Among returning trends is the beloved UGG boot, seen as the line between home and street fashion is becoming more blurred than ever. Katie O'Mahoney brings an article filled with freshness over a cyclical trend in the shape of comfy, warm boots.
Life in the late 90s and early 2000s appeared much simpler than our current times amidst a global pandemic. Celebrities and socialites dawned fashion trends during this “Y2K” and “SoCal” surfer-inspired era, keeping comfort to the fore as crop tops, loose jeans and tracksuits evolved wardrobes while pop culture and technology developed. Although celebrities and “It-Girls” of this time, such as Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie did not share our Covid worries, their comfortable fashion is one thing that has been imported into our current lifestyle. Among returning trends is the beloved UGG boot, seen as the line between home and street fashion is becoming more blurred than ever.
UGG ironically appeared in Oprah Winfrey’s list of favourite things in 2000
The UGG brand was founded in 1978 by Australian surfer Brian Smith and Doug Jensen in California. Since the 60s, sheepskin boots were commonly worn by members of the Australian surf community for warmth. However, following the $14.6 million sale of UGG to the Deckers Brand in the late 90s, their own sales and popularity rapidly increased. UGG ironically appeared in Oprah Winfrey’s list of favourite things in 2000 (reappearing in her 2021 list, clearly indicating the return of the woollen boot trend amongst celebrities). Their popularity was seen as A-listers such as Tom Cruise, Kate Moss, Britney Spears and even the Rolling Stones all wore UGGs, as “SoCal” beach fashion was emerging across the U.S. in the early 2000s, alongside the comforts seen in the late 90s “Y2K” fashion.
Thanks to both the coronavirus and social media, UGGs have returned to the fashion world. As Covid-19 has adapted our everyday lives, more and more people are staying at home and opting for more casual clothing to suit this new way of life. This has undoubtedly resulted in what may be viewed as house shoes, making their way on to the streets. UGGs grace our online feeds as current high fashion models such as Emily Ratajkowski, Bella Hadid and Kaia Gerber are seen flaunting the boots just like how fellow fashionistas did 20 years ago. Our current lifestyles puts the home at the heart and has simultaneously caused wardrobes to become cosy and effortless.
While some say the boots are no more than slippers, the impact of the pandemic is evident in UGG’s increasing popularity. Sales have consistently reached over $1 billion annually for the brand since 2011. Sales amongst U.S customers aged 18-24 increased by 44% in 2020, according to Dave Powers, the CEO and President of Deckers Brands, with net sales increasing by 53.1% in the fourth quarter of the last financial year.
Love them or hate them, there is no doubt UGG boots have made a return to fashion both inside and outside the home. With Cher appearing as the first star of their 2022 campaign, the brands success will certainly continue in 2022, with Sole Supplier’s data showing demand for UGGs has already increased by 1,280% since the campaigns launch, as reported by Variety. UGG boots have been in the fashion world a long time, and it appears they will strongly remain.