--- title: Ugly shoes are taking over the world - The Hustle description: Footwear brands new and old are leading an ugly shoe renaissance and making billions of dollars along the way. image: https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/hubfs/The%20Hustle%20News/Assets/Images/1078501718-News-Brief_2022-02-08T023206.356Z.webp --- # Ugly shoes are taking over the world ![Rob Litterst](https://thehustle.co/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Rob-Litterst-pic.png?width=48&height=48&name=Rob-Litterst-pic.png) [Rob Litterst](https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/author/rob-litterst) [Rob Litterst Twitter profile ](https://twitter.com/robbylit) Published: February 08, 2022 Updated: October 11, 2023 You’ve seen them. The white New Balance sneakers lovingly referred to as “Dad Shoes.” ![Ugly shoes are taking over the world](https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/hs-fs/hubfs/The%20Hustle%20News/Assets/Images/1078501718-News-Brief_2022-02-08T023206.356Z.webp?width=595&height=400&name=1078501718-News-Brief_2022-02-08T023206.356Z.webp) Once heralded as the pinnacle of ugly shoe excellence, the style is now just one option in a crowded space. According to *Bloomberg*, a mix of new and old brands are leading a full-blown [ugly shoe renaissance](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2022-02-03/how-uggs-hoka-and-tevas-helped-build-deckers-2-5-billion-ugly-shoe-empire?sref=3Ac2yX40&utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Issue:%202022-02-03%20Retail%20Dive%20Newsletter%20%5Bissue:39565%5D&utm_term=Retail%20Dive) that’s pulling in billions of dollars. #### **So who are the key players?** One of the primary participants is Deckers Outdoor Corp., which offers a variety of aesthetically ignorant footwear brands, including: - **Uggs:** The Australian boot brand has long been the company’s bestseller and inspired a long list of questionable fashion decisions in the early 2000s - **Teva:** The velcro-laden sandal brand originally conceived by a Grand Canyon river guide saw sales grow 66% last summer - **Hoka:** The French running shoe brand with cartoonish styles is now Deckers’ crown jewel, with sales increasing 47% last quarter On the strength of its ugly shoe triumvirate, Deckers is forecasting **$3B** in net sales this year. #### **But Deckers has company** Ugly footwear has been around for years, and a pair of O.G.’s in the space are still thriving: - **Crocs,** the foam clog trailblazer, saw its stock hit record highs last year, and is forecasting its revenue to double to **$5B** in the next 4 years - **Birkenstock,** and its legendary sandal with a cork footbed, was acquired by LVMH last year in a deal that valued the company at **$4.9B** For the fashion-forward, there’s also the [Yeezy Foam Runner](https://stockx.com/adidas/yeezy/foam-runner), which is like putting your foot in a spaceship made of marshmallows — if you can find a pair. #### **So what’s it all mean?** Our affinity for ugly shoes is open to interpretation, but Carolyn Mair, author of *The Psychology of Fashion*, says, “Fashion, like art, likes to question beauty rather than simply aiming for aesthetically pleasing designs.” For the skeptics who can’t fathom dressing their feet in such eyesores, I challenge you to slip into a pair of [Hoka recovery slides](https://www.hoka.com/en/us/womens-recovery-sandals/ora-recovery-slide/1099674.html) and not find yourself swayed to the ugly side. 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