| The UGG® Australia story began in 1978,
when Brian Smith, a young surfer from Australia, took a trip to the United
States with a bag full of sheepskin boots. After finding a new home amongst
California surfers, the UGG® Australia brand began to take shape.
Deckers Outdoor Corporation acquired UGG® Australia in 1995. By
1998, the product line had grown to include two boots, four slippers
and a few casuals. It was in 1998 that the critical repositioning of
UGG® took place. The brand was positioned as a high-end luxury
footwear brand, made evident by a premium distribution strategy and
high-end fashion marketing and communications.
The luxury and comfort of UGG® Australia proved to be a perfect
fit for the high-end footwear world and soon Nordstrom had become the
destination for UGG® Australia. The media reach expanded into more
and more high-end magazine titles. The business continued to grow steadily
as the brand recognition increased. To that end, UGG® has had no
better contributor than Oprah Winfrey.
In 2000, Oprah was sent a pair of Ultra boots. She loved the product
so much, she purchased 350 pair for her entire staff. Oprah then featured
the Ultra Boot on her well-known "Oprah's Favorite Things" show.
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