Though Paul A. Sperry’s official tenure in footwear only lasted about five years, he left an indelible mark on the industry — and fashion trends — with his innovative boat shoe designs and the brand that still bears his name.
Born in 1895, Sperry grew up in Stamford, Conn., as the middle child in a family of three boys. As a young man, he enrolled in Dartmouth College, but found he was a better inventor than a student and left after just a year. In fact, his passion for inventing led to 15 patents during his lifetime, with the Top-Sider being far and away the most successful.
In 1915, Sperry’s father Sereno bought the Pond Lily Co., a textile, dying and finishing business in New Haven, Conn. After a short stint at the U.S. Finishing Co., Paul Sperry eventually joined the family business in 1920 as a salesman and would remain with the company even while building his footwear enterprise.
In a move that would have far-reaching implications, Sperry developed an avid interest in sailing during the early 1930s. He bought a Nova Scotia Schooner named Sirocco, which he and his wife Pauline raced often, winning many awards.
The Sirocco, Paul Sperry’s boat.
Courtesy of Sperry
After one too many slips on the wet deck of the Sirocco, Sperry began to contemplate how to add more traction to boating shoes. At the time, most shoes for the sport had soles made of crepe rubber or rope.
As the story goes, Sperry’s aha moment came on a snowy morning, when he let his cocker spaniel, Prince, out for a run and noticed that the dog remained stable even in icy conditions. He discovered cracks in Prince’s paw pads and set out to replicated that in a shoe sole, by cutting grooves into thick gum rubber. Sperry eventually landed on a wave design as the ideal solution.
An early prototype for Paul Sperry’s siped soles.
Courtesy of Sperry
His first shoe debuted in 1935 and was the canvas circular vamp oxford, or CVO. It retailed for a premium price of $4.50. Sperry followed up with a leather slip-on that debuted in 1937 and is now known as the Authentic Original.
The shoes were an instant hit, selling first via direct mail to members of the Cruising Club of America and then through larger retailers. (Initially, Sperry wasn’t interested in wholesaling, but Abercrombie & Fitch kept submitting orders for the shoes until he finally relented.)
Others saw the value as well. In 1940, the U.S. War Department chose Top-Siders as the official footwear of the U.S. Navy.
An archival Sperry ad touting its selection as the official footwear for the U.S. Navy.
Courtesy of Sperry
To produce his shoes, Sperry initially partnered with Converse Rubber Co., which made blank soles and shipped them to Sperry to cut in the non-skid marks. Uniroyal — then U.S. Rubber Co. — later took over producing the soles and developed a rubber compound that could be more easily siped. In 1940, Uniroyal bought the Top-Sider patents from Paul Sperry and took over all manufacturing and sales, growing it into a global phenomenon.
At that point, Sperry left the brand to take over leadership of his family’s Pond Lily Co. He soon developed a new passion, for golf, which he played into his ’80s. He died Nov. 7, 1982.
Below is a timeline of some of the most important moments in the Sperry brand’s history:
1935
- Paul Sperry is inspired to create the world’s first nonslip deck shoe after observing his dog on the ice. His first style is the circular vamp oxford.
The CVO sneaker remains a staple of the Sperry brand.
Courtesy of Sperry
1937
- A leather version of the boat shoe debuts, now known as the Authentic Original.
- Sperry receives a patent for his nonslip sole technology.
1940
- Sperry Top-Siders are issued as the standard shoes for the U.S. Navy uniforms.
- U.S. Rubber Co. — now Uniroyal — takes over manufacturing after buying the patents from Paul Sperry.
1960
- Icons like John F. Kennedy and Paul Newman popularize everyday wear.
American actor Paul Newman in Sperry CVO sneakers, circa 1958.
Hulton Archive/Getty Images
1979
- Stride Rite Corp. acquires Sperry from Uniroyal
1980
- Lisa Birnbach names Sperry an icon of prep style in the “Preppy Handbook.”
1987
- Sperry becomes the official footwear for the U.S. Sailing Team during its historic reclaiming of the America’s Cup.
Skipper Dennis Conner and President Ronald Reagan pose with the America’s Cup trophy during ceremonies at the White House.
Bettmann Archive/Getty Images
1991
- The brand begins international expansion into Europe, Asia and Latin America.
2007
- Payless ShoeSource buys Stride Rite Corp. and the combined group — including Sperry — becomes Collective Brands.
2009
- Sperry is recognized by FN as Brand of the Year.
2012
- Wolverine Worldwide purchases the Collective Brands portfolio.
- Sperry expands its collaborations to Band of Outsiders and Milly, paving the way for partners like Noah, Rowing Blazers and more.
Sperry x Rowing Blazers Authentic Original boat shoes.
Courtesy of Sperry
2016
- The athletic-focused 7 Seas Collection launches, starting the Sperry Sport Collection.
2024
- Authentic Brands Group acquires Sperry and licenses the brand to Aldo Group.