Clarks (shoe retailer)

"Wallabee" redirects here. For the animal, see Wallaby.
For persons named Clark, see Clark.

C. and J. Clark International Limited
Clarks
Formerly
  • Somervell Brothers Limited (1915–1976)
  • K Shoemakers Limited (1976–1986)
  • CJC (UK) Limited (1986–1988)[1]
Company typeLimited company
IndustryRetail
FoundedStreet, England (1825; 199 years ago (1825))
Founder
  • Cyrus Clark
  • James Clark
Headquarters
Street, Somerset
,
England
Area served
Worldwide
Key people
Jonathan Ram (CEO)[2]
ProductsFootwear
RevenueDecrease £1.53 billion (2019)
Decrease £(75.7) million (2019)
Decrease £(82.9) million (2019)
OwnerViva Goods Company Limited (51%); Clark family (49%)
Number of employees
13,000+
Websiteclarks.com

C. & J. Clark International Limited (trading as Clarks) is a British footwear manufacturer and retailer founded in 1825 by Cyrus Clark in Street, Somerset, where its headquarters remain. As of October 2023, the brand has 320 stores in the United Kingdom and Ireland, and hundreds of franchises located in the Americas, Europe and the Asia Pacific. The company also sells through third-party distribution.[3][4]

The Clarks brand is best known for its Desert Boot and Wallabee shoes, as well as its collection of school shoes, particularly for children aged 4–12 years.[5]

Clarks manufactured its products in the United Kingdom until 2005, when it began moving some production to the Far East. The company closed its last domestic factory in 2019 as it reported a £84.4 million loss.[6] In November 2020, it was announced that Clarks would be rescued by the Hong Kong-based private equity firm LionRock Capital, and would enter a company voluntary arrangement.[7] The deal meant the company would be out of the Clark family's control for the first time in its history.[8] In February 2023, LionRock Capital sold its remaining indirect stake in Clarks to Viva China Holdings Limited.[9]

  1. ^ "C. & J. CLARK INTERNATIONAL LIMITED overview - Find and update company information - GOV.UK". Companies House. 17 July 1915. Retrieved 28 January 2024.
  2. ^ Ciment, Shoshy (15 March 2022). "Clarks Names Jonathan Ram as CEO, the Brand's Fourth Chief Executive in Four Years". Footwear News. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
  3. ^ Wong, Charmaine (25 October 2023). "Here's the full list of Clarks stores that are closing for good". TimeOut. Retrieved 26 October 2024.
  4. ^ Fleary, Sinai (3 September 2024). "Clarks Originals opens first store experience in Jamaica". Voice Online. Retrieved 26 October 2024.
  5. ^ "The best school shoes for kids". Hello Magazine. Retrieved 15 November 2023.
  6. ^ "Clarks to cut 900 office jobs in shake-up". BBC News. 21 May 2020. Retrieved 26 October 2024.
  7. ^ Nazir, Sahar (4 November 2020). "Clarks rescued in £100m deal - Retail Gazette". Retrieved 26 October 2024.
  8. ^ Roberts, Lauretta (24 September 2020). "LionRock one of the two bidders in the frame for Clarks". TheIndustry.fashion. Retrieved 26 October 2024.
  9. ^ "LionRock Capital Closes Sale of Clarks Investment to Viva China". www.goodwinlaw.com. Retrieved 26 October 2024.