How can you spot counterfeit Dr. Martens boots?

Dr.Martens is a world-famous brand, renowned for its yellow-stitched boots. After more than 70 years, the brand continues to shine around the world, offering its most iconic models in other shapes and colours. These chunky shoes were particularly popular in the 90s, when they were worn by the biggest icons. These cult boots from the Nineties have been making a comeback in recent years. Unfortunately, such notoriety has attracted counterfeiters, who have rushed to reproduce these shoes with the sole aim of making a profit. So if you're buying second-hand Dr. Martens boots, here are a few tips on how to spot a real pair from a fake.

Find out how to protect yourself in 2 minutes by watching our video on counterfeit Dr. Martens boots.

Want to find out more? Read the full article below.

The shoebox :

First of all, take a good look at the box your pair of Dr. Martens shoes comes in. The box should be made of cardboard, with the brand's logo and name marked on the top.

Look carefully at the font, design and colour of the logo. The logo should consist of a wordmark and a round emblem. Three yellow stripes should cut across the bottom of the "Martens" letters. AirWair" is also written in smaller letters above the emblem. This logo has many features that make it complicated to replicate. So you need to pay particular attention to it.

Above, the authentic Doc Martens logo.

Also check the sides of the shoebox where a white label is stuck. Make sure all the information is there. You should find the size, the numbering, the barcode and the colour.

The inner tongue :

Look carefully at the inside tongue of the shoe. The tongue contains information about the size of the shoe and where it was made. Check that this information correlates with the information on the shoebox label.

The leather used on this tongue differs between a real pair of Dr. Martens and a fake one. The brand uses very good quality leather, which is soft and thick. On counterfeits, the leather tongue will be extremely thin and not as soft.

The outsole :

To confirm the authenticity of your pair of shoes, turn them over so you can analyse the outsole. One of the brand's key features is the unique design of its outsole. There are a number of factors to look out for on this sole.

Genuine outsoles are marked with well-finished, unique embossing. The brand name should be embossed. Some counterfeit factories don't bother to emboss the name, or do it badly. Also check the edges of the design. They must be perfectly finished.

In the middle of the sole, you'll find the words "The Original", also embossed.

The cross on the sole is generally poorly replicated. It is much thinner and smaller on counterfeits.

Above, the outsole of an authentic pair of Dr. Martens.

Want to find out more about luxury brand shoes? Read our articles on Golden Goose SuperstarsTrack by Balenciaga or the Sneakers Day by Hermès.

Spare laces :

Some Dr. Martens models come with replacement laces. If this is the case for you, it's worth checking them out.

The laces must be yellow and are packaged in a bag bearing the brand logo. On counterfeit products, the laces are not packed in this small bag. They are sometimes all tangled up or simply non-existent.

Also check the colour of the laces. They should be dark yellow. Crooks tend to reproduce these laces in a much lighter, more aggressive yellow.

Authentic laces on the left, counterfeit laces on the right

Rear heel band :

The back heel of a real Dr. Martens shoe has a ventilation loop. The letters on the buckle must be clear and legible. They also have topstitching to prevent them from disintegrating.

Pay attention to the size of the words "With" and "Soles". These two inscriptions must be exactly the same size. Replica factories are careless when making the markings on this buckle, and the sizes will not be respected.

Left: a genuine buckle, right: a counterfeit buckle

Secure your purchase of used Dr. Martens shoes with Obvy:

Obvy offers a payment method specially designed to secure transactions between private individuals. Whether you're buying or selling between private individuals on ad platforms such as Leboncoin or Vinted, Obvy acts as a trusted third party to help you avoid any scams.

In the event of a counterfeiting scam, you can quickly and easily return the product to the seller and get your money back. What's more, you'll have all the information you need about the seller in the event of legal action.