If the phrase “stands the test of time” could be attributed to any brand in the vast history of fashion, it would be Dr. Martens and Dr. Martens only.

 Yago and Max are wearing the 1460 Boot in Black Smooth.

When the first pair of 1460 boots rolled off the production line in 1960, they were conceived as a boot for workers – carefully engineered with air-soles for extreme comfort and wearability. Initially worn by postmen and policemen, the British boots quickly became adopted and subverted by all classes of society. Over the years, Dr. Martens boots and shoes have been spotted on the feet of musicians, collectives and artists of all different backgrounds, becoming not only a fashion statement but ultimately representing something beyond just its aesthetic: a form of rebellious self-expression.
The decades passed and subcultures of the 70s, 80s, 90s and beyond have adopted Dr. Martens into their wardrobes, making them more of their own by customizing the colors, soles and laces. Dr. Martens soon evolved into a canvas and a tool for self-expression, making it a compelling piece of fashion history to explore.

 Yago and Max are wearing the 1460 Boot in Black Smooth.


To celebrate the versatility of the British heritage brand, Numéro set out to conceive a concept that would encapsulate the brand’s true essence. We talked to three talents, three artists in their own respective fields to find out how they interpret Dr. Martens’ history, how it connects to their own narrative and how their craft has been an instrument for imagination, all values that Dr. Martens holds dear.

Yago Garaboa, the Spanish jewelry designer now based in Amsterdam; Max Rafael Turland a French-Dutch artist and a model; and Ramsey Angela, an athlete and an Olympian have a chat with Numéro about their passions and their memories of Dr. Martens.

Yago, Max and Ramsey are featured below wearing the 1460 Boot and 2976 Boot from Dr. Martens.

Yago Garaboa

 Yago is wearing the 1460 Boot in Black Smooth.

Yago you grew up in Spain, lulled by the sun and the sea. You founded your own jewelry brand in 2021 with Daniel Rodriguez. Your creations are infused with your Mediterranean roots, and you said that your work is the mirror of your personality. How would you describe the aesthetics of your work?

Growing up in Spain, I was surrounded by the beauty of the Mediterranean and its rich culture, which greatly influenced my work as a jewelry designer. My brand, Cas Deià, is infused with my Mediterranean roots indeed and reflects my love for nature, traditional values, and self-expression. My jewelries are a celebration of the Mediterranean lifestyle and its unique blend of beauty and simplicity, using craftsmanship and raw materials to create pieces that are both timeless and meaningful.

 Yago is wearing the 1460 Boot in Black Smooth.

You also have your own style, when you wake up in the morning, what comes first? Since you are a jewelry designer, do you choose your jewelry and then the perfect outfit to enhance your accessories or the contrary?

For me, choosing my jewelry and outfit is a simultaneous decision. I strive to combine my pieces with my outfits, sometimes even giving my pendants an alternative use, such as using them as a belt or keychain. It’s all about finding the perfect balance and harmony between my accessories and clothing to create a cohesive look that represents my personal style.

Through clothes, shoes and accessories we can express ourselves, our identity of course, but also our values and passions. Is the choice of a unisex brand part of a deliberate statement?

The choice of a unisex brand is a deliberate statement indeed. I believe that everyone should be able to express themselves and their individuality through fashion and accessories, regardless of gender or societal expectations. By creating a unisex brand, I am able to break down barriers and promote inclusivity and diversity within the industry. I want my brand to be a reflection of my values and passions, and to inspire others to be true to themselves.

 Yago is wearing the 1460 Boot in Black Smooth.

Which model of Dr. Martens best reflects your style?

I especially love the 1460 Mono Smooth style because they’re so versatile and can be worn with pretty much anything. Whether I’m dressing up for a night out or keeping it casual, my Dr. Martens always complete the look. And the best part? They just get better with age. The more you wear them, the more comfortable and unique they become

 Yago is wearing the 1460 Boot in Black Smooth.

Have you ever thought about styling your Dr. Martens with your own creations?

When it comes to my fashion choices, I like to have options. That’s why I love having both Cas Deià and Dr. Martens in my rotation. They’re versatile enough to be worn with a variety of outfits, and they look great together too. On cold or rainy days, I love to combine the silver from my Cas Deià pieces with the tough, rugged leather of my Dr. Martens. The contrast creates a unique look that’s both edgy and stylish. Plus, with so many ways to wear these pieces, I never get bored with my wardrobe.

Max Rafael Turland

You are a French-Dutch artist based in Amsterdam. You express yourself through different mediums like physical & digital art, styling and modeling. If you had to choose beyond all these disciplines, which will be the one that represents the most your identity and style?

I feel like my physical art is the most important medium for me. This is the place where I truly express myself in my own way. I try to pull people out of their daily bubble, and I think this can be reached with my stories on my paintings.

 Yago and Max are wearing the 1460 Boot in Black Smooth.

In your paintings, we recognize many inspirations from historical artists like Basquiat. Where do you find your inspiration?

My biggest inspirations are musicians like Robert Smith, Maxi Jazz, Bob Marley and Jimi Hendrix. Their songwriting and songs are truly unique and powerful to me. I have never been particularly interested in contemporary art, but I have always been fascinated by ancient art from older civilizations, such as the hieroglyphs of the Egyptians, the petroglyph of American tribes, the symbols of the Vikings, and ancient African masks. But I would say that the most inspiring person for me is Nelson Mandela, and I’ve been reading a lot about him since I was a little boy. My goal is to create a representation of our era, the one of chaos, experimentation, and questions.

Max is wearing the 1460 Boot in Black Smooth.

