Perhaps no one is more enthusiastic about Deckers Brands winning FN’s 2020 Company of the Year Award than André Leon Talley. So it was fitting that the legendary fashion editor presented the footwear firm with the honor at tonight’s FN Achievement Awards, where he shared that he is a longtime supporter of its Ugg brand.
“I am the No. 1 Ugg fan,” Talley explained. “In fact, you’ve seen me so many times on the front row [during] Fashion Weeks … in the international global fashion cities — Paris, London, Milan and Rome — wearing the classic Ugg boot.”
He added, “I even have my own monogram Ugg boots — just so I feel that they are unique for me and no one can take them in case I’m in the gym and they try to slip into my locker. But, you know, size 18, after all, is not going to fit everyone.” (Even among fashion standards, Talley towers at 6-foot-6.)
Other A-listers and influencers have also hopped on the sheepskin boot maker’s bandwagon: Jennifer Lopez, Olivia Culpo and Hilary Duff are only some of the celebrities who have been recently spotted in Ugg shoes. Giving the label another boost is its high-profile collaboration with Telfar, whose “Bushwick Birkin” was reimagined in its signature shearling and Chestnut suede materials.
But it’s not just Ugg that’s proving successful for Deckers. During the last fiscal quarter, all of its performance lifestyle brands recorded their own wins, including Sanuk, Teva and Hoka One One, the latter of which had a whopping 83.2% surge in revenues.
“We have been on a journey the last four years to transform this company — one that is known for strong performance and for having a positive impact on the world,” said president and CEO Dave Powers during his FNAA acceptance speech. “This recognition truly means the world to us.”
Even with the company’s stellar performance, the chief executive appears to be most proud of the workforce itself. According to Powers, Deckers employees logged more volunteer hours in a single week — that is, 2,000 hours — than all of last year through its Global Art of Kindness event, when it mobilized its global employee base to volunteer in an effort to help more than 200 nonprofit organizations amid the coronavirus pandemic.
“We believe that we have an opportunity and an obligation to do good,” Powers said. “Of course, none of this would be possible if we didn’t have such a dedicated and talented group of employees who put their passion into this business every day. We truly believe that we are better when we work together, and this is a demonstration of how that pays off.”
For 34 years, the annual FN Achievement Awards — often called the “Shoe Oscars” — have celebrated the style stars, best brand stories, ardent philanthropists, emerging talents and industry veterans. The first virtual FNAAs are presented in partnership with The Style Room Powered by Zappos, and sponsors FDRA, Deckers Brands, Soles4Souls and Foot Locker.
