The origin of these boots that made the famous brand

They are comfortable, though weird. After all, it looks like a sort of high-topped slipper lined inside with sheep’s wool and sheepskin on the outside. But they are warm to the feet in cold climates.And they have become a true phenomenon among celebrities and in the fashion world. They are the UGG® brand boots, which has become one of the most desired in the world.

The story

To tell the story of the UGG® it is necessary to first know the origin of these boots that made the famous brand.

There is a healthy dispute between Australia and New Zealand, by whom you can say that you were the inventor of this style of boot made from sheepskin and sheep’s wool.However, as the story goes, these boots became popular on the shores of Byron Bay, where Australian surfers began wearing sheepskin shoes and sheepskin lining to warm themselves between the batteries. Located on the eastern shore of the Australian continent, Byron Bay boasts seas of crystal clear water with famous surfing spots. The 1960s and 1970s were marked by the discovery of these points by surfers who went to the sites and stayed for weeks and during their stay were looking for ways to keep their feet warm and dry. As Australia is abundant in sheepskin and sheep’s wool, the surfers began to craft a kind of boot that would keep moisture away from their feet. Another story tells that they were created by shearers to keep their toes from freezing in the sheds where they worked. Leaving the dispute for the creation of footwear aside, another controversy arises in relation to the name: described as ugs , uggs or ughs (puns with the word “ugly” or ugly) due to its appearance nothing beautiful. According to many, boots were given their name in World War I when Australian pilots used flying uggs, or sheepskin boots that were high above the knee to keep their legs from freezing in the depressed cabin of the planes of the day.

The history of the UGG® brand began in 1978 when young Australian surfer Brian Smith arrived on the southern coast of California

carrying a suitcase with a few dozen of the traditional sheepskin boots (wool-lined) in the hope that surfers sharing the passion he had developed for the product in his homeland. California’s beaches have always been the epicenter of a relaxed and casual lifestyle, leading Brian to find this perfect climate for these boots. The copies were sold quickly and Brian realized a huge potential for the product. It was then that he, with only $ 500, founded the UGG® AUSTRALIA brand and began sales. These unforgettable boots, initially imported from Australia, and the unique sensation they provided quickly spread among surfers, initially establishing the UGG® as a men’s brand. In the mid-1980s, the brand became a symbol of Californians’ lifestyle and culture, gaining space in surf shops and other outlets across the California coast from San Diego and San Francisco to Santa Cruz. In addition, being a unisex model, women began to wear their boots.

Quickly the UGG® boots reached the market beyond the beach, gradually emerging in large and small towns and, in the winter, were sold in ski shops, becoming trend in trendy ski resorts like Aspen and Vail, both in the state of Colorado. In August 1995, with sales reaching more than $ 18 million, it caught the attention of Deckers, a company that sold sandals, which bought UGG® AUSTRALIA and began to turn their boots into luxury footwear. In 1998 the UGG® collection consisted of two boots (high and low), four slippers and some models of casual shoes. It was then that the company began to invest in branding, distribution (for more premium and selected stores, such as Nordstrom ) and marketing strategy to make UGG® a well-known brand among high-spending consumers. Media curiosity quickly catapulted the UGG® boots into the most iconic fashion magazines which helped make them popular in the most cosmopolitan places in the world, appearing on the streets of New York, London or Amsterdam.

The brand’s history would begin to change from the 2000s, when its boots literally began to fall in the taste of celebrities and the fashion world, gaining even more visibility after the charismatic presenter Oprah Winfrey declared its love for its boots UGG® on his popular television show.

The impact was instantaneous.

The boots began to appear at the feet of celebrities like Sarah Jessica Parker, Kate Hudson, Avril Lavigne, Sienna Miller and Cameron Diaz

and they invaded popular culture, becoming a constant presence in the sets of recording Sex and the City. All of this helped turn it into a cult brand. And this huge interest in boots came to the manufacturers of “generic uggs” in Australia, creating a controversy that seems to have no end. Although the boots had already been produced by a small industrial segment in Australia for decades, their home image contrasted abruptly with the sophisticated image that UGG® cultivated in the United States.

The investment to turn UGG® boots into fashion icons worked, and from 2004 they became a constant presence on fashion shows in Paris, Milan and New York.

It was a real success. In addition, in 2006 UGG® began opening its first stores in cities such as New York (in the trendy SoHo neighborhood) and Tokyo and gaining space in Europe and Asia. Shortly after, in 2009, the brand in partnership with designer Jimmy Choo launched a collection of boots that became a huge success. In the following years, UGG® opened new stores (decorated with two-tone khaki furnishings, romantic indirect lights and polished aluminum shelves) in cities like San Francisco, Chicago, Honolulu and New York, which looked nothing like the cramped shops family and gas stations in Australia where “generic ugg boots” are still sold.

In addition, UGG® brand has diversified its product line with the launching of footwear for babies and children, sneakers, leather boots, slippers, sandals, casual shoes, socks, gloves, hats, accessories (such as handbags) and even a line with clothes.

And in 2013, the brand launched its first Home line, consisting of rugs, blankets, pillows and other home parts. Shortly thereafter, the brand introduced the UGGpure material, a luxurious natural wool woven into a durable medium which enhances the overall product experience. More recently in 2016 and after 38 years, UGG® has introduced the new generation of its popular boot model. Called Classic II and featuring the beautiful Huntington-Whiteley global ambassador, the new model features a Treadlite exterior exterior for added traction and depreciation while Scotchgard ™ Protector technology helps repel water and stains, making them more durable, light and comfortable.Another novelty was the inauguration of a state-of-the-art store within the Disney Springs complex in Orlando, where you can find exclusive branded collections based on Disney characters.