Dr. Martens

Store Design of the Year is one of the most prestigious honours at the Creative Retail Awards. It recognises the outstanding store fit-out or refurbishment of the year, celebrating inspirational environments where every part of the design process works for today's shoppers.

Winning it means creating a store that does far more than look exceptional. It has to improve the shopper journey, strengthen the retail brand, encourage customers to stay longer and, ultimately, drive sales.

Dr. Martens opened its first beacon store, designed with Hotel Creative, on Brewer Street, Soho, in November 2025. Across 3,400 sq ft on two floors, it is the most elevated expression of the brand's retail identity yet, combining retail with cultural engagement in a format designed as a model for future Dr. Martens brand experiences. The opening also marked the brand's new consumer-first retail strategy, led by chief executive Ije Nwokorie.

The store brings the full Dr. Martens world under one roof, from core icons and Made in England styles to collaborations, new releases and in-store exclusives. Among them are bespoke versions of the 1460, 1461, 2976 and Adrian, created with Secondbest Studios, known for its alt-craft suede dyeing and metalwork.

The design is built around the idea of Assembly, a nod to craftsmanship and community. Salvaged wood from British schools and museums adds texture, character and a sense of reuse, while burgundy tiles come from the same supplier as those used on the London Underground. A curated archive display around the central staircase turns the journey between floors into storytelling. As Global Brand Creative Director Neil Cummings puts it: “Throughout the store, materials, textures, and crafts collide.”

Two spaces give customers reasons to stay. The Repair & Customisation Bar, run with The Boot Repair Company, lets customers repair and personalise their boots, while the Doctor's Orders Café revives the original café from the brand's Covent Garden flagship, serving food from London social enterprises Dusty Knuckle Bakery and Luminary Bakery. The store also hosts live events, talks and workshops with cultural figures and artists.

The location completes the story. Brewer Street places the brand in a neighbourhood long associated with music, fashion, nightlife and alternative culture, a natural home for a flagship built around self-expression and community. Chief Brand Officer Carla Murphy describes it as the place “where our heritage and future meet.”