed at all how their shoes are made.We wanted to check if there were really any differences between the new boots made in Asia, the most expensive variant made in England or an old couple made before the move.We talk to someone who has destroyed several pairs of shoes to find out.
Weston Kay: I'm Weston Kay, I'm a marriage professional, and short boots and shoes in half on YouTube.Yes, I would say that production methods are very similar between Asian manufacturing boots and Made in England boots.Many of the same characteristics of the interior, how they sew the boots are identical.Its construction is very similar.The sole still sews to the seam.I think that many of the big difference between old and new boots are things that you would only notice if the short ones in half, almost, or if you used them for a long time. DR.Mars Vintage had a much better intermediate sole that added much more comfort, they had a wooden handle and the leather was much better.Thus they lasted longer, they are more comfortable, they have the resistance you need.The new ones have worse versions of the materials of the old. No las describiría como unas botas súper duraderas o con mucha resistencia, pero la gente las compra porque sonDr..Martens, despite everything.And yes, they will be comfortable, they will last a long time in full conditions, so most people are satisfied with them.
Narrador: nos pusimos en contacto conDr..Martens to consult these opinions, and his spokesman told us:
"We have not altered any material or manufacturing process that endangers the quality of our products.And where there have been changes in the specifications has been made to improve our iconic products and make sure we improve the user experience.We withdraw that little reinforcement shaft in 2000 after realizing that the structural integrity of our boots did not improve.In 2005, our internal filling changed from the felt to a better quality material.The boots of the 90s which he refers along with our current Made in England range have a 1.8 mm leather thickness, while our main range has a thickness of 1.6 mm ".
Independientemente de los materiales, el estilo deDr..Martens has endured.And since 2002, the popularity of the brand has shot.The countercultural image that made it so famous is something that has been maintained until today, going from being a British manufacturing boots of a small town to being an international icon.And for the fans of the boots, this can become an obsession.Over the years, the company has evolved from the production of a single type boots in 1960 to the production of around 250 styles every year.And as its popularity has been growing, the competition has also done so.
En los últimos añosDr..Martens has filed demands against Urban Outfitters, Vans, Boohoo and others in an attempt to protect its iconic boot design.In 2014, the company was sold by the family and bought by a private capital company, Permira.From this acquisition, the price of the boots has risen almost 25%, and the benefits increased by 70% in 2018 until they entered 2019, largely due to the newly discovered success of its vegan range.
And although the boots have gone from being an English work shoes to a world fashion icon, its style has endured and its devotees followers will not go anywhere.
