September 29th, 2009
When the US corporation Deckers Outdoor bought Discount Ugg Boots in 1995, it possibly thought it had made a prudent addition to its portfolio of footwear brands. Ugg was positioned as high-end luxury footwear, best known for its sheepskin boots, favoured by Californian surfers. In 2000 a scheming PR guise sent some to Oprah Winfrey, sensitive of the strength of her endorsement. She loved them so much that she bought 350 pairs for her workforce and featured the Ultra gumboot on her Favorite Things show. Women’s Ugg boots went mega, fetching the footwear of scale for A-listers and wannabes.
Today, in Britain, opinions are divided. Teaming with a bomber jacket, miniskirt and black tights, the boots form part of the central dress for a generation of early women. Sloaney girls adoration wearisome them with jeans tucked in. Some members of the manner plead sport them for comfort (although they take them off at the door before the shows). Nevertheless many people disgust them – let’s call it the Marmite effect. And as they’re not famed for bountiful you great legs, men are not devoted moreover.
Ugg opened its first British standalone deposit, in the Westfield centre, London, last autumn. People queued to get in, and recent figures show that Women’s Ugg sales were up 57 percent on last year. (Is this class downturn proof?) Shortly after that entrance another depot opened in Covent Garden and the queues fashioned again. I sure to connect them.
The windows Covent Garden is a great position, but I was astounded tollder’s Ugg Boots sale had chosen a part from the travel of Long Acre and brands such as M&S and Next for band, rather than cool Neal Street. One space displayed three pairs of frumpy sandals; another, three pairs of the new period’s very-upbeat sheepskin boots – eye-catching colours let down by a dull parade.
Shopability The store is a mix of brick bulwark, copse and bright lighting, with least merchandise displayed on wood and flute shelves. It’s calm to work your way around, though a bit narrow – men’s to the left, women’s to the right and children’s at the back. Pride of place is unsurprisingly given to the label sheepskin gumboot. These being they come in fuchsia, turquoise and jade-green (as well as the novel tan, chestnut and black) and you can decide from knitted, canvas or sheepskin exteriors. It’s a classic manner that has proven staying weight. The sandal choice (launched in Australia last September) is another question. I just didn’t get it. And at £120 a pop for a basic sandal, or £35 for a sheepskin-lined flip-bomb, the new collections also felt too classy.
Was I being served? The store wasn’t that taken on the day of my outing, although I know that’s not the norm here. What did mystify me was the number of boxes the salesclerks seemed to carry out for each purchaser. I know that ‘my first Uggs’ is maybe an early alter highlight of a lass’s life, and she’ll doubtless want to try on every brace in every colourway, but I wondered if this explained the queues. When I indoors there were five pole on duty, though three of them mysteriously vanished. Those who were left tried valiantly to survive with the customers but some inevitably drifted off. One lady before of me who did manage to get serving bought her daughter a couple of boots and ballet-fashion pumps, racking up a total vending of £200.
Did I buy? , Marmite.
Verdict Deckers visibly made a wise investment: Ugg bailey button Boots is now a total phenomenon. It’s not a upshot I would wish. I don’t feel it has unlimited the brand terribly well into new areas, nor is the storefit particularly impressive. But I take my hat off to tolder Ugg’s entrepreneurial elegance. It has bent a upshot with hugely broad allure and which is likely to be around for some time.