Dr Martens face scrutiny over one of their new boots; what is the design and why has it created controversy?

Dr Martens are facing increased scrutiny over the design of one of their latest line of shoes, similar to the same scrutiny that Costa Coffee faced earlier this week - though currently, there is a lack of fervent “#boycottdrmartens” trending on social media, unlike the outrage Costa Coffee caused on TwitterX and other social media platforms.

The trouble stems from the use of a figure with what is said to be “mastectomy scars,” indicating that the figure adorned on the boot is a transperson having undergone a female-to-male transition; the design was a commission Dr Martens employed  Colorado illustrator Jess Vosseteig to create.

Vosseteig, whose prior clients include Lush Cosmetics, Ulta Beauty and Penguin Random House, posted her ‘queer joy’ design on Instagram and said she’s proud of the shoes. “I love expressing queer joy in my art and I’m really happy with how I could translate that onto these boots. Now I (and whoever is the giveaway winner) can walk around showing queer pride.”

Pink News reports that the one-off design was promoted as a giveaway for US residents by the shoe brand on 25 July and that only two pairs of boots were reportedly made – one for the competition, and one for the illustrator to keep.

However, the design, no matter how limited it is, has led to condemnation from parts of social media, including, Oli London (who had plastic surgery to look like BTS’s Jimin at one stage) posting on Twitter that “cutting off healthy women’s breasts in the name of gender identity should not be promoted”. Moms for Liberty co-founder Tiffany Justice also commented on the design, stating that “removing the healthy breasts of girls should be as alarming as of the amputation of healthy limbs”. 

Dr Martens have responded to the outcry to Pink News, stating “This one-off pair is part of a long-standing US social media competition, ‘DIY Docs’, where artists design a single pair to be given away to the community. This pair reflects the artist’s style expression as an illustrator and member of the LGBTQIA+ community.”

“We have always embraced diversity in the Dr Martens community. We’re proud to support our team and our wearers, and to continue to support creativity and freedom of expression."