Skechers

Skechers was founded in 1992 by Robert Greenberg, who previously headed the popular shoe brand L.A. Gear. Greenberg hired his son Michael as president. Originally, the Skechers company was intended to act as a US distributor for Dr. Martens shoes. Robert Greenberg began designing and marketing men's casual sports shoes to appeal to a young, urban audience, just as L.A. Gear had appealed to a young, urban women's market. The breakthrough success was the 1993 "Chrome Dome" shoe, an androgynous, model that was quickly picked up by major chains such as Nordstrom. Since then, Skechers has been making shoes of comfort with a sporty look and colourful designs.

Competition

After Chrome Dome became a hit, Skechers began to enjoy a wave of success. Soon, the brand was positioned to challenge athletic apparel giants such as Nike and Reebok for a share of their business. Skechers chose not to emphasise the performance aspects of its athletic shoes, but rather their streetwise style. This paralleled the rise of sports shoes as streetwear in general during the late 1990s.

Experimental Marketing

Skechers also gained an early reputation for innovative and aggressive marketing tactics. The brand bet on mega print and television ads, featuring celebrities such as Britney Spears and Kim Kardashian. Here they are several steps ahead of their competitors. Skechers is also known to run innovative promotional campaigns, such as offering free mobile phones and video games to customers.

Skechers in the 21st century

In 1999 Skechers went public. Although the stock warmed to investors slowly during the first year, it began to rise steadily by 2000 and continued to grow throughout the next decade and beyond. Investors began calling Skechers a "strong buy". In 2014, "Forbes" magazine called Skechers "the most popular major brand in the US" after it officially became the fifth largest trainer company in the world in terms of market share.

Order your Skechers online

Have you found a great pair of Skechers and can't wait to wear them? Then don't wait too long and order them quickly and easily online in our webshop. We will immediately start working on your order, so you can enjoy your new pair of Skechers as soon as possible.