It all began in 1970 when Daniel Raufast, who created KICKERS, stopped to look at a poster for HAIR, the American musical expressing a widespread desire for personal freedom.

Day after day, a whole generation bursting with energy was inventing an original way of life in tune with their new aspirations. The key words of this young generation determined to live their dreams to the full were:
INDEPENDENCE, OPTIMISM, IMAGINATION, ESCAPE.

And these dreams were embodied right down to the way they dressed in practical, colourful clothes asserting their identity. But one key element was missing in this imaginative and creative look, a form of footwear which would be to shoes what jeans were to trousers – the symbol of an alternative culture, both a way of expressing their difference and a promise of new pleasures. This shoe first appeared in the spring of that same year, and it was called KICKERS.

Like JEANS, the cult clothing of the children of the rock generation, KICKERS are strong, practical and comfortable. Like the multi-coloured SHIRTS of the Flower Power generation, they are bright, cheerful and colourful. And like just about everything that the offspring of the Swinging sixties liked to wear they represented the simple, authentic qualities of natural materials.

The distinctive signs of this new product rapidly emerged, based on the codes characterising jeans:

• the label sewn onto the uppers
• the engraved eyelets
• the red and green circles on the heels (originally to tell the left from the right foot)
• the KICKERS logo hot branded onto the back of the shoe
• the flower with the slogan ‘le vrai est gravé KICKERS’ (seal of authenticity)
• the crepe sole: natural, authentic, solid, flexible rubber

From its beginnings KICKERS had an international reach, and nowadays the brand is present worldwide via its subsidiaries (in Spain, Germany, Denmark, Greece, Holland and Switzerland) and its approved distributor partners in the rest of the world.

KICKERS key dates:

A runaway success

1970 : Creation of KICKERS with the Kick-color model (the Original Jeans Boots).
1974 : KICKERS present in over 70 countries.
1975 : Launch of the Rallye boot, another bestseller!
1977 : Daniel Raufast decides to relaunch children’s and baby shoes.
 

A time of transition

1980 : Over 50 KICKERS stores in France, with 93 around the world
1982 : Daniel Raufast’s time at KICKERS comes to an end
1989 : The brand is bought by the Zannier Group, with plans to refocus on children’s shoes.
 

New horizons

1993 : Creation of Euroka
1997 : Launch of adult collection.
2005 : The brand celebrates 35 years of existence.
2006 : KICKERS is feted by its peers and elected ‘Brand of the Year’ in the Escarpin de Cristal competition.
2007 : KICKERS joins the Royer Group in the month of January.
2008 : the brand goes back to its roots and relaunches its iconic Original Jeans Boots model, based on authentic products and a laid-back lifestyle.
2009 : opening of the KICKERS concept store.

2010 : KICKERS celebrates its 40th anniversary!
The brand is staying closer than ever to its roots, defining itself as a lifestyle choice and a modern, authentic brand which transcends generations.

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