DARREN McKOY STEPS DOWN AS DR MARTENS CREATIVE DIRECTOR AFTER 10 YEARS

Darren Leon McKoy has announced his departure from Dr. Martens after a decade with the iconic British footwear brand. Joining the company in 2015 as global category manager for footwear, McKoy ascended to the role of global creative director in November 2021. During his tenure, he played a pivotal role in transforming Dr. Martens from a £136 million business into a £1 billion powerhouse. 

In a LinkedIn post, McKoy expressed gratitude for his time at Dr. Martens, stating, “A huge thank you to Dr. Martens for an incredible decade.” He reflected on the brand’s evolution, noting that with a passionate team, they “helped transform the business from around £136 million to a £1 billion business.” McKoy also mentioned that he had decided early last year to “embrace new creative opportunities and challenges,” feeling that the time was right to “close out this amazing chapter and begin writing the next.” 

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Prior to his tenure at Dr. Martens, McKoy held various product and category management roles at companies including VF Corp, Adidas, and Asics. His departure comes at a challenging time for Dr. Martens, which reported an 18% revenue decline to £324.6 million for the 26 weeks ending September 29, 2024. The company also saw adjusted EBIT fall to a loss of £4.3 million from a profit of £39.7 million in the same period the previous year.