Knock the Doc
This is ye olde but seeing as it was B.S.B. (Before. Style. Bubble.) and the microsite is still up and running AND they provide...high res images for us to merrily download (a rarity for most sites...) I felt the urge to indulge. It was Jeanie who reminded me of this Doc Martens project back in 2003 when they asked 69 creatives to interpret the original 8-eyelet 1460 work boot. Some might remember the touring exhibition that went with it going to London, New York and Tokyo. At the time, I was reading about it Flicking through the creations is a bit of a Brit designer blast-from-the-past as a lot of the 'older' generation of designers took part... people like...
Caroline Charles
Betty Jackson
Jasper Conran
Elspeth Gibson (I was a huge fan of her pretty prettiness...)
Joe Casely-Hayford whose deconstructed shirt I still wear obsessively and whose son spookily also is modelling Doc Martens' current Made in Monochrome campaign (he's also the impossibly tall, well dressed dude who works at Dover Street Market).
These boots by Preen remind me of their rougher-edged beginnings as designers... hence why I keep going to their sample sales in search of really early Preen buys...
The established of New York also gets a look in with this creation by knitwear designer Liz Collins...
Benjamin Cho's squishy fish boot makes me wonder what his very EARLY shows were like...
The real surprise goes to Sean John though. Yes, THE Sean John aka P. Diddy's 'sportswear' label with the annoying woman in the perfume ad whispering 'Shon Shon' in a faux French accent. Scrub away the little Sean John logos and you have a pair of simple and effective take on the 1460 boots...
Sean John= perhaps not so unforgivable? I love :)
Posted by: Kat George | 05 January 2009 at 21:47
Yeah I was surprised by those Sean Johns too. If you ignore the stupid logo signature they are actually classic and futurist. How they came from the mind of P Diddy I don't understand (or totally believe to be honest).
Posted by: Ian | 05 January 2009 at 22:07
Gah! I am so, so in love with those first Doc Martens. It's so funny, to have pairs sitting in my closet as is, that I refuse to get rid of... and to find myself coveting them again.
Definitely inspiration worthy!
Posted by: Ashe Mischief | 05 January 2009 at 22:15
I love the Elspeth Gibson and Preen ones... not so sure about the Benjamin Cho take on it but still. The Sean John ones would be so good if he had resisted putting his name all over them, this is something that always bugs me about clothes and the like, however still an impressive effort.
Posted by: Kay | 05 January 2009 at 22:19
I love the Elspeth Gibson; the idea of juxtaposing feminine lace with a clumpy boot is really attractive to me. I sometimes wear my Docs with lace leggings to get this effect but these would kill two birds with one stone!
Posted by: Sarah Edwina Rose | 05 January 2009 at 22:21
Wow, till you said those were Sean Jean, I was loving them! But that part is easily removed, like you say...x
Posted by: Frankie - Swell Vintage | 05 January 2009 at 22:21
these are adorable, i think i like the sean johns the best too... maybe i should start looking for a white suit.
Posted by: jennine | 05 January 2009 at 23:07
Shon Shon
haha. I'm going to be saying that in my head all tonight and tomorrow.
Posted by: Isabelle | 05 January 2009 at 23:22
i read about these in elle girl! oh those were the days, that magazine was fabby
Posted by: selina | 05 January 2009 at 23:33
Ooh, I love those Jasper Conran ones!
Posted by: Laia | 05 January 2009 at 23:34
All of these are amazing. I wish I could have seen them up close.
Makes me want to do a DIY. LOL.
Posted by: Alicia/InstantVintage | 05 January 2009 at 23:52
those sean johns are killlller
Posted by: juley | 06 January 2009 at 00:39
preen and elisapeth gibson are my favorites.
would have wonderful if they actually produced them massively, I would be the first one in line.
x
Posted by: ay | 06 January 2009 at 00:51
oh, caroline charles. le sigh.
all of those docs are fabulous to the maxx.
Posted by: paige | 06 January 2009 at 01:08
AWwww. Ben's shoes are nothing short of precious. They do remind me of his first absurd shows involving dresses with giant umbrellas coming out of them...They used to be up on nymag.com, but it looks like they took his old shows down :(
xxx,
Tiffany
Posted by: The Six Six Sick Girls | 06 January 2009 at 02:55
Wow- what a thrill to be featured on your amazing blog that I am addicted to!
I forgot all about those boots- they look really nice.
I am working on new sweaters for Fall 09 and one of my plans is to send you one....so come March, you should be receiving a package.
All the best,
your fan,
Liz
Posted by: liz collins | 06 January 2009 at 03:12
I never "got" Doc Martens, and can't like them no matter how hard I try.
That aside, I always like to see designers' own take on established designs/items, even if it's just a coke bottle or something. It's great to see how they let their own identity shine through.
Posted by: kim | 06 January 2009 at 08:22
I'm not the biggest Doc fan (I know!), but I'm digging these! I saw the Orla Kiehly ones somewhere else and those have to be my favorite out of the bunch... plain and simple.
Posted by: Katlin | 06 January 2009 at 10:55
Woah all these boots are awesome! The fish is so cute haha and the Betty Jackson ones I would definitely wear!
Posted by: | 06 January 2009 at 13:12
love it love it love it!!!
Posted by: diamondhurts | 06 January 2009 at 13:12
Oh wow, I have a ridiculously old "DIY Guide" by Elle Girl that has some of these in! If I remember correctly, my favourites were by Lulu Guinness and it was a purple Parisian house? I can't believe I've kept it that long, but what can say, I'm a definite hoarder! :)
Posted by: La Fee | 06 January 2009 at 17:42
i really like the ones by Caroline Charles, Joe Casely-Hayford, and Sean John.
Posted by: anne | 06 January 2009 at 18:01
I love the "inside out" ones :)
Posted by: Tamara | 06 January 2009 at 19:11
Gosh, these are awesome. La Fee, pretty please dig up your Elle Girl DIY guide and show it to me? Some of those are just pure love! This multi-designer shoe collab really reminds me of Lazy Oaf's 'Pimp my Pump' one.
Posted by: Dina | 06 January 2009 at 19:14
I used to love Docs when I was in college (never the black or the oxblood ones though - purple or yellow with red flowers please!), then I forgot them until this winter. I really love the new patent ones with a heel; so gorgeous!
Really like those sequinned ones and the roses!
Posted by: floraposte | 06 January 2009 at 21:39
HAHA the sean john one! omg cannot believe they look half decent!
Posted by: rachie | 07 January 2009 at 16:37
oh shit!!!that shoes is very FABOLOUS AND AMAZING,sugoiiiiiiiiii i will cry if i hav it one
Posted by: Freddy Style | 07 January 2009 at 17:40
the piddly diddly's are indeed the winners. i would have liked to choose the fish boots but id feel mean sticking my foot in the poor fish's little butt!
Posted by: chloe | 09 January 2009 at 21:28
Wow! i really love those different shoes. especially those fish boots. i love it such a nice style. hope to have that shoes.
-sidney-
Posted by: seanjohn | 19 June 2009 at 02:52