Alternative subculture enthusiasts rejoice — industrial music legends Nine Inch Nails and the iconic alt fashion brand, Dr. Martens, have teamed up for a new line of special edition shoes.
Inspired by NIN’s seminal 1994 album, The Downward Spiral, the shoes incorporate elements of the record’s artwork with several striking black-and-white models that embody the brand’s signature style. Check out photos of the four new styles below.
“This collaboration just makes so much sense,” the band’s creative director, John Crawford, said. “Not just because of the countless fans I’ve seen wearing Dr. Martens at NIN concerts over the years (myself included), but because NIN and Dr. Martens are both known for rejecting convention and expectation in favor of innovation, with their distinctive ability to transcend genres and styles in a way that is unique to each person who experiences them.”
Continuing, Crawford explained that “the goal was always to make this collection feel as authentically Nine Inch Nails as possible, and I believe through close collaboration with the team at Doc’s we’ve succeeded in that.”
Three of the four new shoe models will become available for purchase beginning Friday, July 19th, via Dr. Martens’ website. One “exclusive” style of 1490 boots, however, will not be available for public purchase, and instead will be “gifted to the band’s most ardent supporters,” though no further details are available at this time.
Meanwhile, Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross hinted at new Nine Inch Nails music earlier this year, revealing that they’re “excited about starting on the next [NIN] record.” They’ve also teased several other projects as part of a new production house / storytelling company they’ve launched called With Teeth, including a TV show with The Bear creator Christopher Storer; a film with horror director Mike Flanagan; a clothing line called Memory Fades; and a collaboration with Epic Games involving the UEFN ecosystem Epic has built around Fortnite.
1460 Boot in backhand leather with The Downward Spiral, white and black print:
1461 Oxford Shoe in black smooth leather with album logo:
1490 Boot in backhand leather with black and white cornstarch print:
Fan exclusive 1490 Boots built from leather embossed with the Downward Spiral album art in pure black: