Top 10 Footwear Brands

Founded in 1906 as an arch support company, this Boston-based brand quickly expanded to shoes after gaining a favorable reputation from local firefighters and police officers. Surviving the Depression and both World Wars, the brand eventually began to cater to the toes of athletes and, as part of the endeavor, invented the world’s first running shoe with a ripple sole in 1960, which went on to be endorsed by prestigious state university sports teams like Tufts and M.I.T. Today, New Balance continues to manufacture many of its main products in the U.S., with its revenue stream reaching a peak of $2.75 billion USD by the end of 2014.

Full name: The Aldo Group, this Montreal name bears four imprints under its heels: Little Burgundy, Call It Spring, Globo, and, of course, Aldo. Opening its first store in 1987, the brand has since become a tour-de-force with its rapid growth in the U.S. where it quickly flew off the racks of popular retailers such as Urban Outfitters and Nordstrom. It has since expanded to 1700 corporate-operated boutiques in over 80 countries, with profits peaking close to $2 billion USD in 2013. Today, Aldo continues to boast a good reputation and massive popularity, signing exclusive design deals with retail giants such as Hudson’s Bay, Debenhams, and Macy’s.

After a skiing accident, German physician Klaus Märtens built a boot comfortable enough to wear through his injury, and was so impressed by his invention he was inspired to take it to the consumer with friend and fellow doctor Herbert Funck. Together, they built Märtens into a brand known for its air-cushioned soles, curvy structure, and leather material. After becoming a massive success throughout Germany in less than a decade, the company caught the attention of British shoemakers R. Griggs Group, who added the distinctive yellow stitching that has since become a part of the brand’s identification. And while the Doc Martens brand is often associated with boots, their shoes, particularly their 1461s, found popularity as quickly and easily as their trademark footwear – and they’re just as comfortable and durable as the rest of the brand.

Founded in 1990 with a small start-up budget of $1100, founder Steve Madden went from selling shoes out of the trunk of his car to owning a billion-dollar brand of his own. Noted for its diversity in styles, Madden’s footwear embraces the extravagant and decorative nature of the fashion industry while maintaining the independent and eccentric elements of the individual tastes that first defined its name. Though the company has since expanded to manufacturing and selling accessories such as jewelry and handbags, the brand’s focus still stands with shoes, with developments in subsidiaries such as “Freebird by Steven” entirely dedicated to traditionally handcrafted leather boots and other types of shoes.

Catering to sport and lifestyle-inspired fashion, this brand is noted for its constant collaborations with athletes and celebrities from the four corners of the globe; for example, Rihanna was named Creative Director for the womenswear line in December 2014. As owner of other footwear brands such as Cobra Golf and Dobotex, the company has garnered a reputation as one of the more diverse footwear conglomerates, crafting shoes for every possible consumer with every possible taste. At the end of 2014, Puma reported revenue of almost $2.5 billion USD, making them one of the most profitable footwear brands as well.

Opening as The Van Doren Rubber Company in 1966, the shoe factory and store was founded in Anaheim, California by brothers Paul and James Van Doren, Gordon Lee, Ryan Emmert and Serge D’Elia. Moving forward into the ‘70s, Vans boasted much popularity amongst street skateboarders and BMX riders, leading them to advance development with their signature “off the wall” line. The label, now synonymous with the company’s motto, is praised by wearers for its levels of comfort, durability, and the safety it provided for multiple extreme athletes. Today, Vans’ ongoing experimentation with colors and materials make it the go-to brand not only for street-riders, but also for trendsetters and casual consumers.

Founded in 1895, this century-old company stands as a pioneering legend for its industry, surpassing a million dollars in sales in 1981. Beginning their success with the novelty track-spiked shoes, Reebok has built a reputation for its innovations in design, with products such as the freestyle and the groundbreaking pump shoes, the latter of which was the first shoe to have an internal inflation mechanic. With such dedication to engineering, Reebok’s name continues to be a first-choice for sponsorship in every mainstream and niche leg of the sports world, but has also garnered brand ambassadorships and endorsements from numerous non-athlete celebrities, such as Jay-Z, Nicole Scherzinger, and Scarlett Johansson.

Commonly referred to by enthusiasts as “Chucks”, this all-star brand has been seen on the feet of athletes and fashionistas aplenty since 1908. Historically the world’s most successful basketball footwear company, Converse shoes were originally designed for the feet of sports professionals, a reputation it maintained until the 1970s. Today, the company is renowned for its extensive experiments with colors and collaborations, with notable partners including DC Comics and Super Mario. Still, the brand’s most treasured feature is customization, with its website and retail stores allowing creative patrons to design their own hi and lo-top shoes, providing leeway with styles, graphics, and material selections.

As one of two spin-off companies resulting from the split of business brothers Rudi and di Dassler, this multinational brand ultimately came out on top over its Puma sibling thanks to its early efforts with major sports associations. Noted for their technological touches, the brand has been responsible for many gizmo firsts in its market, with innovations including the first shoes to integrate a computer into their design. As the parent company of other distinct brands, most notably Reebok, Adidas aptly stands as the world’s second largest footwear brand in terms of revenue.

Before we hurry off to our favorite footwear brand, here are a few honorable mentions:
- Fila
- Skechers
- ASICS
- Sperry Top-Sider
- TOMS

Founded in 1964, Nike earned its success thanks to rapid growth in popularity among casual users and professional athletes. With notoriously priced and highly valued products such as the Air Force 1s and the Air Jordans, Nike has often been credited as the brand that championed the “shoe-collecting” game, releasing many different limited edition designs during its existence. With its “just do it” philosophy, Nike continues to spin circles around competitors, marking the swoosh as the world’s most prominent business logo and the company as the world’s most profitable footwear brand, being valued at $19 billion in 2014.

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