A well-known proverb says, “Shoes reflex the personality.” Shoes are commonly the most liked footwear and are being purchased extensively all over the world. Most people prefer to spend some extra money to buy a shoe from a reputed brand.
Most popular shoe brands are doing great business by manufacturing new additions to their previous well-adored pieces. There are a lot of aspects that influence the popularity of the brand. In the ancient era, having footwear was just a matter of covering the feet, while today, a shoe has become the symbol of good personality and convenience in our daily life activities. We not only want to protect our feet but also want to look good.
For the past few decades, sports have made shoe brands more appealing and desired. People want to follow their favorite athletes and purchase the exact same shoe from the same brand. This is how shoes play a dominant role in our life. In addition to comfort, style, and pricing, it is highly important to consider buying a shoe with good quality and durability. You surely want your expensive shoe to last more than a season.
In this article, we will look at the top 10 shoe brands dominating the world market. There is no denying the fact that there are quite a significant number of shoe brands in the world, but not all of them achieved popularity as the best ones. We have put together all the giant companies here to let you know who the kings of footwear are.
1. Nike
The company was launched in 1964 by Bill Bowerman and Phil Knight. Since then, Nike shoes have been used by millions of athletes all over the world. The brand has been used in major athletic events since the 1980s. Nike has been declared the world’s largest athletic shoe-selling brand and a significant sporting goods manufacturer. Very few shoe brands can compete with Nike regarding style, design, quality, and pricing.
Nike is an American multinational company that has been well-recognized for manufacturing trending and fashionable footwear over the years. As the world’s leading brand, Nike has developed, designed, and produced footwear, clothes, sports equipment, and accessories for the past several decades. A report has been published in an American journal saying the brand has grown so popular among Americans that half of the population has at least one pair of Nike shoes.
By keeping quality at its prime target, Nike has been holding the top place in the global footwear market. The net revenue of the brand is a whopping €36 billion as of 2021. With a rich history and uncompromising dedication to quality, Nike is dominating the market for more than 50 years.
2. Adidas
Adidas was founded in 1949, and since then, the multinational company has been at the forefront of sportswear innovation. By adding new features and being up-to-date, the brand gives good competition to its closest rival, Nike.
Adidas is a German multinational company that manufactures and sells athletic footwear, clothes, accessories, and various sports instruments. The headquarter of Adidas is located in Herzogenaurach, Germany. The brand produces a wide variety of high-quality sports products. Besides concentrating on sporting goods, the brand also produces a wide selection of accessories like watches, bags, eyeglasses, fragrances, etc. Adidas is also recognized as the world’s dominant brand, which has been competing with Nike for the past couple of decades.
The brand sponsored numerous sportspersons, including David Beckham, a football sensation for over a decade. Currently, the brand sponsors the world’s biggest sports celebrity Lionel Messi. Adidas is Europe’s largest sports brand and the world’s second-largest brand in the world after Nike. The brand is not only popular for producing sports shoes but is also recognized for its involvement in the field during any kind of sport.
Adidas has a rich history and unrivaled dedication to sports. The company achieved the second-highest net revenue with a booming €21 billion in 2021.
3. Jordan
Nike invented Jordan as a sub-brand in 1984. The brand was named after the world’s biggest basketball sensation Michael Jordan, who was an American professional basketball player. The company has always been famous for its unique design and innovative style. Jordan shoes are often seen as more stylish and unique than other shoes. The brand is well-recognized for its unique goods and combined elegance. The brand not only wins the heart of sportsmen and athletes but has also been adored by millions of fashion lovers.
4. Reebok
Reebok is an American sports brand invented in the United Kingdom in 1958 by Joseph William Foster. The gentleman named the company J.W. Foster and Sons, which started making shoes for his friend and family for running purposes. With time Reebok has joined the competition in the sporting equipment business. In 1979, Adidas purchased the ownership of the company and named it Reebok International Ltd. with the slogan “Be More Human”. Reebok has been named one of the prominent sports brands on the market.
One of the brand’s most iconic features is that they always care about the consumers’ fitness. They make sure the consumers feel comfortable and confident while wearing their products. Their products come at a very affordable price.
This fitness footwear and clothing brand use high-quality materials to produce its goods. Their shoes come with zigzag edges at the bottom, which might be a matter of worry among the consumers but take note the brand cares about the comfort of the consumers, and their shoes are the best in the case of comfort and flexibility.
The company was named a sub-brand of Adidas in 2005 and reached a net revenue of around € 1.4 billion in 2021. The brand is extensively recognized for its highly innovative design and marketing campaigns.
5. Converse
Marquis Mills Converse formed the US-based company in 1908 in Massachusetts. Converse was a well-recognized rubber shoe company that was known for manufacturing sports shoes until the 90s’. Since then, it has also started producing casual clothing, sports instruments, skateboarding shoes, sneakers, lifestyle footwear, and accessories.
After getting a global reach, the company didn’t change its morale. Rather remained loyal to its quality and goal. They kept producing the sneakers unchanged from the original design. The company is widely known for its versatility and unique design, which makes it’s consumers love the brand. Their classic shoe models come with great comfort and style. Since 1917, Converse has become a fashion standard in the United States.
