How an actual doctor with a broken ankle created the Doc Martens boot [View all]
One of the more serious honorifics is the word "Doctor." In the marketing world, it's usually reserved for a brand named after a founder.
Back in 1945, Klaus Maertens was a 25-year-old German army doctor. He was recuperating after breaking his ankle in a skiing accident. The standard-issue boots he was given with their hard leather soles were not only uncomfortable, they hindered his recovery. He wondered why you could enjoy a smooth ride in a car with air-filled tires, but you couldn't enjoy the same principle with boots. So, he decided to design a boot with a softer sole.
Doctor Maertens cut up pieces of an automobile tire and slipped them into his shoes. While it lessened the impact on his ankle, it didn't lessen the pain.
He showed his prototype to a friend who was a mechanical engineer, who then suggested using two rubber insoles. One stitched to the leather, the other heat-sealed to the first – creating a soft air pocket. The pair filed a patent and went into business. Using old military supplies and tire rubber, they began producing comfortable, durable boots.
80 per cent of their sales were to German women over 40.
They advertised their boots in magazines, and one ad caught the attention of a shoe manufacturer in England. That company acquired the exclusive rights to manufacture the boot.
https://www.cbc.ca/radio/undertheinfluence/there-s-a-real-doc-marten-and-he-wasn-t-a-shoe-designer-1.7143667
How many of of us wear Doc Martens? (I don't, but I've worn knockoffs)
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