Rykä
Privately held | |
Industry | Sportswear and sporting goods |
Founded | 1987 |
Headquarters | Irvine, California |
Products | Women's athletic shoes and apparel |
Parent | Brown Shoe |
Website | www.ryka.com |
Rykä is an athletic shoe brand, specifically designed for women.
History
Rykä was founded in 1987 by Sheri Poe, who wanted to design a better-fitting athletic shoe for women.[1][2] They also produce athletic apparel specially designed for women.
Rykä merged with Global Sports in 1997.[3] Global Sports sold its branded division in 1999 to American Sporting Goods Corporation.[4] The company is now owned by Brown Shoe, who bought American Sporting Goods in 2011.[5][6]
Publicity
Poe is credited with introducing Princess Diana to her shoes, through her creation of the Ryka Rose Foundation, a nonprofit organization working to stop violence against women.
Since 2008, Kelly Ripa has been the spokeswoman for Rykä shoes.[7]
The Rykä brand is an example of foreign branding.
References
- ↑
- ↑ Rifkin, Glenn (1994-07-03). "Profile; Mix and Match: A Shoe for Women, a Survivor's Tale". The New York Times.
- ↑ Newly-Minted Billionaire Is Spinning eBay Scraps Into Gold
- ↑ Global Sports, Inc. Announces Agreement to Sell Branded Division
- ↑
- ↑ Brown Shoe Acquires American Sporting Goods Corporation
- ↑ "RYKÄ ANNOUNCES BUSINESS PARTNERSHIP WITH KELLY RIPA" (PDF). American Sporting Goods Corp. 2008-01-16. Retrieved 2009-12-07.