21 August 2025 |
UGG has cemented itself as a must-have in everyone’s wardrobe. Worn in airports and on runways, on sidewalks and red carpets, UGG shoes have quietly woven themselves into the fabric of pop culture. Their instantly recognisable silhouette has made them a true modern icon — reimagined with each new generation.
It’s this cult-status appeal that sets the stage for the brand’s AW25 campaign, Iconic From the First Step, celebrating self-expression and legacy. Directed by Gia Coppola and styled by Jorden Bickham, the campaign embraces the theme Iconic Design, Crafted Together, featuring a handpicked cast of trailblazers, creatives, and culture-shapers — including Sarah Jessica Parker, Central Cee, Jeremy Scott, Elsa Hosk, UGG founder Brian Smith, and more — each chosen for their enduring influence and unmistakable style, wearing the brand unapologetically as part of their identity.
Image credit: Jeremy Scott and Alton Mason for UGG AW25
We sat down with Jeremy Scott, one of the most influential forces in fashion today. Few have disrupted the history of fashion quite like Scott, whose decades-long career has been defined by fearless creativity and pop-infused provocation. In our conversation, he reflects on what it means to be iconic today, how collaboration drives creativity and why challenging conventions can be a radical act.
GP: Let’s start with the concept behind the UGG campaign — “iconic design, crafted together”. What does this campaign idea mean to you personally, and how did it guide your approach to the UGG AW25 campaign?
JS: I feel like UGG. UGG is iconic. To me, it’s as iconic as Mickey Mouse, a stop sign or any other universal emblem. What I love about this campaign is the focus on togetherness, because it brings out all the different facets and personalities that make up the UGG family. That’s what keeps it so interesting and dynamic, especially in this particular campaign, where you have such a mix of people — actors, singers, rappers, football players. It’s that combination that really embodies the idea: we’re stronger together, and together we’re even more iconic.
GP: As one of the most influential creative directors of our time, how would you define what it means to be iconic in 2025?
JS: Instantly recognisable without needing to define. You just know. Whether it’s a visual, like the UGG boot, which is such an icon on its own, or something about someone’s look, or even a catchphrase like “that’s hot” — we all immediately know who that is. That’s the essence of being iconic: you don’t have to define it or explain it; it simply speaks for itself.
GP: Has your idea of what it means to be ‘iconic’ evolved since you first began your journey in fashion?
JS: No, I don’t think so. I think I’ve always been attracted to icons, whether they’re people like Madonna or emblems that we covet. I love them because they communicate without words and for me, as a communicator, that’s incredibly powerful. Being able to touch people’s lives or express something through my work, without having to explain the idea or the scenario behind, is what makes it so meaningful. That’s what I love about using iconic elements: the message is already conveyed visually. So whether you’re in Berlin, Timbuktu, Los Angeles or Paris, you instantly understand the meaning.
Image credit: Central Cee for UGG AW25
GP: The campaign also really emphasises collaboration — that idea that no icon is ever created alone. Who are some of the people who’ve been essential to shaping your own creative legacy?
JS: Well, my best friend, Pablo — he’s someone I always bounce ideas off, especially when I’m creating. Often, my concepts first take shape as a kind of verbal articulation, and he’s part of that process. Then there are people like Gigi Hadid, who actually started her career with me; she’s been part of so many of my shows and campaigns over the years. She has this incredible ability to convey and create characters that I imagine, again and again, in so many different ways. That kind of collaborator, that kind of muse, really helps carry the work forward at different moments. And then there are Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin, who shot me for my book cover and have taken many portraits of me over the years, including for a campaign I fronted for my own fragrance. Their portraits are truly iconic — they have an unmatched ability to capture a person’s essence.
GP: You launched your own limited edition UGG capsule collection in 2017. Has anything shifted in how you approach the brand or its design language today?
JS: I would say UGG has become much more of a fashion and youth culture darling since that time, which makes me really happy. I wouldn’t say that my perspective on my design has changed — I think it’s more full speed ahead, just feeling even more confirmed that I was right the whole time.
GP: You’re part of a cast that includes Sarah Jessica Parker, Central Cee, Rina Sawayama and many other stars. What does it mean to you to be part of this intergenerational, global celebration of style?
JS: It’s so great. These are people I know, admire, or whose work I really love. Someone like Sarah Jessica Parker has been part of our collective consciousness for so many years. She literally created an iconic character with Carrie Bradshaw. So yes, I’m just really happy to be here!
Image credit: Lil Cherry for UGG AW25
GP: You’ve long been known as fashion’s provocateur. Do you feel today’s fashion landscape leaves more room for designers to take risks, or has the industry become more cautious and controlled?
JS: It’s super controlled and super f*cking boring! I’m not sure if it’s about the amounts of money companies keep trying to circulate and generate, but that could be putting the crux on things, making people take fewer risks and have less fun. To me, fashion should always be about joy, and part of that is about taking risks, being playful and being unexpected. You have to play to create and bring something new. Fashion, for me, has always been about moving forward. When it seems like a very boring or stale kind of output, it’s rather sad. I want to see all kinds of vibes in fashion, not just my own.
GP: Where do you see your role in this shift?
JS: I guess I have to come back like a wrecking ball and just smash everything. Somebody’s gotta do it.
GP: In a world that’s often obsessed with minimalism and quiet luxury, you’ve always stayed true to maximalism with your bold, quirky and exciting style. What’s kept you loyal to this boldness throughout the years?
JS: It’s just genuine for me. It’s not a put-on, it’s not an act. It’s my purest form of expression.
Image credit: Elsa Hosk for UGG AW25
GP: This idea of authenticity also extends to how you view fashion as a form of expression beyond just style.
JS: Yes, it’s part of pop culture, absolutely. You can’t really divorce fashion from that. When you strip it down to the point of neutering it, it’s no longer fashion, it’s just clothes.
GP: Is there a piece from this campaign that stands out as a personal favourite?
JS: I’d say my favourite piece has to be the boots I’m doing. How could it not be?
GP: And finally — when you wear UGG, where are you going, or where do you want to be?
JS: First of all, where don’t I go in my UGG boots? I wear them all the time! I travel a lot, so I’m often at the airport. Honestly, I wear them everywhere. Especially in LA, they’re the perfect shoes for me. I love the proportions, I love the way they look, I love them with shorts, I love them with pants…. I love them, I love them, I love them!