Art, like drawing or painting, can help the artist to express his feelings, sometimes his fears, but it also affects the viewers of the piece of art: when we look at it, we feel emotions, memories… Do you think that art is a cathartic medium, a kind of therapy for both parties, artists and viewers?

I definitely think that art is a form of therapy and development for both the artist and the viewers, as it invites everybody to step out of their comfort zone and see things from different perspectives. The more perspectives you see, the more you evolve yourself. The most important aspect of my art is to provoke questions. Questions do not always have an answer, but they are necessary to form an opinion. In chaotic times, we should be able to ask each other questions without judging the question to create conversation and understand people.

 Yago and Max are wearing the 1460 Boot in Black Smooth.

What is your personal history with Dr. Martens? Is it a brand you grew up with?

I bought my first pair of Dr. Martens when I was 18 years old, and I still wear the same pair four years later. They are timeless and I love the Mono Black Boots I got. I’m also someone who really takes care of its stuff, so they still look very clean and relatively new.

 Yago and Max are wearing the 1460 Boot in Black Smooth.

How do you style your Dr. Martens 1460 boots?

I love to style my Dr. Martens with baggy trousers or jeans. I just really like it when the pants go over the boots instead of on top of the boots. And with my Mono black boots I can really style it with how I want. This is what I like with Dr. Martens shoes, you can have fun with it.

Ramsey Angela

Ramsey is wearing the 2976 Yellow Stitch Smooth Leather Chelsea Boots in Black.

You are a Dutch athlete of 23 years old, in 2021 you won a silver medal in the men’s 4×400-meter relay at the Tokyo Olympics with the Netherlands relay team, congrats! But you are best known for being openly bisexual. Gay and bisexual men are still under-represented in high-level sport. Is being a queer ambassador, besides your athletic career, a bit of a pressure?

First of all, thank you! I wouldn’t say it’s a pressure, because until 2021 and the Olympics I wasn’t even aware of my bisexuality. For me, it was a surprise that I gained so much exposure because of my bisexuality. From that point on, I started to educate myself and learn more about the LGBTQIA+ community.
Before, I wasn’t educated enough on the subject, so when it started to be known and people were asking me questions, I was just being myself, without really thinking about it.
It was very interested to me to grow up and to learn about myself while I was starting to be an ambassador of it.

Ramsey is wearing the 2976 Yellow Stitch Smooth Leather Chelsea Boots in Black.

Your coming-out happened naturally by posting photos of you and your boyfriend on your Instagram account. Why did you choose to do in on Social instead of making a press statement?

I think that this choice goes in line with being uneducated about it. It also about legitimacy, and for example, I have never experienced discrimination. I started to feel it at my age of 16, and even I never had a relationship with a man before, it’s like everyone, myself, my family, my friend, we all knew it, so my first relationship with a man wasn’t a surprise for anyone.
That is why I started talking about it naturally on social networks, because it was not that important to me. So, I never felt the need to come out officially.

Ramsey is wearing the 1460 Boot in Black Smooth.

Does your coming out impact your athlete career? Aren’t you afraid of being known mainly for your queerness rather than for your sport abilities?

To answer your first question, I don’t think it has any impact on my career at all, because in athletics, there is already a lot of diversity: when you are a sprinter, most of the time, you have to be muscular, long-distance athletes are skinnier… In the sport itself, you have already a lot of different types of persons, and it all comes with different personalities as well and so identities.
Then to answer your second question, yes, I am afraid of being only known for my queerness rather than for my abilities. My bisexuality is part of me but it’s not everything, I am also a photographer, I also play piano. It’s just a part of me.

You said in an interview that you wish having more time for fashion. We are honored to shoot you for this exclusive collaboration with Dr. Martens. How would you describe your style?

Oh, that’s a good question! How would you describe it? (laughs) I want to have more time for fashion indeed, and I really like modeling. It’s very complicated for me to describe my style because it’s a combination of different things and it can change from day to day: sometimes it’s more street, more urban, but some days I play with darker shapes and fabrics. The fact that I don’t have a particular style is actually my own style (laughs). That’s why this shooting was interesting for me, because we play with Dr. Martens and its role and meaning in different decades, which also corresponds to different styles.

When did you buy your first pair of Dr. Martens and what does the brand mean to you?

My first memory about the brand is related to my older sister. I remember she had a pair of Dr. Martens boots, which I really liked, but at the time I wasn’t ready to have my own, I hadn’t found my own style yet. But last summer I did a photoshoot, and I got a pair of Dr. Martens, and now it’s obvious, they really fit my style, and they are very easy to wear actually! So, because I like to play with my style, I like the fact that you can find a variety of styles in this brand, and this is something unique. And on top of that, each model is so timeless that you can accommodate it with different styles too. You can always choose a pair of Dr. Martens shoes!

What is your favorite model?

It is a pair of loafers called Dr. Martens Penton Bex! In black, I love them so much I can wear them every day!

photography DANIEL SARS @daniel.sars
styling ANANO SHALAMBERIDZE @underdressedkid
talents Yago Garaboa @y.aguito ; Max Rafael Turland @maxturland ; Ramsey Angela @rda.400mh
jewelries @casdeia
makeup LILY ONG @lily.0ng
hair WIARDI KOOPMEINERS @wiardi.koopmeiners
styling assistants DEAN SANDERS @dean__sanders & MARIE-PAULINE CESARI @itsjustmp
photography assistant ASIA LANZI @asia.lanzi
production assistant HAYDEN PEYRARD @haydenpeyrard
casting TIMOTEJ LETONJA @timiletonja
interview by MARIE-PAULINE CESARI @itsjustmp