The 1461 Shoe | Our Icons | Dr. Martens

THE FIRST DOC’S SHOE. A THREE-HOLE DERBY. ON 1ST APRIL 1961 IT ROLLED OFF THE PRODUCTION LINE AND ONTO THE FEET OF SCHOOL CHILDREN, WORKERS AND PENSIONERS. THE EVERYSHOE.

Same but different. The 1461 shoe shares similarities with the 1460 boot but is a completely new design. The original DMS sole is heat-sealed, groove-edged and air-cushioned to put bounce in your step. The Smooth Leather upper still boasts a signature toe puff. But 3 eyelets and a Gibson construction make this a younger sibling hell-bent on forging its own identity.

HISTORY
To understand the roots of the 1461 shoe, you have to understand the history of Dr. Martens. The 1461 was the first shoe that Bill Griggs put on the DMS outsole. It has endured in the Dr. Martens collection since its creation and is recognisable by its iconic silhouette.
DESIGN
The 1461 shoe is characterised by its Derby construction – the quarter is stitched over the vamp – a tell-tale signifier of its origins in Wollaston, Northampton. The shoe is stripped back to basics but carefully crafted with its key elements: 3 eyelets, a double stitch, a box stitch and perfect curves.
HEAT SEALING
The use of plastics in shoe-making was rare in the 1950s. But Drs Funck and Maertens innovated and landed on a PVC welt that was stitched to the upper of each boot. Then, Funck masterminded a machine that inserted a hot knife between two layers of sole. Pressure applied; the sole was fused to the welt. Still used to this day. Sole and welt, heat-sealed in perpetuity.