Ugg has big news to Cher with us all
At the age of 75, music and movie icon Cher has been unveiled as the new face of Ugg, writes PRUDENCE WADE.
Yes, that Ugg – creator of the instantly recognisable sheepskin boots everyone wanted in the Noughties.
The legendary Oscar winner and humanitarian gives fans a glimpse into her home life in the brand’s campaign photoshoot and accompanying video, adding: “I’ve spent a lifetime of people either hating me or loving me, and I mean, you want to be loved, but finally it’s like, f*** it.”
But how much do you know about the surfing brand that became a celebrity favourite?
Surfing beginnings...
While most of us tend to associate
Uggs with teenage girls wearing jeggings in the Noughties, the brand had a very different beginning.
Created by Australian surfer Brian Smith in the late Seventies, he wanted to make a comfy boot you could slip on after catching some waves. Based in Southern California, Smith’s signature brown sheepskin boot with furry insides became synonymous with surfing culture – and looking back, its popularity is something of a headscratcher, as the shoes are certainly not waterproof.
Noughties peak...
Ugg really came into its own at the turn of the Millennium, when you couldn’t walk down the high street without seeing dozens of people in the signature brown sheepskin boots – most likely worn with a pair of low-slung super skinny jeans or a Christina
Aguilera-style miniskirt. The major style icons of the day – Paris Hilton, Sienna Miller and Lindsay Lohan – all loved the style. Even the Duchess of Cambridge had a pair.
As with so many Noughties trends – from low-rise jeans to cargo pants – Ugg boots became so ubiquitous, they eventually lost some of their allure.
Modern resurgence...
In the past few years, Ugg has done its best to shed its former image.
It’s done this in a few ways – and the first is through starry celebrity ambassadors. Cher is a big win for the brand, and she’ll be joining the likes of NBA player Kareem AbdulJabbar, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and trans model Teddy Quinlivan.
Ugg has also diversified its offerings. While the classic brown boot is still very much front and centre (Cher is seen wearing a black version of the shoe in the campaign video), Ugg offers a lot more – including brightlycoloured fluffy sandals, beloved by the likes of model sisters, Bella and Gigi Hadid, actress Megan Fox and actress and singer Selena Gomez.
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