Start-rite
Start-rite is a British children's shoe brand founded in Norwich, England, in 1792. It makes shoes for babies and children and pioneered variable width fittings for children's footwear.
| Founded | 1792, Norwich |
|---|---|
| Founder | James Smith |
| Headquarters | Norwich, England |
| Speciality | Children's shoes with width fittings |
| Production | India and Portugal |
| Website | startriteshoes.com |
What is Start-rite?
Start-rite is a British children's shoe brand based in Norwich, England. It specialises in footwear for babies and children, from first shoes to school shoes.
History
The business traces its origins to 1792, when James Smith started making shoes in Norwich. His grandson, James Southall, gave the firm its current name. Start-rite received a Royal Warrant from Queen Elizabeth II in 1955 and another from the Prince of Wales in 1989. Its poster "Children's shoes have far to go", showing two children walking down a long road, ran on the London Underground for around twenty years from 1947.
Production moved out of the UK in 2003, with manufacturing outsourced to India and Portugal.
Products and positioning
- Shoes for babies, toddlers and older children
- School shoes
- Width fittings, an approach the brand introduced for children's shoes
Prince George wore Start-rite shoes in an official 2016 portrait marking the Queen's 90th birthday.
Distribution
Start-rite sells through its own website and through retailers, including department stores, and has customers worldwide.
Why it matters
With more than two centuries of history, Start-rite is one of the longest established names in children's footwear and a reference point for fitting led shoe retail.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Start-rite from?
Start-rite is a British brand based in Norwich, England, where it was founded in 1792.
Who founded Start-rite?
The business was started by James Smith in 1792; his grandson James Southall later gave it the Start-rite name.