Esprit Footwear / Shoes

Esprit was founded in 1968 in San Francisco, California, by Susie and Doug Tompkins (who also co-founded The North Face). Known for its casual aesthetic, vibrant colors, and iconic stencil lettering designed by John Casado in 1979, the brand quickly expanded across North America, Europe, and Asia.

Over the decades, corporate ownership shifted. Esprit Holdings Limited, listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange and historically operating operational headquarters in Ratingen, Germany, controlled the global lifestyle fashion brand. In 2024, amid corporate restructuring and insolvency proceedings for its European retail operations, rights to the Esprit brand trademarks were acquired and licensed across various entities (such as British financial investor Alteri Partners acquiring the European trademark rights).

Esprit footwear and apparel are manufactured through an international network of contract suppliers, primarily located in Asia (including China, Vietnam, Bangladesh, and India) as well as Turkey and Europe.