Rick Owens and Dr. Martens are set to finally team up with one another on a collaborative boot.
Much like Owens’ incoming collaboration with Converse, the first-time collaborators share plenty of mutual interests – a fascination with the underground, dark, exaggerated motifs, and an inextricable foundation in punk rock. Indeed, Owens professed a long-standing admiration with the UK boot manufacturers’ cultural cachet:
“When I was a teen and becoming physically aware, I saw how a tightly laced ankle leading to a broad solidly planted foot had a simple, modest, industrial masculinity — almost like a corset between a muscled calf and a sturdy foot that acted as a stoic ballast. DMs exemplified this the best. I saw them on all the guys flying through the air at the shows I went to then…Fear…Black Flag…The Screamers…Alien Sex Fiend…Dr. Martens became a symbol of a raw and sweaty vitality that I thought I might be able to pull off…and for a minute, I think I did.”
The collaborative boots continue the avant-garde lacing motif found throughout Owens’ in-house and collaborative footwear ventures, which the designer explained is intended as a “symbol of our eternal collective search for rational order; signs of hope and an affectionate blessing on the perpetual recklessness of youth.” The model is a rework of Dr. Martens’ Bex 1460 boots, a 1-inch platform version of their over 60-year-old 8-eye work boot. Owens’ influence continues throughout the boots, with the designer even adding parallel taupe stitching just above the brand’s iconic yellow welt stitching. The model also features side zips for easier entry, co-branded insoles, and a recolored AirWair heel tab.
The Rick Owens x Dr. Martens 1460 Bex boots release on March 20th via Dr. Martens’ website. The drop is set to be the first of two for the duo (with the second releasing in May), so stay tuned to Modern Notoriety for more details.
