The rise of UGG Australia
In the 1970s, surfers emerging from the frigid waves of Australia's Byron Bay often slipped on sheepskin boots once they hit the beach. One of these surfers, Shane Stedman, quietly filed a patent on the ""ugh-boot"" and later ""ugh"" and sold the rights to fellow surfer Brian Smith, who sold the boots in Southern California. In no time, UGG boots had caught on in the local surfing community and spread to neighboring coastal areas. This is where Doug Otto came into play. At this point, Otto, the founder of California-based Deckers Outdoor Corp., had already built a niche for himself in the shoe market and added the UGG boot to his inventory. By 1995, Deckers purchased the entire UGG boot design, including all patents, from Smith for more than $12 million.
Although Otto certainly expected the company's emblematic foray into winter clothing to pay off, few could have predicted the success of the sheepskin UGG boots. Within a few years, UGG Australia, as the Deckers division was called, would become the most successful mainstay of his label. In fact, UGG Australia became the driving force behind the American company's renaissance, transforming it into a global powerhouse and its leading product into a luxury status symbol.
This is how the sheepskin boot became a luxury product
While the UGG Australia brand gained a foothold in the United States around the turn of the century, a variety of Australian mom-and-pop shops continued to produce small quantities of rustic UGG boots. Deckers Outdoor Corp. executives, who made diligent efforts to transform UGG Australia's image into one of luxury and sophistication, took a critical view of this. To further build the label's reputation, marketing efforts targeted high-end boutiques and VIPs, hoping to increase consumer demand.
Since the UGG trademark is visible on the outside of the shoe, it was also easy to spot a cheap fake. If the seams were uneven or crooked, or if some seams were missing at the joints, the product was obviously counterfeit or not the original. The same applied to inflexible soles, as authentic UGG boots have a thick but flexible sole. This strategy seemed to hit the nail on the head - UGG Australia rightly gained increasing popularity among celebrities and the public and became a luxury symbol of high quality.
Shop designer second hand shoes from Ugg online at Buddy&Selly
Since UGG Australia boots more than live up to their reputation as long-lasting, high-quality clothing, it's no surprise that you can also find second-hand UGG boots that look like new. In Buddy&Selly's designer second-hand online shop, a huge selection of designer clothing, accessories and shoes - including, of course, boots from UGG Australia - is waiting to be discovered and loved by you.
The carefully selected and curated designer pieces at Buddy&Selly are so diverse that you are guaranteed to get the right piece in top condition for every occasion. Start browsing and rediscover yourself in Buddy&Selly's designer second hand shop.
