COMPANY·HISTORIES
NAIC 316214

Women's Footwear Manufacturing

How the companies in this industry began, and the forces that shaped them.

36companies1825–1996founding years36still active0no longer operating
§ 01

The industry over time

Companies foundedEconomyTechnologyEnvironmentHistory
FoundedC&J Clark International Ltd.FoundedC&J Clark International Ltd.
1825
FoundedPhoenix Footwear Group, Inc.
1882
1903
TechnologyThe Wright brothers achieve powered flight.
FoundedRed Wing Shoe Company, Inc.
1905
FoundedWolverine World Wide, Inc.
1906
1914
EconomyWorld War I begins; global trade reorders.
FoundedEram SAFoundedEram SAFoundedSalvatore Ferragamo Italia S.p.A.
1927
1929
EconomyThe stock market crashes; the Great Depression spreads worldwide.
FoundedThe Timberland Company
1933
1939
EconomyWorld War II begins; wartime production surges.
1945
EconomyThe war ends; a long global expansion begins.
1947
TechnologyThe transistor is invented.
FoundedMaxwell Shoe Company, Inc.
1949
1958
TechnologyThe integrated circuit is demonstrated.
1962
EnvironmentSilent Spring launches the modern environmental movement.
1971
EconomyThe dollar leaves the gold standard; currencies float.
1973
EconomyThe OPEC oil embargo triggers a global shock.
1975
TechnologyThe personal-computer era begins.
FoundedNine West Group, Inc.
1977
FoundedCandie's, Inc.
1978
1979
EconomyA second oil crisis drives inflation higher worldwide.
1981
TechnologyThe IBM PC launches and sets a standard.
FoundedDolce & Gabbana SpA
1982
FoundedLaCrosse Footwear, Inc.
1983
FoundedDonna Karan International Inc.
1984
TechnologyApple ships the Macintosh; the GUI era begins.
1987
EconomyBlack Monday: markets fall sharply around the world.
1989
HistoryThe Berlin Wall falls; global markets open up.
FoundedSteven Madden, Ltd.
1990
1991
TechnologyThe World Wide Web is released to the public.
FoundedSkechers U.S.A. Inc.
1992
1993
TechnologyThe Mosaic browser brings the web to everyone.
1995
TechnologyWindows 95 launches; the internet goes mainstream.
FoundedPrada Holding B.V.
1996
1997
EconomyThe Asian financial crisis rattles global markets.
EnvironmentThe Kyoto Protocol sets the first climate targets.
2000
EconomyThe dot-com bubble bursts.
2004
TechnologySocial media and Web 2.0 take hold.
2007
TechnologyThe iPhone launches the smartphone era.
2008
EconomyThe global financial crisis freezes credit worldwide.
2010
TechnologyCloud computing goes mainstream for business.
2015
EnvironmentThe Paris Agreement sets global climate targets.
2020
EconomyThe COVID-19 pandemic upends the global economy.
2022
EconomyInflation spikes; central banks raise rates sharply.
2023
TechnologyGenerative AI reaches mainstream business use.
§ 02

The companies

C&J Clark International Ltd. →
Active · founded 1825 · United Kingdom
C&J Clark International Ltd.
C&J Clark International Ltd. →
Active · founded 1825 · United Kingdom
C&J Clark International Ltd.
C&J Clark International Ltd. →
Active · founded 1825 · United Kingdom
C&J Clark International Ltd.
C&J Clark International Ltd. →
Active · founded 1825 · United Kingdom
C&J Clark International Ltd.
Phoenix Footwear Group, Inc. →
Active · founded 1882
Phoenix Footwear Group, Inc., markets a number of leading brands of footwear and apparel.
Phoenix Footwear Group, Inc. →
Active · founded 1882
Phoenix Footwear Group, Inc., markets a number of leading brands of footwear and apparel.
Red Wing Shoe Company, Inc. →
Active · founded 1905
Red Wing Shoe Company, Inc.
Red Wing Shoe Company, Inc. →
Active · founded 1905
Red Wing Shoe Company, Inc.
Wolverine World Wide, Inc. →
Active · founded 1906
Late 1980s:Company begins making hiking and outdoor boots under both the Wolverine and the licensed Coleman brand.
Wolverine World Wide, Inc. →
Active · founded 1906
Late 1980s:Company begins making hiking and outdoor boots under both the Wolverine and the licensed Coleman brand.
Eram SA →
Active · founded 1927 · France
Eram SA is the leading manufacturer of shoes in France, producing more than 11 million pairs of shoes per year.
Eram SA →
Active · founded 1927 · France
Eram SA is the leading manufacturer of shoes in France, producing more than 11 million pairs of shoes per year.
Eram SA →
Active · founded 1927 · France
Eram SA is the leading manufacturer of shoes in France, producing more than 11 million pairs of shoes per year.
Eram SA →
Active · founded 1927 · France
Eram SA is the leading manufacturer of shoes in France, producing more than 11 million pairs of shoes per year.
Salvatore Ferragamo Italia S.p.A. →
Active · founded 1927 · Italy
Salvatore Ferragamo S.p.A.
Salvatore Ferragamo Italia S.p.A. →
Active · founded 1927 · Italy
Salvatore Ferragamo S.p.A.
The Timberland Company →
Active · founded 1933
Early 1980s:An Italian craze for Timberland boots turns Timberland into a fashion brand and ignites an explosion in…
The Timberland Company →
Active · founded 1933
Early 1980s:An Italian craze for Timberland boots turns Timberland into a fashion brand and ignites an explosion in…
Maxwell Shoe Company, Inc. →
Active · founded 1949
Maxwell Shoe Company, Inc.
Maxwell Shoe Company, Inc. →
Active · founded 1949
Maxwell Shoe Company, Inc.
Nine West Group, Inc. →
Active · founded 1977
Nine West Group, Inc.
Nine West Group, Inc. →
Active · founded 1977
Nine West Group, Inc.
Candie's, Inc. →
Active · founded 1978
Candie's, Inc., designs and markets a complete line of footwear, apparel, and accessories to young women.
Candie's, Inc. →
Active · founded 1978
Candie's, Inc., designs and markets a complete line of footwear, apparel, and accessories to young women.
Dolce & Gabbana SpA →
Active · founded 1982 · Italy
Dolce & Gabbana SpA cuts an independent swath in the international fashion scene.
Dolce & Gabbana SpA →
Active · founded 1982 · Italy
Dolce & Gabbana SpA cuts an independent swath in the international fashion scene.
LaCrosse Footwear, Inc. →
Active · founded 1983
Early 1920s:The Funk family buys out Hirshheimer.
LaCrosse Footwear, Inc. →
Active · founded 1983
Early 1920s:The Funk family buys out Hirshheimer.
Donna Karan International Inc. →
Active · founded 1984
Donna Karan International Inc.
Donna Karan International Inc. →
Active · founded 1984
Donna Karan International Inc.
Steven Madden, Ltd. →
Active · founded 1990
Steven Madden, Ltd.
Steven Madden, Ltd. →
Active · founded 1990
Steven Madden, Ltd.
Skechers U.S.A. Inc. →
Active · founded 1992
Founded in 1992, Skechers U.S.A.
Skechers U.S.A. Inc. →
Active · founded 1992
Founded in 1992, Skechers U.S.A.
Prada Holding B.V. →
Active · founded 1996 · The Netherlands
Prada Holding B.V.
Prada Holding B.V. →
Active · founded 1996 · The Netherlands
Prada Holding B.V.
Build It Today

Starting a women's footwear manufacturing company now

Each week we rebuild one of these stories for today's tools and capital.