DR. MARTENS AWARDS PRIZE TO STUDENTS FOLLOWING DESIGN CHALLENGE IN CELEBRATION OF ICONIC 1460 BOOT

British footwear brand Dr. Martens has announced four bursary winners selected from the prestigious Central Saint Martins (CSM), University of the Arts London (UAL) MA Fashion course.

Finlay Roberts, Yanya Cheng, Traiceline Pratt, and Valeria Pulici have been awarded a bursary (a cash prize similar to a scholarship but awarded to already enrolled students) of £5,000 (around $6,300) each to support the development of their creative practice during their final academic term.

From the nine finalists representing some of the world’s most ground-breaking emerging design talent, four winners have been selected by a panel of industry experts and invited to work with the Dr. Martens design and production team to create prototypes of their unique, bespoke 1460 boot designs.

A blueprint for more than six decades of rebellious self-expression and the embodiment of durability and craftmanship, the 1460 boot is the Dr. Martens brand’s past, present, and future. From the haute-rebellious street style of Jean Paul Gaultier to Comme des Garçons and Yohji Yamamoto, Dr. Martens has been woven into the story of some of the world’s most iconic fashion designers of all time. Each has used DM’s footwear as a canvas to express their distinct visual language. As well as working with the industry giants, Dr. Martens has a history of supporting emerging talent from a broad spectrum of backgrounds and amplifying their voices far and wide.

Taking the 1460 boot as a starting canvas, Dr. Martens challenged students from the prestigious MA Fashion course to re-imagine the boot through the lens of their unique creative vision. The students were briefed to bring the brands rebellious DNA to life by creating a full head to toe look.

The students have been invited to explore the cobbler craft with an exclusive factory tour of the Cobbs Lane Factory, the heart of Dr. Martens, alongside first-hand insight into the footwear design process. All content for the partnership has been captured by SXWKS, a London-based collective of interdisciplinary creatives with a mission to produce art through different mediums and support talent from diverse communities.

This February, Traiceline Pratt, and Yanya Cheng will showcase their collections, including their very own bespoke Dr. Martens boots, on the catwalk of the Central Saint Martins MA Fashion Show during London Fashion Week. Finlay Vincent Roberts and Valeria Pulici’s designs will be showcased in the Lethaby Gallery at Central Saint Martins from February 16th, 2024.

The Winners

Yanya Cheng is developing womenswear with complex pattern cutting, folded, and layered fabrics, incorporating a boldly futurist tone. Yanya’s approach to design focused on a conversation between the designer and the wearer. By experimenting, she aims to spark joy through her perceptions of everyday life. Her reimagined 1460 boot is inspired by the ease and confidence of its durability, enhanced with her signature “adjustable cording” technique to create layers and an individual style.

Valeria Pulici worked in-house at BOY London and is a highly accomplished print designer using hand sketching and digital manipulation while creating multi-product collections focusing on streetwear. Valeria aims to keep sustainability and craftsmanship front of mind. She recontextualizes everyday objects using upcycling, vintage pieces, second-life materials, and bioplastics. Her take on the 1460 boot is inspired by the durability and heritage workwear styles with an imprint of a boot on tarmac, using recycled and bioplastic materials to cement its protective, durable, and functional characteristics.

Traiceline Pratt grew up in the Bahamas and creates womenswear with super-exaggerated sculptural shapes that distort the wearer’s silhouette. Born and raised in Nassau, Bahamas, Traiceline’s work delves into the specific individuals and environments from his childhood.

Finlay Vincent Roberts is the designer behind his menswear-focused label, SYSTEM, which is based on modular clothing. Finlay’s inspiration started from seeing the 1460 boot as an indestructible staple designed for longevity. Finlay created a refined and tested system of modular components that deconstructs the Dr. Martens core design language: a 1461 3-eye shoe with a detachable boot upper to form an unmistakable 8-eye 1460 boot. Finlay’s final piece has 20 modular components that can be transformed into over 100 variations.

The Judges

The panel of industry experts judging the collaboration and competition included four of the most influential names in fashion:

Darren McKoy was appointed as Dr. Martens Global Creative Director last year, introduced as “part custodian, part innovator” and a “life-long Doc’s wearer”. Darren is detonating brilliant new design strategies at Dr. Martens, but always with an eye on heritage and integrity.

Fabio Piras is the course leader of MA Fashion at Central Saint Martins. Fabio is a highly acclaimed designer, having shown at London Fashion Week before taking over the role at CSM after the passing of the legendary Louise Wilson OBE. Alumni of the MA course include iconoclasts Charles Jeffrey, Alexander McQueen, and Simone Rocha.

Lulu Kennedy MBE is the founder of Fashion East, which has championed maverick design talent in the capital since 2000, starting out as an anarchic DIY forum for new names before developing into an internationally respected showcase that has helped launch the careers of, among countless others, Craig Green and Kim Jones.

Erin Magee has been involved with Supreme for over two decades and is currently the blockbuster global streetwear brand’s VP. In 2007, she launched her “by girls, for girls” label MadeMe in NYC, inspired by a lifetime fascination with counterculture movements. Erin is a long-time collaborator of Dr. Martens.