Culture-first brand Slam Jam reinterprets the iconic 1490 and 1461 silhouettes by Dr. Martens, introducing a steel toe for the 3-Eye Shoe and the 10-Eye Boot.
A silver-foil debossing crowns the tongue, the Dr. Martens logo encased in a regal frame: all poise and formality at first glance. Then, with wear, “Hi Mom” peeks through on the steel toe, turning formality into irony in true Slam Jam fashion. Borrowing from the hidden lip tattoos of old friends, the Italian powerhouse brings a private joke to the surface.

Inner-lip tattoos began surfacing in 90s punk, skate, and hardcore circles, when hidden tattoos became a mark of insider culture. Something personal, but defiant. The “Hi Mom” phrase itself was an ironic reference to people on TV or mugshots waving to the camera: a kind of wry salute to mainstream innocence from an outlaw setting. It rippled in skate and punk zines too, in the late ’90s and early ’00s, often photographed as a kind of dare or inside joke.

It is a symbol that got easily adopted through MTV-era pop-punk, reality shows and college-age crowds during the 2000s, as part of the party tattoo aesthetic. It’s a joke, with bite.

The launch party took place at The Queen Adelaide, London’s most fun venue and spiritual heir to the George & Dragon era — the right stage for a collection built on insider wit and cultural memory.Held on the 30th of October, Halloween-eve once again proved a good night to give commonalities the boot.
Slam Jam and Dr. Martens welcomed everyone to come say hi — costumes, Sunday best, and all.