Related Articles
If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Rolling Stone may receive an affiliate commission.
Prepare yourself for darkness, despair, and Doc’s, because Nine Inch Nails have teamed up with Dr. Martens for a new footwear collection honoring the 30th anniversary of The Downward Spiral.
A tribute to light in the darkness, the shoe brand explained that this collab is “a physical response to Nine Inch Nails‘ visceral, ground-breaking album,” in a press release, featuring some of Doc’s hardest-hitting silhouettes and “industrial design references” that reflect the art of NIN’s cultural classic.
buy on Dr. martens $160+
Starting at $160+, that includes the 1460 Boot, distorted with the album artwork, “Wound” by Russell Mills, reworked in stark black and white. The 3-eye 1461 shoe in black shows off the iconic “Crystal Teeth” image from the album’s inner art and “the downward spiral” printed in a subtle gloss, along with the tall, black 1490 boot, which Dr. Martens says is inspired by the band’s pre-show ritual where they would “cover themselves in corn starch for a decomposing, post-apocalyptic aesthetic.”
“When I think of the era of the album, I think of the physicality of the tours and Russell Mills’ visceral paintings that were used as the artwork for the album,” John Crawford, NIN’s Creative Director,told Rolling Stone. When he saw his first NIN show at the Fox Theatre, Atlanta in 1994, “I very well may have been wearing Dr. Martens.”
Crawford worked closely with Trent Reznor to brainstorm concepts for the footwear designs, which were then enhanced when they got the physical samples back from Dr. Martens. “We started picking parts we liked, including textures, heights of the soles, precision in embossing, etc. Then it was a matter of applying elements that were representative of The Downward Spiral and more broadly, the level of detail and consideration NIN is known for.”
buy on Dr. martens $160+
We’ve said it before that Dr. Martens are as versatile as a good guitar lick or fat beat, and the NIN collection follows up on the legacy of artist collabs in the world of music, like with Sex Pistols, Joy Divison, Black Sabbath and more. The Nine Inch Nails x Dr. Martens capsule will be released July 19 at DrMartens.com and select retailers, but fans can visit the site and sign up to be first in line to get notified when the collection drops.
For most of the 30 years since TDS first debuted, Crawford had experienced NIN as a fan of the band. “From that perspective, it was always exciting to see the visual direction that would accompany each NIN release, and it was always clear that Trent cared deeply about an album or tour’s visual components and presentation and how those connected to the music.” In terms of how their visual style has changed over the years, “I think…it’s more about the art being willing to take the same risks as the music NIN is creating.”
buy on Dr. martens $160+
This collection comes off the heels NIN collaboration with deckmakers Welcome Skateboards, a skateboard and apparel line alsoed themed around The Downward Spiral that dropped earlier this year. Along with the celebration of the album’s 30th anniversary, Reznor and Atticus Ross have also announced a swarm of plans for their upcoming Nine Inch Nails album, including launching a festival, a short Film, a video game, and more through their multimedia company, With Teeth.
But if you want to kick around in some new TDS boots, sign up to shop the Nine Inch Nails x Dr. Martens collection here on DrMartens.com.
