British footwear brand Dr. Martens has been making big moves in recent years, recently announcing a collaboration with Central Saint Martins to select five master’s students studying fashion to create custom designs as part of the brand’s “All Access Summer” project.
Dr. Martens announced the All Access Summer event this season, showcasing a range of new sandals and summer shoes designed by CSM students, aimed at inspiring the diverse talents from around the world at the school.
Designers from Central Saint Martins are countless, from well-known figures like Alexander McQueen, Kim Jones, Stella McCartney, to innovators like Grace Wales Bonner, Nensi Dojaka, Craig Green, and Phoebe Philo. This time, Dr. Martens and course director Fabio Piras selected five students to participate in this project, providing them with a scholarship to support their vision and fund the course itself.
They interpret the All Access Summer theme, from conceptualization, sketching, design to production, creating clothing that embodies the rebellious spirit of Dr. Martens. The selected students include: Francesca Lake, Xuesong Yang, Jad Jreissati, Lauren Patchett, and Jude Hinojosa. These works were photographed by the fashion education platform 1 Granary and exposed globally.
CSM Course Director Fabio Piras said: “As Course Director, my responsibility is to cultivate students’ critical thinking and resilience, while believing in their creativity and talent. All these elements resonate with the spirit and ethos of Dr. Martens, providing my students with an opportunity to interpret a brand from a different perspective, which is a very valuable learning skill. That’s why we are here, continuing to learn and build students’ portfolios, experiences, and inspirations, and hoping it will continue.”
