Be it frank with me a moment, fashion is fierce. This week it was the hottest thing ever on the planet and the next, it is cancelled as if it was a problematic tweet. So when people ask, are Dr. Martens still popular? — I get it. It’s a fair question. but I have come to say the answer is more complicated, more varied, more disorderly, than a yes or no. Welcome to itismandystyle, where we can begin to take it seriously.
The Boot That Refuses to Die
We will begin with a bit of history since background is important, folks. Dr. Martens was not made iconic by chance. The boots were born in post-war Germany in 1945 and launched in the UK as the 1460 boot on April 1, 1960 – April Fools day, which is rather iconic to a brand that would go on to be worn by punks, goths and supermodels – and they had a reputation of being indestructible.
It began as a factory worker in Britain shoe and gradually became co-opted (in the most positive sense) by punk subculture in the 70s, goth subculture in the 80s and grunge kids in the 90s. The 1460 boot was no longer the shield of your feet on the factory floors, but the shield of your identity in the world that had wanted you to be like of us. That’s deep. That’s a whole mood.
And here is the sting of it all, the energy never went.
So, Are They Still Popular in 2026?
The straightforward, unedited answer to this question is yes, but it is complicated.
Dr. Martens claimed a 10 percent revenue decrease in fiscal 2025 and the brand is struggling with actual challenges in the market. Boots in particular were particularly hit, and the brand has been swinging the opposite way – out of heavy discounting and to new product categories such as sneakers, sandals, and bags, to appeal to wider audiences.
However, reducing revenue does not imply reducing cool. And it is a distinction worth making.
The Brand is Literally Reinventing Itself
New CEO Ije Nwokorie and Chief Brand Officer Carla Murphy are in their so-called next chapter at Dr. Martens. The brand has a new flagship store in London which has recently opened as the entire heritage overhaul, and it is projected to get back to the profit growth in 2026 as the strategic changes will have become real. The American market is already reacting to this – the Americas region has in fact indicated growth with the US shoppers being more accommodative to full-price strategy.
It is not a brand that is crumbling. It is a rebuilding brand, which is a far more interesting story.
The 14XX Era: Dr. Martens Gets Experimental
The most exciting thing that is currently taking place with Dr. Martens is the introduction of their experimental design branch known as 14XX. You can consider it the creative laboratory of the brand, a group of designers who go to the extreme of what a product at Dr. Martens can be.
Their initial release, the EXOSHIELD XX01, an archive workboot detailing, created something that resembles a sci-fi movie, curved shiny paneling, steel toe cap, a silhouette that is chunky and bizarre and the whole thing highly deliberate. It’s not for everyone. But that’s the point. It is experimental, provocative and it is what the brand should be doing, demonstrating that there is more to life than the traditional black boot.
New Silhouettes, New Fans
The brand is also not relying on experimental drops only. The Buzz sneaker, which is a hybrid of the traditional 5-eye lace-up sneaker and a real sneaker, is also aimed at the ath leisure market. In 2025, the Elphie, a ballet flat that confounds a recognizable chunky Dr. Martens sole reappeared. Square-toe loafers, boot of Chelsea, crocheted clogs – they are hurling a good deal against the wall and some of it is really sticking.
Chelsea boots specifically have been surpassing search traffic, with hits of the highest search volume at the end of November 2025 approaching winter. The seasonal surge of platform boots also happened. There is still a search of Dr. Martens people are just more open to other styles than the 1460.
Celebs Are Still Riding With Docs
In case you require proof that Dr. Martens are a cult brand, just look at the people who continue to wear them. The incomparable queen of pop-punk-related aesthetics, Olivia Rodrigo, has been seen in Dr. Martens Mary Janes that is extremely on-brand to Olivia, as well as relevant to the brand. Bella Hadid has been wearing them long enough, and she was known to match them with soft dresses by Vivienne Westwood in Paris. Dua Lipa has worn them in complete black outfits. Gwen Stefani, Kaia Gerber, Hailey Bieber -the list is endless.
