Clarks - Fashion Company Profile
Clarks - formally C. & J. Clark - is the Somerset shoe company founded in 1825 by brothers Cyrus and James Clark, makers first of sheepskin slippers and rugs and then of shoes built around comfort engineering: the Desert Boot of 1950, the Wallabee and the measured children's fitting service are its signatures. The Clark family controlled it for nearly two centuries; Hong Kong-based LionRock Capital took a majority stake in 2021, and Viva China Holdings became the majority shareholder in 2023.
Company Snapshot
- Status
- Operating - British footwear company; LionRock Capital took a majority stake in February 2021 and Viva China Holdings (the Li Ning group's company) became majority shareholder in 2023, with the Clark family remaining a shareholder
- Type
- Private - majority owned by Viva China Holdings
- Headquarters
- Street, Somerset, United Kingdom
- Founded
- 1825, in Street, Somerset, England, by brothers Cyrus and James Clark
Shop Clarks Now
Shop Clarks on Amazon Shop Clarks on eBayThe Amazon and eBay links on this page are affiliate links. If you make a purchase through them, Apparel Search may earn a commission.
Company Profile
Most Clarks shoes are now made in Asia, but design and the archive remain in Street, and the range still turns on the comfort last shapes the company built its name on. The innovation record - tens of thousands of styles across two centuries - is set out in the profile section below.
By 1828 the business had grown, and Cyrus appointed his younger brother James (1811-1906) as an apprentice. Educated away from Street, James was meant to be apprentice to a chemist in Bath, but successfully pleaded with his parents to let him stay in Street and help Cyrus. In 1828-1829, while serving this apprenticeship, James began utilising the offcuts that were too short for making rugs to produce slippers, known as Brown Petersburgs. The slippers were made using outworkers, who collected materials from the factory, assembled footwear in workshops at home and returned the finished product for payment. This trade rapidly evolved, providing James with a legitimate claim to an equal partnership when his apprenticeship was served in 1833 - thereafter, it traded as C. and J. Clark.
Clarks History
The earlier record for this company - its history, past brand line-ups, figures and photographs from the periods described - is kept on a separate page for historical reference.
Clarks History & Historical Profile →Common Questions
When was Clarks founded, and where?
In 1825, by Cyrus Clark in the village of Street, Somerset, England, where the headquarters remain; his brother James joined as an apprentice in 1828 and became an equal partner in 1833, when the business began trading as C. and J. Clark.
How did Clarks footwear begin?
From sheepskin rug offcuts: in 1828-1829 James Clark used offcuts too short for rugs to produce slippers known as Brown Petersburgs, made by outworkers assembling footwear at home.
What is the Desert Boot, and when was it launched?
An iconic Clarks design by Nathan Clark, launched in 1950; the company's archive holds more than 22,000 styles, in the historical record.
More Apparel Companies C
Start from the C letter hub, or compare this filing with its closest neighbours in the letter:
More to Explore on Apparel Search
Looking for More Fashion Companies?
This profile is one filing in the Apparel Search company names directory. Browse the full A-to-Z listing on the Fashion Company Names directory, or shop by category in the Apparel Search shopping directory.