Press Release
November 2012
Happy Birthday ECCO!
ECCO celebrates its 50th Anniversary by turning the spotlight to those who makes it all happen – the people of ECCO, 20,000 employees worldwide.The campaign “I’m a shoemaker” is set to launch in April 2013 asthe Danish shoe manufacturer turns a new page in the story of ECCO
“Once upon a time…”The fairytales of shoes are many. ECCO holds its own as the story of ECCO contains the true elements of a fairytale; from a humble beginning to international recognition and millions of dedicated feet around the world.
Founded in 1963 by the Danish shoemaker Karl Toosbuy who believed in pushing the craftsmanship further and never lost his devotion to innovation. The heritage lives on in ECCO today.
And today we celebrate! ECCO is not only turning the spotlight to the people of ECCO; the Danish shoe manufacturer is inviting everyone to join the party with special displays in shops, dedicated Facebook pages and a spirited walk through five decades of shoemaking:
Once upon a time there was a shoemaker who was driven by hiscuriosity and dedication to making better shoes. One day he sold all of his belongings and left his job in Copenhagen together with his wife Birte and their five-year-old daughter, Hanni. Shoemaker Karl Toosbuy arrived in Bredebro. Took over a vacant factory and founded a shoe company. The year was 1963.
Mr. Toosbuy stayed true to his vision and design philosophy; the shoe must follow the foot. By printing the logo of ECCO onto the soles of the shoes, ECCO literally left shoeprints around the world.
Today ECCO, still owned by the Toosbuy family, is the workplace to 20,000 employees around the world and holds its own tanneries, factories and shops.You can find the shoes of ECCO in more than 4,000 branded sales locations in over 90 countries.
If you ask the shoes to tell the story of ECCO, the iconic Joke from 1978 will pop up to make some noise. It would be followed by the classic and bestselling shoe ever, the ECCO Soft. After 30 years still in demand among the consumers.
“ECCO Soft was the beginning of a new generation of products and the start-up of our innovative production technology that revolutionized shoe manufacturing,” chief designer Ejnar Truelsen explains.
ECCO molds the soles right onto shoe uppers in one simple process. The result is a lightweight and comfortable shoe -a feature that captures the essence of ECCO.
Ejnar Truelsen is the designer behind both the ECCO Joke and the ECCO Soft.
“I believe the ECCO Soft has become a classic due to its timeless lines combined with its simplicity,” Ejnar Truelsen adds.
Joke and Soft were later joined by the iconsTime, Shark, Biom and of course - in the honour of all those women who loves heels; the ECCO Sculptured 65. A breakthrough in shoe fashion technology – a 6.5 cm high heel designed for comfort.
Even though the shoes of ECCO are indeed very different in style, they do have one thing in common; they are all the result of dedicated people striving for perfection. Fuelled by innovation. Powered by passion.The shoes of ECCO areanchored in style, simplicity, functionality, quality and craftsmanship on the platform of Scandinavian design.
About ECCO®
ECCO, a world-leading brand of shoes combining style and comfort, has built its success on the Scandinavian design philosophy, uncompromising quality, and innovative thinking. ECCO products can be found in more than 4,000 branded sales locations in over 90 countries, a growth fueled by ECCO’s consistent aim of making the best shoes in the world. For further information, please visit ecco.com.