Dr. Martens Fall 2011 Preview

At the Dr. Martens Fall 2011 preview, I had the chance to take a gander at the new batch of my favorite snow-stompers for the impending cooler months. My Dr. Martens boots and oxfords were the only shoes that got me through the ruthless Boston winters when I used to live there, and New York's winters, though generally five degrees warmer than Boston's, are expected to be not that much less sadistic. It was nice to see them done in interesting new fabrications: in pony hair, in an oil-slick patent, creeper-ified, and bedazzled.

These Dr. Martens pony hair oxfords, in black and oxblood, brought an intriguing new texture to an iconic silhouette.

tall, white, and hairy, with spots all over

The oil slick patent reminds me of the good old techno-raver early 2000s, while the other pair in burnished burgundy is shoe-crushably handsome.

The Dr. Martens creeper "mutant" shoes: questionable or charmingly convoluted?

But the most fascinating of the Docs I spied were an unassuming all-black pair with patent cap-toes on the feet of Dr. Martens CEO David Suddens:

patent cap-toe limited-edition Dr. Martens x Swarovski shoes

I learned that these shoes were the product of a yet-to-be-launched collaboration with Swarovski, and it's no surprise that the chief executive officer gets first dibs at the samples.

a lone Swarovski crystal at the back of each shoe

I think the classic shape updated with a simple patent cap-toe, with the typically yellow stitching blackened, is just exquisite. On the dashing, silver haired Suddens, who plans on wearing these bejeweled beauties with a tuxedo, I think they will look doubly smashing.