When most people think of the trendy, all-season Ugg boots, made of sheepskin, they are likely to think of Gina Lee Nolin, the sexy star of TV's "Baywatch," who wears hers with a swimsuit. Or they think of Sting, who wears them on his recent Chieftans CD cover. Then there's "Melrose Place" star, Heather Locklear, who wore them on the cover of "In Style" Magazine.
And don't forget about Robert Redford, Willie Nelson, Bruce Springsteen, Patrick Swayze - or Ann-Margaret, who wore them in the snow in "Grumpy Old Men." Tom Petty and Neil Young wear theirs to perform on stage.But according to Brian Smith, the suave but unassuming founder of Uggs, who recently visited Salt Lake City, all the celebrity hoopla was an accident. "We knew Sting was wearing them, because his wife has been buying about 20 pairs every Christmas." But he says the others just started showing up in photos. The celebs had all just bought Uggs on their own and liked them. Locklear just pulled hers out of her closet for use in her photo shoot.
It's not that Smith minds celebrities being turned on to Uggs, because he knows there are a lot of people who need assurance from someone else that it is acceptable to wear them. That's because Uggs are made of sheepskin, have "wicking" properties that keep feet feeling warm and comfortable no matter what the inside or outside temperature. It's the same theory that makes sheepskin car seat covers popular, because drivers don't have to walk around with sweaty derriers.
Uggs (from Aussie slang "Ughs") were invented in the late '60s by hippie surfers to coddle feet weary after "shooting the curl." Sheepskin footwear has been popular ever since in Australia, where nearly one out of every three people today own sheepskin shoes. In the late '70s, the Australian-born Smith, who had moved to the United States, was amazed to find no sheepskin boots here. He was an accountant who didn't want to be one, so he trademarked Uggs and imported a line to the United States.
They were all lined with thick, natural wool.
"I've been here 18 years, and now it is finally becoming a real thing," he says with a smile. He is smiling because Uggs are featured in GQ this month. The marketing problem Smith has faced is people who think sheepskin is too delicate to wear outside. "They think it should be worn around the fire at Christmastime," he says. "Many people just don't know what sheepskin really is.' So Smith is on a mission to educate them.
He's apparently succeeding, since Ugg has snared approximately 70 percent of the sheepskin shoe market. Smith is convinced that people who buy synthetic substitutes will be disappointed in its performance and will return to Ugg.
"Sheepskin breathes," he says, "so when you wear it, barefoot, your feet are not any hotter than when you started. You can't really sweat, because it breathes so your feet think it is the same temperature. If your shoes get wet in the rain, the water never travels down to the fibers. University tests have proved it gives off heat when it gets wet."
Uggs wearers don't need socks. Moisure evaporates through the shearling, and boots can be easily washed by hand in cold water with a mild soap and then naturally dried. And this is true whether it is Pam Anderson cavorting on Malibu Beach or the members of the U.S. Winter Olympic team wearing them in the 1994 Winter Olyumpics in Lillihamer, Norway.
"When I was outfitting the Olympic athletes in Lillihamer, they would say, `You're crazy - I'm not going out in the snow without socks! All the people from Colorado had never heard of Uggs. But the skiers from Utah had their Uggs with them. It was amazing. So there has always been a bigger awareness in Utah. In fact, Salt Lake City is a pretty hip city. It's more like California here - very progressive."
In spite of their valuable winter properties, Smith is intent on telling people that Uggs are not limited to snow. "It is casual footwear. People wear them around the house when they're watching TV." Even the classic style, the tall or short boot, has such a flexible, lightweight sole that it is perfect for pre-and-apres-sport, as well as fashionable street and casual wear.
It retails for over $100.
The newer Ultra boot sells for a bit more, but it has an improved molded sole for increased traction and durability in wet or icy conditions. Desert boots can be worn to school or weekend activities, a perfect complement to jeans or shorts. The casual shoe is available in a number of different street-smart styles, such as Nullabor for men and Avenue for women. The Ultra Casual is a low-cut, roll-down styled shoe with plush sheepskin for indoor and outdoor versatility.
The Clugg is a unique slip-on shoe that is great either around the house or out on the town. It is considered hot right now and retails for $50-60. There are also a number of slipper styles, as well a fashionable, functional sandal lined with sheepskin and featuring a soft suede-leather footbed. Two Velcro straps secure a snug fit.
There are even Uggs available for babies and children. Indeed, it is a product for all seasons, and a variety of colors are available - such as white, sand, black chestnut, navy, gray, cranberry, pine, forest green, rust and cinnamon, depending on the model.
Ugg footwear is so versatile that it can be worn with just about anything for all-out comfort and style - shorts, pants, skirts, dresses, even swimsuits. The sandals and clogs are popular as the finishing touches for skirts, while the boots are a perfect match for jeans and shorts.
An added advantage to the Ugg product is that is has the seal of acceptance from the American Podiatric Medical Association. That is because the thick, natural fleece on the removable insole molds to the unique shape of the wearer's foot, creating a natural arch support. Smith says it "forms a natural orthotic. That springiness actually forms a support under your feet. Your feet become molded into the soles after about two or three weeks."
People with arthritis, diabetes or circulatory problems find that Ugg products make their feet much more comfortable. People who have had foot operations, or who have trouble pulling on or lacing up their shoes will find relief with Uggs.
In Salt Lake City, Uggs are readily available at Nordstrom, Kinney Shoes, Gart Brothers, and Kirkham's Outdoor Products. If you want more information about where to find them, you can call Ugg's retail locator service, 800-469-8447. Even if you're not interested in all the stores listed, you should call the number anyway - just to hear Brian Smith say, "G-day, mates, and good on ya for calling our retail locator service . . . " in his vintage Aussie accent. If you've visited or lived in Australia or New Zealand, you'll feel right at home.
One other thing - when you go into one of the local retailers to try on Ugg shoes or boots, be ready to take off your socks.