An iconic British boot and shoe brand born in Northamptonshire, with its global head office in Camden, London.
Dr. Martens makes boots, shoes and accessories, best known for the eight-eyelet 1460 boot, the three-eyelet 1461 shoe, air-cushioned soles, welted construction and yellow stitching. It also sells bags, clothing and shoe care products and offers vegan styles. The brand sells in more than 60 countries and says it sold almost 14 million pairs in 2022.
The company's stated core values are "act courageously, be yourself and show you care". Its brand story talks about individuality, authenticity and self-expression, and it describes music as the heartbeat of the brand. The boots were adopted by British youth subcultures such as skinheads, punks, goths and grunge fans, and the company's marketing is built around the idea that people should stand up for what they believe in.
The design began in Germany in 1947 with Klaus Maertens and Herbert Funck. R. Griggs Group in Wollaston, Northamptonshire, bought the UK rights in 1959, anglicised the name and launched the 1460 on 1 April 1960. Wikipedia says its global head office and design studio are in Camden Town, London. The original factory in Wollaston still makes boots using original methods, though most production moved abroad after 2003. The company lists on the London Stock Exchange.
The Deloitte case study says the factory workforce was featured in a film called Made in England, which describes the factory as loud, messy and like a family. These are marketing descriptions, not independent findings. Its parent company's site gives its headquarters as 28 Jamestown Road, Camden, London, and says the company runs 240 directly operated stores worldwide. It describes its role as brand custodians, with a belief in doing what is right for people and the planet. It has a Dr. Martens Foundation and a diversity, equity and inclusion section, and says it sold about 10.2 million pairs in its latest financial year. Its UK retail includes a department store in Covent Garden, opened in 1994, and shops elsewhere in the UK, though we did not find a current UK store count.
People at Dr. Martens work in design, product development, buying, retail, brand and marketing, e-commerce, supply chain and corporate roles at the Camden head office, as well as skilled factory work in Northamptonshire. Check its own careers pages for current roles. We did not find current UK headcount.
Website: www.drmartens.com
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