2976 BOOT

Chelsea boots date back to Victorian times and are said to have been designed for Queen Victoria. The elasticized gusset was an innovation of the time, made possible by the vulcanized rubber of Charles Goodyear in the 1840s. The chelsea gets its name from the various designers in the 1960s who wore the boot and populated Kings Road in Chelsea with their avant garde boutiques.

The 2976 is unmistakably Dr. Martens. The PVC sole unit is attached to the upper the Dr. Marten's way: using a PVC welt which is sewn to the upper and heat-sealed to the sole unit. There's also that classic Doc's bulbous toe, The L shaped seam on the vamp, the gently curved back strap and the dual elastic gusset in an even U shape.

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.