Doc. Martens are more than shoes, they are a symbol that identifies many subcultures, starting with punk. The unmistakeable footwear has a history: German medic Klaus Maertens, injured in one foot, designed it for himself. After the war, with an ex-colleague from university, Maertens started to produce his 8-holed boots using post-war materials: Luftwaffe rubber scrap for the soles, with their special padded look, and fabric from disused German army uniforms for the upper.