What's so special about UGGs?

Did you know that UGG boots are making a massive comeback?

Besides their better breathability, they also lend a stylish touch of coziness and warmth to any outfit. In fact, Gen Z consumers are driving this wildly popular UGG resurgence.
Let’s wade through the facts and see why UGGs are back, and why they might just be here to stay as a go-to footwear niche.


UGG Classic

A Brief History

UGG boots, originally known as sheepskin boots, provided the barefoot surfers’ feet with the essential warmth they needed after a windy and cold session in the sea. Brian Smith, the founder of the company, created the boots in 1978 in Australia where the name was inspired from the phonetic pronunciation of the word ‘sheepskin’.
Over time, the boots began to spread within the surfing subculture of the 1980s and ’90s until they eventually became a mainstream trend, thanks to endorsements from celebrities in the early 2000s.
Celebrities such as Kate Moss, Paris Hilton, and Sarah Jessica Parker were spotted wearing UGG boots, and the boots quickly became an ‘it’ shoe, getting the company tons of publicity in the tabloids.

Recent Sales Show UGGs Are Hotter Than Ever

UGG boots are now BACK and HOTER THAN EVER Since the last year.Check the sales record.
Its sales hit 10.5 million in Q2 2023, which was a 28.1% increase on the same period the previous year – becoming 49.8% of the whole total sales for Deckers Brands, UGG’s parent company, in Q2.
Searches for ‘UGG boots’ also increased 82% in 2023’s holiday season compared with 2021. We can draw firm conclusions about consumers’ renewed interest in UGG boots, particularly its signature morel boots, based on these metrics.


UGG Fluff Slippers

Why Gen Z Is Obsessed With UGGs

As the resurgence of UGGs shows, it’s zoomers (Generation Z the trend behind the boots. Recent figures reveal serious Z demographic. Here are the most popular models.
In Q4 2022, UGG held the #1 spot in Piper Sandler’s biannual Gen Z Brand Tracker: Brand equity (a composite of an item including brand awareness, quality, consideration and momentum) is up almost 12% from the last quarter. This represents a period of very rapid growth.
Even though Gen Z snatched up the boots, however, UGG saw almost no growth in Millennial and Gen X consumers. There was a stark generational divide. For zoomers, the boots made the brand feel new and aspirational. But Gen X still saw.

UGG Leans Into Gen Z With New Styles

In reaction to enthusiasm for the boots among younger shoppers, UGG has expanded its boot styles as the platform Mini UGG and sporty Tasman slipper.

UGG Boots

Searchgg Tasman’ jumped 2,340% over the past year – and that’s before its officially commercial release this May. Search for ‘Ugg Tazz’ jumped 1,340% in 2022. It’s clear that UGG’s world-ensconcing but old-school new silhouettes are resonating with zoomers.

UGG Slippers

To this day, the boots are still lined with sheepskin and feature the furry interiors that propelled the product to cult status all those years before. The comfort endures as the not-so-secret behind the brand’s staying power.


UGG Shoes

Y2K Nostalgia Fuels Comeback among Youth

Nostalgia for the end-of-millennium – known as Y2K fashion – is probably the most important factor behind Gen Z’s obsession with UGG. The revival of 2000s trends is what has brought UGG back into fashion.
And current teens and 20-somethings want to repeat this style of dressing, that Rose quipped ‘makes you look like Paris Hilton or Jessica Simpson from the early 2000s’, which rose to prominence during that kicky, nostalgic moment that much of Gen Z loves.
On TikTok, zoomers show viewers how to restyle UGG boots for modern purposes, helping make the retro style footwear fashionable again. UGGs are a gateway item to Y2K revivalism.