Men's UGG Australia Fashion Brand

UGG was founded in California in 1978 by Australian surfer Brian Smith and Doug Jensen - an Australian idea, an American start, and a sheepskin boot in between. Smith was living in Santa Monica, California after studying at UCLA's Anderson School of Management, and the men's footwear filed on this page - the boots, shoes and fashion of the title - grew from that surfer's beachside starting point into one of the most recognised footwear labels in this directory.

Smith and Jensen first applied to be the United States distributors for the Western Australian sheepskin boot manufacturer, Country Leather. Unhappy with the brand, Smith trademarked UGG instead - the founding is a distributor's frustration turned into a trademark. Sales steadily grew, and Smith set up Ugg Holdings Inc. and in 1985 registered a US trademark on a ram's head logo with the words "Original UGG Boot UGG Australia". The ram's head and that exact wording are the brand's first American identity.

Deckers, the Classic Boot and the Men's Line

In 1995, Deckers Brands acquired Smith's business, and UGG is today an American footwear company and a division of Deckers Brands. The brand is best known for its distinctive "Classic" sheepskin boots for both men and women: with roots in traditional Australian UGG boot design, the boots developed over the years into what is now known as the UGG "Classic" style, and UGG boots have been identified as a fashion trend for women and men since the early 2000s.

The range has expanded well beyond the boot that made the name, to various styles of footwear in leather, canvas and other materials, and to handbags, clothing, outerwear, hats, gloves, home products such as blankets and pillows, and other goods. The men's business got its own milestones a generation after the founding: the company launched its first men's advertising campaign in 2011, featuring New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, and the first UGG for Men stand-alone store opened in New York in 2012.

The Trademark Dispute

its longest passage is legal, and it matters to anyone researching the name. UGG boots - sometimes called UGGs - in Australia and New Zealand are a unisex style of sheepskin boot; in many other countries, however, UGG boots are a well-known brand of footwear owned by Deckers. In 1971, Shane Steadman registered the trademark UGH-BOOT on the Australian Trade Mark Registry, and that registration was subsequently sold to UGG Holdings Inc. in early 1995.

In August 1995, Deckers Brands purchased UGG Holdings, and in 1999 registered UGG Holdings trademarks, including the UGG AUSTRALIA label, in Australia. However, attempts by Deckers to stop other traders using the "UGG" mark in Australia led to a decision by IP Australia that "UGG" is a generic term in Australia and New Zealand, to which Deckers did not have trademark rights. Nevertheless, Deckers holds registrations for the UGG trademark in the United States, China and over 130 other countries - a split outcome, stated plainly. The brand's official men's site is carried in References.

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