Noa Ecco Competitors

Our now-iconic air-cushioned sole was designed by a German inventor, Dr. Klaus Maertens. But while our sole may be German, our soul is undeniably British. British shoe-makers, R Griggs and Co, bought the rights to that air-cushioned sole. Added in the iconic yellow stitch and grooves. Fastened the scripted heel-loop. And set about flogging these 8-eye boots to workmen. But fate intervened. Dr. Martens may have been made for industry but, as it turns out, they were destined for the stage. Subverted early on by subcultures, they paved the way for a new kind of rebellious self-expression. From the punks of 70s London to the grungers of 90s Seattle, Dr. Martens have always stood with those who dare to be different. Subcultures may fade out and evolve but our alternative spirit is a constant. And as for what the future holds? We have offices in London, Northampton, Paris, Düsseldorf, Portland, across Asia and an ever-expanding global retail portfolio. We have the respect of big-name fashion giants – think Supreme and Yohji Yamamoto – enabling us to engage in exciting partnerships season after season. We want to mean something to everyone who laces up our boots: from the first-timers to the Docs veterans. Do you have what it takes to help us? We need ambitious, passionate, people – with rebel fire in their hearts.

It began with a flash of inspiration. It was 1825 in the Somerset village of Street and James Clark was busy working at the tannery owned by his brother, Cyrus. Among the sheepskin rugs, the off-cuts and cast-offs were piling up when James had a brainwave: “Slippers!”. And the rest, as they say, is history. A few stitches and a few years later, the sheepskin slipper was born. It was the very first Clarks shoe and the opening chapter in a remarkable story that continues to unfold to this day. In the decades that have passed since the young Mr. Clark’s eureka moment our shoes have seen social, political and economic revolution. They’ve seen fashions in footwear come and go, and come again – everything from court shoes and winklepickers to wedge heels, sandals and sneakers. They’ve tapped to the beat of crooners, rockers, Britpoppers and hip hoppers. They’ve walked, marched, strode and sashayed through an ever-changing world. New technology, state-of the-art facilities and our love of shoes means we’re not only the number one shoe brand in the UK. With continuing growth in North America, Western and Eastern Europe, India and China, we’re also the world’s largest casual and smart shoe company and the fourth largest footwear company on the planet. We’ve come a long way since Cyrus and James Clark and the ‘Brown Petersburg’. But their vision and passion live on in our shoes. You could say we’re following in their footsteps.

To create something outstanding we sometimes need to break with tradition and common thinking. GEOX was born thanks to an unconventional idea of Mario Moretti Polegato, who cut holes in his rubber-soled shoes with a Swiss Army knife to relieve his overheated feet when walking through the Nevada desert. This brilliant idea was improved, tested and patented, but the idea of the "shoe that breathes" was not backed by footwear producers. Instead of abandoning his idea, Polegato founded an independent company in the 1990s. In a few years, it became leader in Italy and one of the major world companies in the lifestyle-casual footwear market. Today, as an international group that has registered over 60 patents, GEOX produces footwear, clothing and accessories. The wide range of Geox products, intended to meet the needs of the entire family, matches a strong technological content based on wellbeing and comfort, with contemporary style. A volte per creare qualcosa di straordinario bisogna rompere con le tradizioni e con il pensiero comune. È così che è nata GEOX: da un'idea fuori dagli schemi di Mario Moretti Polegato, che per alleviare il surriscaldamento dei piedi durante una passeggiata nel deserto del Nevada, ha letteralmente bucato la suola delle scarpe che indossava con un coltellino svizzero. Questa geniale intuizione è stata poi migliorata, testata e brevettata, ma l'idea della "scarpa che respira" non ha trovato sostenitori nel mondo dei produttori calzaturieri. Polegato non si è però dato per vinto e ha creato un'azienda indipendente, che in pochi anni è diventata leader in Italia e tra le prime al mondo nel settore delle calzature lifestyle-casual. Oggi, come gruppo internazionale depositario di oltre 60 brevetti, GEOX produce calzature, abbigliamento e accessori. Ogni prodotto delle collezioni Geox, tese a soddisfare le esigenze di tutta la famiglia, coniuga uno spiccato contenuto tecnologico con lo stile contemporaneo.