I've been wearing DM's for over 35 years. Originally it was "Made in England" cherry red 1460's. Followed by 1461 shoes and also a thinner soled version. Great quality! And, once worn in, incredibly comfortable.
These were followed by several pairs of Dealer Boots and more pairs of both 1460's and 1461's.
Then, several years ago, production moved from Northampton, England to Thailand and China.
I stopped buying my beloved Doc's. Convinced that the quality would never match the finest footwear to come out of Northamptonshire.
How wrong was I. My first foreign-made pair were Crazy Horse 1460's. After breaking in, which took about half the time MIE boots had, I quickly realised that I had fallen in love all over again! A pair of cherry red 1460's followed. The floodgates had opened!
I soon had a pair of cherry red 1461's. Then a black pair
I've now got my eye on a green pair of the classic 1460's and a pair of 14 hole 1914's.
I'm addicted!
Thankfully, I get all my DM's from the same father/son run shop that I've been buying from since the late 1970's. Blackmans in Cheshire Street (off Brick Lane) London E2. The classic 1460's, which cost over £100+ ($150+) in the Doctor Martens store in Covent Garden, are only £58 ($90).