Dr. Martens aims to adopt a customer-centric approach in its business strategy

In a bid to outpace the footwear market's growth rate in the medium term, Dr. Martens, the iconic British footwear brand, has unveiled its transformation plan focused on growth, dubbed the Levers For Growth plan.

The company's focus in fiscal 2025 was to bring stability back to the organisation, and it appears that efforts have been successful. Dr. Martens' newly appointed CEO, Ije Nwokorie, has led the charge, accompanied by new executives such as Paul Zadoff, the president of the Americas, and Carla Murphy, the new chief brand officer.

The Levers For Growth plan has four main pillars: engaging more consumers, driving more product purchase occasions, curating market-right distribution, and simplifying the operating model. The plan aims to make Dr. Martens the world's most-desired premium footwear brand.

One of the key strategies under this plan is a shift from a channel-first to a consumer-first mindset. This approach has already shown promising results, as Dr. Martens has managed to bring the DTC (Direct-to-Consumer) channel in the Americas back to growth, which had been a particular focus for the company.

Another significant move is the launch of the new "Buzz" product family, which forms part of the growth strategy.

In addition to these initiatives, Dr. Martens has entered multi-year plans with wholesale and distributor partners as part of its growth strategy.

However, the company's revenue figures for the recent fiscal year and certain regions show a decline. Dr. Martens' revenue fell by 11% in the Americas region and in the combined Europe, Middle East, and Africa region, and by 4% in the Asia Pacific region. Despite this, the company's revenue for the 2025 fiscal year was 787.6 million pounds, approximately $1.1 billion.

One area where Dr. Martens is yet to find a replacement is the creative director position, which was vacated by Darren McKoy in January 2023. The company is still without a creative director at present.

In fiscal 2025, Dr. Martens also reset its marketing approach and strengthened its balance sheet. The company's retail sales account for 0.7% of the total relevant market in its 15 largest markets, indicating a significant growth potential.

With the Levers For Growth plan in full swing and a consumer-first approach, Dr. Martens is poised to make a comeback and reclaim its position as a leading player in the global footwear market.