Dr. Martens Chief Product Officer on How Balancing Brand Heritage with Innovation Can Reignite Demand
Adam Meek understands the power of a pair of Dr. Martens.
“When you see a Dr. Martens’ product, you know it’s Dr. Martens,” the brand’s chief product officer told FN in an interview. “That’s really special and quite rare.”
As a footwear veteran with experience at brands like Sperry, Nike and Canada Goose, Meek always kept his eye on the British footwear brand known for its bulky leather boots with yellow stitching. He was particularly impressed with the brand’s ability to enter new categories, like sandals, while still maintaining its essence. This commitment to heritage and core product is what ultimately drew Meek to join the company in December 2021 – and has continued to be his North Star during his tenure at the helm of product.
“Our starting point is always the DNA of the brand,” Meek said. “[But] innovating is also always something we really focus on — how do we continue to create products that are true to the Dr. Martens brand and relevant for consumers?”
Getting the product mix right is crucial as the brand looks to reignite demand in North America. After several quarters of declining revenues, Dr. Martens last week said it expects weakness to persist in the U.S. wholesale market throughout fiscal year 2025. And earlier this month, an activist investor sent a letter to Dr. Martens chairman Paul Mason and the board of directors urging the company to begin evaluating “alternatives for the business with the goal of maximizing shareholder value,” which includes a potential sale of the business. The letter stated that Dr. Martens’ heritage and relevance would make it an attractive target for interested parties.
To address its recent business slowdown, Dr. Martens is looking to “reignite boots demand,” said chief executive officer Kenny Wilson, who will step down at the end of the fiscal year.
When it comes to product, Meek sees Dr. Martens’ durability and timelessness as the brand’s biggest draw to consumers, inside and outside of the U.S.
“We spend a lot of time with our U.S. team and we understand consumer needs and what they want,” Meek said. “In the world that we live in, consumers value products that last a long time.”
When it comes to innovation, Dr. Martens balances a focus on core products with an emhpasis on creating something new. In some cases, the brand will refresh an existing product with new colors or materials or opt to build a totally new, yet familiar product based off an existing core model. The most extreme version of innovation, which Meek described as “revolution,” involves using brand codes to create something almost entirely new. He gave the example of the brand’s 14XX collection that launched last year and recreated new designs based on classic silhouettes like the 1460, 1461 and 2976.
“We’re taking the brand into new spaces with different looks, but always using the DNA and the values of the brand,” Meek said of the line.
Other recent advances have included Dr. Martens’ recently launched sustainably-focused Genix Nappa collection, which features three core products made from re-engineered leather waste, as well as the company’s collaboration with Rick Owens for a grunge-inspired boot for spring 2024.
Looking ahead, Meek teased a “really exciting pipeline” with an emphasis on innovation as well as a continued focus on core icons like the 1460 boot. The brand will also continue to pursue new collaborations that give it exposure to a wider audience while exciting existing consumers.
“Our product is relevant for everyone,” Meek said. “And what’s great about that is you can put your own spin on it. And I think there’s real beauty in that.”