The thing with Docs is that they have this odd superpower with them appearing purposeful with practically everything. A silk dress? Docs. Baggy jeans? Docs. A full suit? Tyler the Creator has done it. A sequin minidress? Hayley Williams demonstrated that in the olden days. The boot is multifaceted and in 2026, this is perhaps its greatest strength.
The Sustainability Turn
One thing that is not being discussed sufficiently is the fact that Dr. Martens is shifting towards sustainability, and it will have an increasing role to play in the purchasing habits of future fashion consumers in 2026. The Genix Nappa is made of reclaimed offcuts of leather, namely waste that has been reused to make boots, which is an energy that I admire very much. Vegan collections have been growing as well, boasting of metallic finishes and new materials.
It is noteworthy that in a brand that once referred only to tough leather and tough attitude, this transition to environmentally friendly production is quite substantial. It is not only a trend-chasing act but a real shift and remain relevant to a generation of consumers who actually take an interest in where their stuff originates.
The Grunge Revival Is Real and Docs Are Ready for It
This is what is going on in the fashion industry at the moment and that has a phenomenal benefit to Dr. Martens the revival of the grunge. The style that characterized the 90s is bouncing back with a vengeance in 2026, whether it be oversized flannel or oversized boots or that entire I woke up like this and still have good taste feel. And there is no grunge-coded shoe like the Docs.
On top of that, there is this cycle of Y2K nostalgia, the revival of punk-adjacent culture, which is being perpetuated by the likes of Olivia Rodrigo, Billie Eilish, and the cult of Avril Lavigne still to this day — and you have a cultural phenomenon that is virtually being written in with a Sharpie by Dr. Martens.
Gen Z and Millennials Are the Core
Gen Z and Millennials constitute the loyal customer base of the brand, and both are in the nostalgia economy currently. Gen Z are first experiencing the style of the 90s and early 2000s and they are loving it. The Millennials are reviving what Docs used to feel by being rebellious during their teen years. This place of two nostalgia is actually potent to the brand.
What the Future Looks Like for Dr. Martens
Investment analysts are estimating mid-to-high single-digit revenue growth coming back beginning in FY2026 as the diversification strategy in the brand begins to bear fruit. Sneakers and sandals will be the only products that will add significance to a sales increment. Its markets such as the APAC and EMEA are currently under the active expansion with new store concepts being implemented following the success of the London flagship.
The brand is also doubling its efforts on digital-based promotions the focus is on direct-to-consumer and full price selling instead of promos. It is a quality-lots-of-quantity play, and it would be the correct decision to take in a brand whose history is established based on craftsmanship.
14XX will continue to push the limits. Collaborations A brand in cultural conversation will be maintained by collaborations, since Docs have always had brilliant ones. And the core boots? They’re not going anywhere. It does not have to re-invent some things. They just need to be worn.
The Final Word from itismandystyle
So, are Dr. Martens still popular? Absolutely. Nonetheless, they are in an interesting place, a place where the brand is slogging through the unglamourous task of defining what it is to whom it will be serving over the next ten years, not merely reaping on prior fame. That takes guts. And, frankly speaking, it is highly on-brand of a boot which was designed literally to be worn by people who do not make a big deal about the fact that they work hard.
You are in to the traditional 1460 since 1960 and nothing beyond that, or you are in to the experimental EXOSHIELD that falls out of 14XX, or you are in to a ballet flat on a big sole that has no business falling out of 2026 – there will be a pair of Docs in 2026.
And that, better than any revenue chart is why this brand remains.
— itismandystyle
Also check out the Dutch work of Mandy Buddenberg: mandyb.nl. This talented founder is actually Dutch;)
Mandy is a Dutch digital dash(aka nerd) running many platforms, including this one. She is a Dutch entrepreneur and writer but is also active in English. Branding and creating is what she does best. Next to that she works parttime as a social health worker/health care worker, guiding people to live their fullest and helping people with their problems. The combination is good for her and gives her the feeling she is giving back to society. After having a rough start back in 2015 she is back here again and want to travel more and meet need people (soulmates). She likes working and being busy is a blessing. Next to that she is spiritual and believes in karma. .