Dr. Martens: five interesting facts about the shoe that made amphibian history
Love them or hate them, we all know Dr Martens: always different, always the same, useful for brightening up the office and perfect for rainy days.
They are recognisable from a mile away and yet few people have any idea of their history. Born of misfortune, they became the wealth of those who created them. As the saying goes? Fortune favours the bold, and Dr Maertens (the real one, not the shoe) had plenty of both.
To celebrate the new fall/winter 2023-2024 collection, discover with us of Fratinardi five curiosities you definitely don’t know about the most loved shoe of the last decades
1. They were born as orthopaedic shoes
This is undoubtedly the most well-known thing about Dr. Martens, but how many really know the reason why it was created?
It all starts in 1943, when German doctor Klaus Maertens breaks his foot while skiing during a military leave. It was during his convalescence period that he realised how uncomfortable classic shoes with leather soles could be.
He then decided to invent a new type of sole softened by an air cushion. This is why Dr. Martens are comfortable and support the stride so well.
Only after the war was over he produced the first model by himself, but did not manage to sell it until 1947, when, with the help of his old college colleague, Dr. Funk, he opened the first shoe company.
2: the market? Dominated by housewives!
Yes, in the 1950s, the main purchasers of Dr. Martens were German housewives. They dominated 80% of the market.
Can you imagine an elegant German housewife cleaning house with amphibians? It must have looked something like this:
It has to be said: who can blame them! They are the perfect shoes to tackle a life as busy as only a housewife can be.
3: They soon became the shoes of soldiers (and not only)
In the 1950s, Funk and Maertens opened up to international trade, starting to produce shoes for the British army. This was thanks to the R. Griggs Group Ltd., who bought the patent to beat off competitors from G.B. Britons, who produced amphibious boots for the army.
It was they who created the Dr. Martens we know today, adding the yellow stitching between the sole and upper and the black and yellow tongue, now undisputed symbols of these shoes.
At the end of the 1960s, Dr. Martens became everybody’s shoe: from soldier to policeman, from postman to factory worker. Everybody wears Dr. Martens!
And if you still haven’t bought them, it’s time to go to Fratinardi.it/en to remedy the situation!
4: In Italy it arrives thanks to music
The first appearance of this footwear in Italy is attributed to an Anglo-Italian musician from the group BlackJack: Alan Targer-Addams.
Moving frequently between our country and England, he began to wear them following English fashion, among the first ever here in Italy!
5: Funk excluded from the name!
Dr. Funk was excluded from the brand name with a stupid but understandable reason: his name sounds too much like F*UCK.
Where can I buy Dr. Martens?
But at Fratinardi’s, of course! If you have even remotely considered buying a pair of Dr. Martens, we are for you.
Helpfulness and kindness are what you will find in our boutiques and in our personal shopper. Available in black, but also in powder pink, the new collection will leave you open-mouthed among moccasins, classic amphibians and in revisited versions to guarantee you a shopping session that fully suits your needs!
And what about our pairings? Have you ever thought how Dr. Martens could look so good under a Marella denim dress or a Gai Mattiolo tweed suit? Really perfect for any occasion!
Conclusion
There’s not much to say, Dr. Martens have come a long way from ’43 to today! A good eighty years of history, of failures and recoveries through a changing society.
They have lost their initial use, their subsequent meaning, becoming today a trend that has so much to tell. Just think, they have even been created in a vegan version!
If this post has got you at least partly passionate about the history of these shoes, then what are you waiting for to buy them in our shop? They are all there, even the originals! We are waiting for you on fratinardi.it/en or in our store in Battipaglia (Salerno, Itally)!