While the brand will retain its original name locally, its international identity will change due to a lawsuit by US fashion giant Deckers Outdoor Corporation.
UGG Since 1974, the Australian boot brand renowned for its iconic sheepskin footwear, is rebranding as “Since 74” in all countries outside of Australia and New Zealand.
This change comes after a legal dispute with Deckers Outdoor Corporation, a U.S. fashion giant that holds the “UGG” trademark.
The legal action, which has been ongoing for years, stems from Deckers’ ownership of the “UGG” trademark in over 130 countries.
As a result, UGG Since 1974 will continue to use its original name only in Australia and New Zealand, where it holds local trademark rights.
Todd Watts, the owner of UGG Since 1974, shared the news in a TikTok video on Jan. 15, where he explained the difficulties his company faces in fighting a lawsuit against a multi-billion-dollar corporation.
Despite the name change for international markets, Watts reassured loyal customers that the brand’s heritage, quality, and story remain intact.
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“We’ve been proudly making Australian boots for over five decades and three generations, and we also own the trademark here in Australia and New Zealand, where the boots originated,” Watts said.
However, he acknowledged that the legal battle with Deckers had made it increasingly difficult to share their story with the wider world.
In the video, Watts explained that while the name “UGG Since 1974” will be retained locally, the company’s international brand will now be known as “Since 74.”
“Nothing else changes. Our brand doesn’t change, who we are, what we believe in, our roots are still the same,” he concluded.
“Our quality is still the same, the product is still the same, and more importantly, our story is still the same.
“We are the original, and we will still be the original, no matter what our label says on the back of our boots.”
UGG boots, popularised by surfers in the 1960s, gained worldwide recognition in the early 2000s.
UGG Since 1974 was established in 1974 in Australia, while UGG was founded in California in 1978 by Australian surfer Brian Smith and later acquired by Deckers for $23.6 million in 1995.
Ongoing Legal Battles and Trademark Controversy
The legal dispute between Deckers and Australian businesses over the “UGG” trademark has a long history.
In 2019, a federal jury in Chicago ruled that Australian Leather’s use of the “UGG” term violated Deckers’ trademark, resulting in a $450,000 penalty.
The case made its way to the U.S. Supreme Court, where Australian Leather’s argument that “UGG” should be considered a generic term in Australia was rejected. This decision solidified Deckers’ ownership of the trademark in the U.S. and other countries.
In the 2018 ruling, U.S. District Judge Manish Shah determined that the term “UGG” could not be considered a general term for sheepskin boots.
Therefore, despite being widely used in Australia since the 1960s, “UGG” was protected as a trademark in the U.S. by Deckers.
