According to US-based financial information provider Bloomberg, the billion-dollar race for the ugliest shoes is on, with fashion brands of all sorts fearlessly showcasing their weirdest creations. Ugg and Teva, both owned by Deckers, have just unveiled a crossbred sandal-boot invention, available in a sandal-like style or a high-top version, and both sold under the tagline ‘Suspend Your Disbelief’.
So far, the strategy has been successful in the US, where Ugg reported $1.5 billion in annual revenue and Crocs—another ugly classic—$1.1 billion. Why? According to clinical psychologist Jennifer Baumgartner, shoppers might be willing to try weird shoes because there’s now less social pressure focused on their feet. In other words, it’s freedom all the way.
