UGG® Australia Launches South Africa Winter 2012

“The roots of UGG Australia can be traced back to the sandy beaches of Byron Bay, where Australian surfers began wearing sheepskin footwear for warmth between sessions. Because of an abundance of sheepskin in Australia, the surfers often turned to hand-made basic sheepskin “footies” for natural warmth, comfort and to wick away moisture.  It was here that the foundation was laid for a brand that would later become a worldwide phenomenon.

In 1978, Brian Smith landed in Southern California with a bag of sheepskin boots and hope. He fell in love with the sheepskin experience and was convinced the world would one day share this love. The beaches of Southern California had long been an epicenter of a relaxed, casual lifestyle, a lifestyle that Brian felt was a perfect fit for his brand. So he founded the UGG brand, began selling his sheepskin boots and they were an immediate sensation. By the mid 1980’s, the UGG brand became a symbol of relaxed southern California culture.

The UGG brand began to symbolize those who embraced sport and a relaxed, active lifestyle. More than that, an emotional connection and a true feeling of love began to grow for UGG boots.

In 1995, Deckers Outdoor Corporation purchased UGG Australia and transformed it from a surf brand into a high-end, luxury and comfort brand. This transformation proved to be pivotal as celebrities and those in the fashion world began taking notice of the UGG brand by the end of the 90’s. A cultural shift occurred as well - people were embracing, and feeling empowered, by living a more casual lifestyle and UGG became one of the symbols of this lifestyle. In 2000, UGG Sheepskin boots were first featured on Oprah’s Favorite Things ^®and Oprah emphatically declared that she “LOOOOOVES her UGG boots.” From that point on, the world began to notice.

Fueled by celebrities from coast to coast to wearing UGG boots and slippers on their downtime, an entirely new era of fashion was carved out. The evolution of UGG from a brand that made sheepskin boots, slippers, clogs and sandals for an active, outdoor lifestyle to a brand that was now being touted as a symbol of a stylish, casual and luxurious lifestyle was swift. Much of this was due to the earlier brand repositioning effort that made UGG into a high-end luxury footwear maker. As a fashion brand, UGG advertisements now grace the pages of Vogue, Harpers Bazaar, In Style, Vanity Fair and many more.

The love for UGG is a result of a magical combination of the amazing functional benefits of sheepskin and the heightened emotional feeling you get when you slip them on your feet. In short, you just feel better all over when you wear UGG boots and shoes.

Finally available in South Africa through SHIRNAT FASHION INTL, Durban, the UGG journey continues on and the love for UGG will continues to spread. UGG Australia will be available locally come Winter 2012 at select stores nationwide.”

From The Desk Of : Janna Koppel Public Relations

I am OBSESSED with those sequined sensational elements, jots down in to ever schlong LUST LIST!