More than just functional footwear, Doc Martens shoes and boots have become a staple among decades of style-conscious subcultures and eventually emerged as a fashion phenomenon. Once synonymous with angry British youth, Doc Martens, like their sturdy leather uppers, have mellowed with age. Bavarian physician Claus Maerten designed the clunky, cushiony, thick-soled boot out of old tires in 1945 after a skiing accident necessitated more comfortable footgear. Bunion-plagued customers became converts until the 1960s, when fascist skinheads appropriated the boots. Rock stars soon followed the trend, and after punk rockers in the 1970s began painting on their own designs, the company came out with wildly colored and patterned models. The brand was a must-have for the young and hip throughout the 1980s, from hip-hop to grunge fans. By the late 1990s, women accounted for seventy percent of the fast-growing market, picking up the pairs at upscale department stores.

Further Reading:

Morais, Richard C. "What's Up, Doc?" Forbes. January 16,1995, p. 42.