A young Australian surfer founded the UGG brand of shoes/boots in which year?

In 1978, a young Australian surfer named Brian Smith founded the UGG brand of shoes/boots on the shores of Southern California. His Aussie roots forged a strong love for sheepskin, and he was convinced the world would one day share his love for his products. The three letters (UGG) don't represent a name. The letters were seen as a generic term for "ugly" after a comment was made by smith's wife concerning the first pair of boots he made.

By the mid 1980's, the UGG brand had become a symbol of relaxed southern California culture, gaining momentum through surf shops up and down the California coast. In 2000, Oprah Winfrey, best known for her talk show "The Oprah Winfrey Show", emphatically declared UGG one of her "Favorite Things" and she then gifted 350 pairs of boots to her studio audience.

In the early 2000's, UGG took the New York, NY Fashion world by storm evolving from boots and slippers to stylish luxuries that graced the pages of 'Vogue'. Next, within the years to come 2001 - 2019, UGG would stepped into the world of high fashion, produce specific goods for men, and strike a harmonious balance between classic UGG comfort and decadent décor essentials for homes everywhere.

Today, UGG tells us that the company is always working very hard to provide total luxurious comfort in all of their products. UGG says, "It wants to embody the upscale and stylish casual attitude that is at the foundation of the brand and every product being made each year."