UGG

In the late 1970s, Brian Smith was a hardworking accounting student living in Australia with a deep passion for surfing, music, and meditation. One day, he heard an introspective song on the radio, which sparked an idea to change his life, abandon his corporate career, and travel to California.

When he arrived in Southern California, he was inspired by the sense of freedom and the countercultural surf scene. He noticed his surfer friends didn’t wear sheepskin boots like Australians did after chilly morning surf sessions. This was when his idea for the UGG brand was born.