The boots attracted a devoted clientele in California surf shops and speciality stores, but didn’t find a broader audience until Deckers Outdoor Corporation bought the brand for $15 million in 1995. At the time, the Arizona-based group saw Ugg as a complement to its successful Teva sandal business. ‘The company founder wanted a product line he could sell in the winter, and thus keep the sales force employed,’ Angel Martinez, Deckers’ chief executive, said. ‘It wasn’t much beyond that.’
Actresses who discovered Ugg boots through surf shops or surfer boyfriends began wearing them during 15-hour days on set, keeping them on under evening gowns for waist-up formal scenes. Paris Hilton in her mid-2000s It-girl heyday wore Uggs everywhere, pioneering a new brand of pampered LA slovenliness when pushing sweatpants into the boots, or showing they could be sexy worn with miniskirts.And then there was Oprah Winfrey. The queen of American media had introduced Ugg Australia to her seven-million-strong daily audience in 2000 when she raved about the boots and bought 350 pairs for her staff. Retail pandemonium erupted. When Winfrey recently chose to include Ugg Australia for a record fifth time on her last-ever Favourite Things show, Deckers created a limited-edition sequin version to mark the occasion.
This year, Ugg Australia is on track to record more than $800 million in sales, representing 80 per cent of Deckers’ total full-year revenue. Forget any talk about trends or appearances, Martinez said – the main factor that has turned millions of would-be Ugg wearers into devotees is as simple as comfort.’Nothing feels better or makes you feel as good as Ugg on your feet,’ he said. ‘It’s just one of those rare products that has transcended the physical and moved into an emotional relationship with the consumer. Once people have Ugg in their closet, they will always have Ugg in their closet.’

It may be an object of derision throughout the fashion industry, but the Ugg boot �C a bit like the bootcut jean, or the square-toed office-boy shoes �C has refused to die. Over the past 10 years, sales continued to rise, and their squat, solid, shearling-lined shapes became the footwear of young Britons nationwide.Until now. The newest sales figures from Deckers, the Ugg parent group, are down 31%. While this has been put down to mild weather, and prices of the boots rising,Ugg Tasman Slippers, it’s a minor victory for fashion. While not defeated �C prices will be reduced in a bid to boost sales �C its footwear nemesis is showing signs of weakness.In truth, these signs have been there for a while. Uggs are undeniably comfortable �C they’re more often worn as slippers in their native Australia �C but the ubiquity of them, and their many imitations, has led to overkill. Bad press has been growing. In a survey in 2010, they were voted one of the 10 items men don’t like on women and a judge recently ruled they can be dangerous to wear while driving.They originally gained fashionability in 2001 when they were worn by celebrities including Cameron Diaz, but recent advocates include Joey Essex: hardly an advert for a chic, off-duty look. Rana Reeves, founder of brand agency John Doe, believes this has damaged the reputation of the brand. “I’d say they’re in a similar position to when Daniella Westbrook wore Burberry,” he says. “They need to go back to basics.”

Westnedge points to the relatively high price of Uggs as a problem, “in a period of limited discretionary spending”, and suggests that consumers are unlikely to buy more than one pair. There’s also the issue that they may simply be out of vogue. New competitors in the boot market include Hunter, Le Chameau (the brand favoured by the Duchess of Cambridge) and,Discount Ugg Boots Cheap, recently, Converse. In contrast to Ugg, Hunter has seen its profits rise �C 38% last year �C and style leaders from Kate Moss to Sarah Jessica Parker wear its boots. Reeves believes its success is down to a savvy marketing policy. “They stay true to what they are,” he says. “They’re functional, they keep your feet dry. Hunter have done some collaborations but they have never tried to be fashion. That’s what Ugg did, and that’s where they went wrong.” Fashion has long rejected Uggs �C it looks like the rest of the populace is finally following its lead.UGG boots may be popular, but how to wear them is definitely a subject surrounded by great controversy. While there are a few fashionable trends, some people believe that pairing their UGG boots with any type of clothing they want is acceptable and �C well �C we beg to differ.No matter what outfit you��ve chosen, it��s best to avoid wearing UGG boots to formal occasions. You may have tailored your outfit so that your boots blend in, but UGG boots aren��t ��black-tie�� attire, no matter what you believe.Don��t wear your UGG boots while walking in the rain, mud, or snow. You may think they look cute and fashionable, but as soon as they get wet and dirty they��ll begin to look frumpy and worn out �C and your entire look will go downhill from there.Avoid wearing UGG boots in warm weather. They may be safe for summer wear because of the thermal properties associated with wool, but wearing boots that look like they��re designed for February in the middle of August is just silly.For spring, the brand will offer candy-coloured wedges, clogs, flip-flops and slip-on trainers. Knitwear and outerwear, designed with the same comfort factor in mind as the boots, is also part of the expansion. And men’s business is increasingly important – now worth 10-12 per cent of the women’s market, Martinez expects it to represent 20 per cent of the overall business in the future. ‘All men need is permission to wear Ugg outside,’ he said. To that end, Deckers has just signed the American football quarterback (and husband of the model Gisele) Tom Brady as the face of its men’s range. ‘He has that thing that guys want,’ Martinez said of Brady, ‘which is coolness under pressure.’Even in the store, I was not convinced. A freelancer’s life invites sloppiness, and I’m already more prone to fits of tracksuit-wearing than I’d like to admit – could slipper-like boots make me a lazier dresser? Anyway, for the not-inconsiderable prices printed on the bottom of these boots, I expect my shoes to come from a designer sample sale. I slipped my feet into the proffered boots�� and sighed.The cloud-soft foot bed, furry hug of a lining and flat soles were enough to send me burrowing my toes into the shearling. It’s true: these shoes are comfortable,Ugg Turn Cuff Gloves, so comfortable that I felt a disconcerting reluctance to take them off. Could a sceptic be turned so easily? ‘After a while, everybody’s resistance goes away,’ Martinez said. ‘All it takes is wearing that one pair.’