UGG owner credits move away from sheepskin for ‘recent success’
The CEO of footwear group Deckers has credited the group’s move away from high-quality sheepskin for its profit increase in 2013.
Ugg, the group’s biggest brand, announced last year it will replace some of its double-face sheepskin with Ugg Pure – a wool woven into a ‘durable backing’.
“We're very excited about our long-term strategies to support our transition from a domestic footwear wholesaler into a leading multichannel consumer-centric lifestyle brand company,” said Angel Martinez.
“We battled back following a historic spell of mild winter weather and a dramatic surge in sheepskin prices.
“We believe that a big part of our recent success has been the evolution of the UGG product line beyond the core business. The infusion of innovation, led by UGG Pure and the development of a broader offering of casual non-seasonal footwear, featuring sharper price points for men, women and kids, have significantly expanded our market opportunities, both domestically and overseas.”
Deckers reported full year sales rising 10.1% to a record $1.6 billion. Ugg saw sales up 18% in the final quarter and up 10% for the full year to $1.3 billion.
