A-Cold-Wall’s Dr. Martens are an upgrade to your casual, boring dad shoes

A-Cold-Wall* and Dr. Martens may not seem like the most natural of partners, with one brand focused on hardware and advanced technical gear while the other’s heritage footwear has nearly 75 of years of history. But when they do work with each other, they have a way of making leather footwear fit for the future.

After first collaborating on a pair of 1460 boots last year, A-Cold-Wall* and Dr. Martens are reuniting for a refreshing take on the derby. Their 1461 sees a zipper enclosure framed with dynamic leather flaps cut at sharp angles to invoke modern architecture. Metal fastenings are also used along with tonal stitching to construct the upper for a greater sense of the tactile.

Photos of A-Cold-Wall*’s new derbies seem like they’re in black and white, but graphite and black are their true colors. By bridging the old and new, the collaborative 1461 can be worn with either trousers or cargo pants and no one would bat an eye at either.

Perfect for a post-sneaker world — Exhausted sneakerheads and menswear enthusiasts alike often talk about abandoning sneakers because of the near-impossibility of acquiring them and the increasingly corny people who wear them. Turning to smarter shoes like loafers or derbies is a way of leaving behind stress and associations you may not want while invigorating your wardrobe with the classics.

A-Cold-Wall*, which has collaborated with Nike on multiple occasions, brings in a bit of hype if you aren’t ready to go cold turkey. Dr Martens, meanwhile, brings durability and comfort that’ll only increase with wear — and its air-soles are also great for your posture if you’re getting to an age where that’s become a concern.

Stepping into a post-sneaker world could be just a day away, as the A-Cold-Wall* 1461s are slated to drop Thursday, Sept. 2. You just have to sign up here for an invitation to receive early access before a wider release for the brutalist Docs.