Interview

As there is a Dr. Martens store in Leeds city centre I thought it would be a good opportunity for me to collect some primary research. I went to the store and interviewed two of its part time workers, Ryon and Hollie.

What is the most frequent type of customer that comes into the store?

The majority of our customers are young teenage girls. They see Dr. Martens being worn in music videos by celebrities like Niki Minaj and that creates their interest into the brand. 

Who is the target audience of Dr. Martens? 

Again, it is young girls, but we also get quite alot of indie and hipster kids coming in too. It can be quite funny because we play alot of 80's music in-store and you can just tell that they don't know what they are listening too.

What is the most popular style of Dr. Marten sold?

The girly, bright coloured ones. The boot used to be targeted at men so girls would customise their own boots. Now the designs are aimed at young girls so they have floral patterns and pastel colours. The brand has broadened its horizons probably to create more profit. All brands have to develop in order to stay current in the market. 

Do you think customers buy Dr. Martens with subcultural images like Punk in their mind?

No, they just see it as a fashionable brand and not for the original style. We still get some hardcore Punks coming in, but that is a rare occasion. 

Do you think the brand has lost its authenticity?

Yes. Original boots are still being made, but they are really expensive so customers tend to go for the cheaper ones, around 90% of our stock is made abroad, but the originals are made here in the UK with the authentic and specialised techniques, making it more expensive. The accessibility of the cheaper boots means that more are sold and the image of Dr. Martens is becoming less 'heritage' orientated and abit more 'pop,' that isn't helped with the whole celebrity culture wearing the boots too.