DR. MARTENS X SHENTONISTA — Behind-The-Scenes

The most iconic Dr. Martens shoe is probably its 8-eye, lace-up boot, but there’s so much more to the brand, as the Dr. Martens x Shentonista campaign aimed to show. We put the variety of styles to the test as we tasked eight stylish individuals to incorporate Dr. Martens into their workwear wardrobe, and even we were pleasantly surprised at how well the shoes worked with outfits that ranged from bold and punk-inspired, to corporate and conservative.

Before it all began, we headed down to one of the Dr. Martens stores to take a look at what they had for the new season. The shade of the moment is a dark Merlot red, and is applied to both the men’s and women’s offerings. We picked out the shoes that we felt would be good representations of our chosen individuals’ styles.

The very next day was shoot day. Backlit by the picturesque Marina Bay at sunrise, Jacqueline was the first to be shot, and arrived bright and early — never mind the fact that she had just spent the last two weeks in the United Kingdom, and was still feeling jet lagged. It didn’t show on her face at all, however, and she patiently bore with us throughout the shoot, before heading off to a full day of work — a true trooper indeed.

Arissa was next in line, and despite us being interrupted by the management of the building, she was photographed in record time. Clearly comfortable in front of the camera, and true to her roots as a fashion blogger and stylist, she made sure to give her best angle each snap of the shutter, and even thoughtfully folded her pants up to show off her shoes as best as she could.

By now the sun was well and truly up, and Adora bravely withstood the heat as we captured the stark morning light for her shoot. Looking fresh in a breezy white outfit with splashes of colour, her shoes were the perfect compliment to her outfit, and she did her best to give her widest smile even as the sun got in her eyes.

It was then Ernie’s turn to be photographed, and although he claimed he wasn’t really a morning person, he showed up immaculately dressed and groomed, paying attention to the smallest of details, as to be expected from someone who works in bespoke menswear. We got right into it with Ernie, and he amazed us as he struck pose after natural pose, and didn’t even break a sweat, saying he was completely used to wearing suits in the heat.

We met Jonathan at lunchtime, and he gamely threw on a jacket that he laughingly said was “too thick” for the weather. With his boyish grin and easygoing attitude, he breezed through the shoot without a hitch, with plenty of time to get to work after that.

We hadn’t expected Ally to agree to the shoot, as we remembered her to be rather camera-shy the last few times we met her, but we were glad that she gave in. She stopped by during her lunch break for her session, and her friends happened to pass by on their way to lunch as well, teasing her, in good nature, as they saw what was happening. But Ally hardly batted an eyelid, laughing them off, and kept her calm composure throughout the shoot.

The sky was ominously dark at the beginning of Kien’s slot, and as we had feared, it started to drizzle midway through. But Kien, who rushed over from work, uncomplainingly put up with the rain and cooperatively worked with us to make the shoot happen as quickly as possible.

It was pouring by the time we got to Yong’s shoot, but thankfully, we had found a location under shelter. Even though we had to shout over the noise of the rain and water fountains that lined the corridor, Yong took the directions without missing a beat and ended off our day on a fun, upbeat note.

Filled with familiar faces, the shoot felt like a reunion and catch-up with good friends, some of whom we hadn’t seen in a while. It certainly inspired us to find ways to work Dr. Martens into our personal styles, and we also learnt a thing or two about these folks and what they stand for. A big thank you to everyone who took part and braved the unpredictable weather with us; you all reaffirm what we stand for!

Click here to see all posts from the campaign.

This is a Shentonista project for Dr. Martens Singapore.

For more on Dr. Martens, visit their Facebook here and their website here.