Clarks Shoes!
Clarks Shoes established in 1825 by Cyrus and James Clark of Somerset England started a sheepskin slipper business with Clarks Shoes to follow in the natural shape of the foot, a revolutionary concept at its time
Clarks Dress Casual Shoes and Sandals!
The following selection features our popular Clarks Shoes styles.
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The Clarks shoes family began in 1825 in the Somerset village of Street as James Clark was busy working at his 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. Our feet, meanwhile, have stayed firmly rooted in Street. It’s where Clarks started. It’s where our heart lies. And still, as always, we put that heart into every pair of our shoes to create stylish footwear that protects and cares for our customers’ feet.
Started in 1825, by brothers Cyrus and James Clark, as a business making sheepskin rugs and slippers, using out-workers in the village, it has expanded to become a global shoe brand, with operations in Europe, the United States and the Far East.
For much of the life of the business, the company manufactured its own shoes in Somerset, building several factories in the area. The company's Quaker ethos made provision for workers' housing, education and leisure activities, while its keen social conscience kept Street dry for many years. Rising costs and low productivity prompted the company to move production abroad, and while shoe design is still predominantly done in the United Kingdom, all manufacturing has now moved to India, Brazil, Cambodia, China, and Vietnam. In 1993, redundant buildings at its Street site were opened as Clarks Village, which includes more than 90 shops. There are also coffee shops, refreshment stalls, and a dining area shared by fast food chains, mostly selling goods at a discount to high street prices.
Clarks has created a number of iconic styles during its history, including the Clarks "Wallabee", the Clarks "Desert Boot", and the Clarks "Playdeck" sandal.
The "Playdeck" sandal was made for men, women and children, from the 1950s to the early 1990s. A popular style of sandal, it consisted of a flat crepe sole unit, a leather insole, a plain ankle strap and two buckling straps, one at the instep and the other at the toes. It came in a variety of colours, but most popular were bamboo(tan), navy blue and white. Clarks reintroduced an almost exact copy of the original Playdeck style in their Spring 2010 Originals range, with a style called Kestral Soar, which is virtually identical to Playdeck save for a very small wedge in the heel.
Clarks Companies North America's logistic centre is based in Hanover Pa, near the Maryland state line. In the recent years of growth, this facility was deemed a Federal Trade Zone, and has expanded its warehousing locations across town.
Clarks shoes are popular in Jamaica — thanks to Jamaican dancehall artist Wybz, In some cases, shops are sold out and thieves target them. Local music star Vybz Kartel released a single called "Clarks" with the cover carrying pictures of his favourite styles — Wallabees, Desert Boots, and Desert Treks. The dancehall track features the catchy chorus line: "Everybody haffi ask weh mi get mi Clarks".
Clarks have become known for their ranges of children's shoes and advertisement campaigns based upon the "Back to School" time of year.
C & J Clark brands include Clarks; Pr!vo (pronounced "Privo"); Indigo; Bostonian; K Shoes; and Ravel Shoes.
1825: Cyrus Clark founds a tanning and wool stapling business in the village of Street, in Somerset, England.
1828: Joined by brother James, Clark begins producing sheepskin slippers, called the Brown Peter.
1833: James becomes a full partner; business is renamed C&J Clark Ltd.
1863: William Clark, son of James Clark, takes over the company.
1893: The introduction of the "Hygienic" line of shoes begins the company's focus as a "comfort" shoemaker.
1937: The company acquires a retail shoe store chain and renames it Peter Lord.
1950: The company launches the successful Desert Boot.
1965: The first Clark Wallabee model is launched.
1978: The company acquires the Hanover Shoe manufacturing and retail business in the United States.
1979: The company acquires the Bostonian shoe manufacturing and retail business in the United States.
1981: The company acquires K Shoes Ltd., a U.K.-based shoe manufacturer and retailer.
1988: C&J Clark abandons its plans to go public.
1993: The company puts itself up for sale, then rejects an offer to buy from Berisford.
1996: The company begins restructuring, transforming itself from a manufacturing-oriented business to a consumer-driven, design-oriented branded products group.
2000: The company announces that it has decided not to go public for the near future.
2001: The company acquires Elefanten, a children's shoe manufacturer in Germany.
2005: Clarks ends shoe manufacturing in Somerset.
A shoe is an item of footwear intended to protect and comfort the human foot while doing various activities. Shoes are also used as an item of decoration. The design of shoes has varied enormously through time and from culture to culture, with appearance originally being tied to function. Additionally fashion has often dictated many design elements, such as whether shoes have very high heels or flat ones. Contemporary footwear varies widely in style, complexity and cost. Basic sandals may consist of only a thin sole and simple strap. High fashion shoes may be made of very expensive materials in complex construction and sell for thousands of dollars a pair. Other shoes are for very specific purposes, such as boots specially designed for hiking and skiing.
Shoes have traditionally been made from leather wood or canvas but are increasingly made from rubber, plastics and other derived materials.
The foot contains more bones than any other single part of the body. Though it has evolved over hundreds of thousands of years in relation to vastly varied terrqain and climate conditions, the foot is still vulnerable to environmental hazards such as sharp rocks and hot ground, against which shoes can protect.
A dress shoe (U.S. English) is a shoe to be worn at smart casual or more formal events. A dress shoe is typically contrasted to an athletic shoe.
Dress shoes are worn by many as their standard daily shoes, and are widely used in dance, for parties, and for special occasions.
Men's dress shoes are most commonly black or brown. Other possible colors include, burgundy oxblood, chestnut cordovan or white. Cordovan or oxblood shoes are worn sometimes in the United States, while the other colours are worn by men of many nationalities. They are all made of leather, usually entirely, including the outers, lining, and sole, though for more durability at the expense of elegance, many shoes are made with rubber soles.
Shoes are usually made with many pieces of leather, and the seams can be decorated in various ways; most revolve around some type of brogueing. Brogues have rows of decorative punching in patterns: full brogues, or wingtips (the standard American name), have a toe cap in a wavy shape, with punched patterns on various sections of the shoe; half brogues have a normal straight edged toe cap and less punching; finally, other terms such as quarter-brogue etc. may be used to describe progressively less brogueing. All of the standard styles below may be brogued.
Men's shoes are often categorised by their fastening, and the various possibilities are listed below in roughly descending order of formality.
Oxfords (British), or Balmorals (American), lace up and tie to keep them on the wearer's foot, and have a closed lacing, where the pieces of leather joined by the laces are sewn together at the bottom. Many Oxfords have an additional piece of leather sewn over the toe section, known as a toe cap. Oxfords are the standard shoe to wear with most suits.
A monk shoe has no lacing, and is closed by a strap with a buckle.
Derbies, or Blüchers in America, are similar to Oxfords, but have open lacing. They are a little less formal, and are often worn in brown, with some broguering.
Loafers, or slip-ons, come in both men's and women's styles. It is not unusual for a man's loafer to have a tassle, although this can be seen in women's varieties too. Loafers were originally men's shoes, and are usually thought of as such, although women do now wear them.
In addition to the above, there are various less common types of footwear to accompany formal wear, uch as the court shoe (also called opera shoe, or patent pumps) for eveningwear and the dress boot for daywear.
A dress shoe (U.S. English) is a shoe to be worn at smart casual or more formal events. A dress shoe is typically contrasted to an athletic shoe.
Dress shoes are worn by many as their standard daily shoes, and are widely used in dance, for parties, and for special occasions.
Men's dress shoes are most commonly black or brown. Other possible colors include, burgundy oxblood, chestnut cordovan or white. Cordovan or oxblood shoes are worn sometimes in the United States, while the other colours are worn by men of many nationalities. They are all made of leather, usually entirely, including the outers, lining, and sole, though for more durability at the expense of elegance, many shoes are made with rubber soles.
Shoes are usually made with many pieces of leather, and the seams can be decorated in various ways; most revolve around some type of brogueing. Brogues have rows of decorative punching in patterns: full brogues, or wingtips (the standard American name), have a toe cap in a wavy shape, with punched patterns on various sections of the shoe; half brogues have a normal straight edged toe cap and less punching; finally, other terms such as quarter-brogue etc. may be used to describe progressively less brogueing. All of the standard styles below may be brogued.
Men's shoes are often categorised by their fastening, and the various possibilities are listed below in roughly descending order of formality.
Oxfords (British), or Balmorals (American), lace up and tie to keep them on the wearer's foot, and have a closed lacing, where the pieces of leather joined by the laces are sewn together at the bottom. Many Oxfords have an additional piece of leather sewn over the toe section, known as a toe cap. Oxfords are the standard shoe to wear with most suits.
A monk shoe has no lacing, and is closed by a strap with a buckle.
Derbies, or Blüchers in America, are similar to Oxfords, but have open lacing. They are a little less formal, and are often worn in brown, with some broguering.
Loafers, or slip-ons, come in both men's and women's styles. It is not unusual for a man's loafer to have a tassle, although this can be seen in women's varieties too. Loafers were originally men's shoes, and are usually thought of as such, although women do now wear them.
In addition to the above, there are various less common types of footwear to accompany formal wear, uch as the court shoe (also called opera shoe, or patent pumps) for eveningwear and the dress boot for daywear.
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