15 September 2023
DEVOTED. DEFIANT. DANCING — DR. MARTENS ANNOUNCES PARTNERSHIP WITH SMILEY TO CELEBRATE THE JOY OF COUNTERCULTURE
Dr. Martens has been stomping on the floors of subcultural safe havens for decades — the footwear of choice for like-minded punks, rebels and radicals. In the 80s and 90s, Smiley became the symbol of electronic music subcultures founded on acceptance and uninhibited joy. Visual shorthand for the positivity of dance and the reclaimed freedom of counterculture. Our first collaboration with Smiley celebrates music’s positivity and the defiant optimism of the dancefloor.
The headline silhouette from the collection is, of course, Dr. Martens instantly recognisable 1460 boot. The 8-eye boot is built with our ubiquitous black Smooth leather, an all-over Smiley deboss detail and yellow upper stitching. The boot is fitted with yellow eyelets and dual laces: a black pair with Smiley text and a secondary yellow pair with the Smiley branded face. DM’s enduring DNA is evident from top to sole, with a black and yellow heel loop and signature yellow welt stitching to secure the grooved DMS outsole.
Our joy-filled makeover of DM’s silhouette mainstays continues with a rework of the 1461 3-eye shoe: built from black Smooth leather with a DM’s yellow Smiley print emblazoned across the vamp and backstrap. The shoe is also equipped with dual lacing and is detailed with black eyelets and a Smiley branded sock and footpad. Our grooved trans DMS outsole is secured with a black welt and our unmistakable yellow welt stitching.
The Jorge slip-on has spent its share of time at centre stage since its launch in 2022. We’ve rebuilt the versatile mule using black Long Napped suede, and a Bouclé Smiley badge, with Smiley branded sock artwork. The mule is fastened with DM’s branded buckles and stands on our grooved Shore outsole secured with yellow welt stitching.
The collection also includes a scaled-down version of the 1460 boot — for little feet that want to dance to their own beat. The boot is available in infant, junior and youth sizes and is built from supple black Hydro leather with a Smiley scribble screen print design and a Smiley tongue patch. The dual lacing options include a Smiley text lace and a fluffy yellow lace to match the yellow eyelets. The boot has a cemented smoke sole with yellow stitch detailing and is finished with a black and yellow heel loop.
We’ve rounded out the collection with two accessory options: a distinctive circular Smiley branded face bag and a pair of Smiley branded socks. The bag is built from smooth black Kiev leather and is fitted with two straps branded with yellow AirWair detail to mirror our classic heel loop.
The collection drops in May and will be available at drmartens.com and select partners.
ABOUT DR. MARTENS
The first pair of Dr. Martens boots rolled off the production line on the 1st April 1960. With its trademark yellow stitch, grooved sole and heel-loop, it was a boot for workers, initially worn by postmen and policemen; comfortable, durable and lightweight in comparison to its competitors at the time.
Throughout Dr. Martens history, the brand has been adopted and subverted by diverse individuals, musicians, youth cultures and tribes. These are the people who stand out from the crowd and their journey of self-expression has always been accompanied by a pair of DM’s.
The simple silhouette allows people to customise each pair; whilst on a utilitarian level their famous durability and comfort make them ideal footwear for the world of gigs and street fashion. On an emotional level, they are a flag of attitude and empowerment.
The Northamptonshire factory where it all began still exists to this day, in the village of Wollaston. A specific range of ‘Made In England’ products are manufactured here by a small, close-knit team of people schooled in traditional shoe-making and a process that hasn’t changed since our first pair six decades ago.
ABOUT SMILEY
Smiley has been spreading joy and optimism to generations since French journalist Franklin Loufrani created the trademarked brand in 1972. Originally a gesture to urge readers of the newspaper France-Soir to ‘Take the Time to Smile’, soon this ubiquitous symbol of happiness became the most recognised and important in graphic design.
In 1996 Nicolas Loufrani, son of Franklin, took over the helm, steering Smiley into the digital revolution. Creating a whole new way of communicating, he added a variety of facial expressions to the original Smiley – his emoticons are now sent around the world at infinitely.
Continuing to influence modern culture, Smiley is one of the world’s top global licensing enterprises collaborating on high-profile activities spanning fashion, art, homeware, food and beverage. Major partnerships include Loewe, Moschino, Raf Simons, Eastpak and LA-based Market, who produce the Market Smiley Baseball – a cultural icon.
Maintaining Smiley’s friendly mantra, Loufrani created Smiley Movement in 2017. The non-profit community works across multimedia platforms aiming to inspire positive change in society addressing urgent societal and environmental problems.
To celebrate 50 years, Smiley commissioned graffiti artist André Saraiva to reimagine the famous logo; created The Collector’s Edition with 50 streetwear designers; and brought back the original message ‘Take the Time to Smile’ – because what’s more inspiring and universal than a smile?
As featured by HIGHXTAR.com. Read their full coverage of the Smiley x Dr. Martens: 1460 Boot Collaboration