In 2003, Nike Inc. purchased the ownership of the brand. Even though the ownership has shifted, it continued functioning under its original identity. The brand contains almost 5000 outlets all over the world. These are the reasons the brand can have to be included in the list of top ten shoe brands in the world. Converse had reached a net revenue of over $2 billion as of 2021.
6. Puma
Rudolf Dassler created the German multinational brand in 1948 under its first name, “Ruda,” which was changed into Puma later on. The brand is well-known for manufacturing athletics, casual footwear, clothing, accessories, and apparel. Adolf Dassler, the brother of the founder Rudolf Dassler chose the name for the company. Puma is a widely adored sports brand all over the world for its great style and iconic features.
Its innovative design and sponsorship made it a great company, making it stand a place on our list. Thousands of professional athletes, including football and Olympic players are wearing Puma shoes. Over the years, the brand has sponsored numerous games, including FIFA World Cup and the Olympics Games. Puma is one of the world’s leading sportswear manufacturers, which is competing with the top 2 brands in the world, Nike and Adidas.
Keeping its pride and dignity, Puma produces a wide range of sportswear products with a great variety of colors. Puma had reached a net revenue of € 6.81 billion as of 2021.
7. Under Armour
Under Armour is one of the modern brands which is dominated the shoe market for the past few years. The design and coloring made the brand unique and fashionable, making it worthy of purchase. Under Armour is a US-based brand that basically produces sneakers, apparel, and accessories. Kevin Plank created the company in 1996. Since then, the brand has been supplying a wide variety of sportswear and accessories to sportsmen and ensuring the greatest possible performance gear.
The company started its journey by manufacturing sports shoes and, with time, expanded its specialty to sneakers and other sports goods. Under Armour shoes come in a great variety of styles and colors. The brand is famous for producing lightweight products at an affordable price, yet not compromising on their quality and longevity. They continually kept satisfying their consumers all across the globe, which makes it one of the best sports and fashion brands in the world.
The company is best known for its versatility, advanced technology, and features that provide great support and comfort to consumers. Under Armour has net revenues of $5.7 billion as of 2021
8. New Balance
William J. Riley founded New Balance in 1906. With a rich history of innovation and style, the brand is one of the major athletic shoe manufacturing companies that have been dominating the market for a long period of time. New Balance is the first shoe brand that used Ortholite foam in the insoles to provide extensive cushioning and support.
All the shoes of the brand come with great features and high-quality materials that ensure special improvement in performance. One of the most outstanding policies of the company is it has a significant range of customization options for consumers, making it one of the most popular shoe brands in the world.
The multinational company does not only produce shoes but also manufactures other goods, including soccer cleats, hiking boots, etc. The shoes come with unique cushioning that provides comfortable placement of the feet. The high-tech features and wide range of designs have made the brand unique and adored by millions of sports lovers.
Being one of the world’s largest sports footwear and clothing brands, it had reached a total net revenue of $ 4.4 billion as of 2021.
9. Vans
Vans began its journey in 1966 in Anaheim, California. Paul Van Doren founded the company under the name of ‘The Van Doren Rubber Company.’ This American brand is quite different from other shoe manufacturing companies for its uniqueness in design and quality.
The shoe company specializes in different classic styles, including slip-ons, high tops, canvas, and lace-up shoes. There is a fact that everyone has to confess that many other shoe-manufacturing companies have copied Vans’ aesthetic designs throughout the years. The quality of the brand remains constant. Whether you are a surfer, skater, or just like to wear casual and stylish footwear, Van is the perfect type you should adopt.
Even though the brand is specifically known as a skateboarding shoe company, it also mastered manufacturing funky and classic products. Their shoes suit almost all occasions, including sports and different functions. Due to the high durability and unique design, the brand is highlighted to its best and has taken place on our list of the best shoe brands in the world.
10. Skechers
Skechers is a US-based casual footwear brand that manufactures boots, shoes, sneakers, and sandals. The company was formed by Robert Greenberg and Michael Schwartz in 1992 in Manhattan Beach, California. Skechers has been known as one of the leading athletic shoe manufacturing brands for its innovative styles and marketing campaigns. With their slogan “Just Do It,” they have successfully spread their business in more than 170 countries.
Even though it started its journey as an athletic shoe manufacturing company, it expanded its specialties in clothes and sports accessories. With a sweet combination of innovation, style, and comfort, Skechers is undoubtedly one of the best shoe brands in the world.
Sketcher has been declared the third-largest shoe brand in the united states of America. With its excellent cushioning and high-tech features, the company has gained massive popularity across the world. The brand had an estimated net revenue of $6.28 billion in 2021.
Michel's passion for shoes and flowers is evident in his acclaimed "Shoe Fleur" photography series, which features shoes transformed into stunning floral arrangements. His work has been exhibited in galleries and museums around the world, including the International Center of Photography in New York City and the Maison Européenne de la Photographie in Paris.
