DC Shoes
| File:Dcshoelogo.jpg | |
| Company type | Subsidiary of Quiksilver |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1993 |
| Headquarters | Vista, California |
Key people | Ken Block, Co-Founder and Chief Brand Officer Damon Way, Co-Founder Nick Adcock, President |
| Products | footwear, apparel, snowboards |
| Website | www.dcshoes.com |
DC Shoes is an American based footwear company in Vista, CA founded in 1993 who specialize in producing shoes for skateboarding as well as snowboarding boots and outerwear. The company manufactures footwear for all types of extreme sports, including skateboarding, snowboarding, BMX, motocross, rally car racing, and surfing, for men, women, kids, and toddlers. On March 10, 2004, DC Shoes was acquired by Quiksilver.
Company history
DC Shoes was created by two main owners, Ken Block and Damon Way, older brother of professional skateboarder Danny Way. A few years later, the two hired an accountant by the name of Clayton Blehm, who had just lost his job a few months earlier and was living in his daughter's garage. He was later given the chance to own one third of the company, yet he refused the offer, only to reconsider two years later. He has since been dismissed from the company which resulted in a lawsuit for wrongful dismissal and a counter-suit by DC[1], which has since been settled.[2]
The company was originally called "Eightball" and only made T-shirts for skate shops. The owners were sent a cease and desist letter by a man in Seattle who had allegedly already copyrighted the name "Eightball." The man had made an offer to allow them to use the name "Eightball" if they had given him a large sum of money and a cut of the action. The newly hired Clay Blehm refused the offer, and they began to look for another name. The owners then created a new line of clothing called Droors Clothing, in which they create ads spoofing famous ads ranging from Calvin Klein to famous rapper's CD covers. Famous rap and hip-hop groups "Cypress Hill" and "The Beastie Boys" sported their clothing. DC originally stood for Droors Clothing Footwear, but since the sale of Droors (which is now defunct), DC no longer has any ties to Droors and is simply DC Shoes.
The three owners then created new sub companies like Dub Snowboard Clothing, which sported an urban feel that lead to them being extremely popular with the hip-hop subculture. The company also published Blunt Snowboard Magazine which mainly featured ads of new, small and independent companies. Blunt was eventually sold to Big Brother Magazine, and later ceased publication.
DC founder Ken Block is a rally car driver competing in Rally America, a US rally racing championship, and the New Zealand Rally Championship. DC is a sponsor of both him and his teammate, driver Travis Pastrana, a champion motocross rider. Pastrana was the 2006 overall Rally America championship while Block was second overall. Both Pastrana and Block compete as part of the Subaru Rally Team USA and drive Subaru Impreza WRX STi rally cars. DC has recently released a driving shoe because of their involvement in rally.
DC recently sponsored the world's first skate plaza, which was built in Kettering, Ohio. The skate plaza, a dream of Rob Dyrdek, is billed as the first skate park for street skateboarders.
In 2007, DC announced they would be expanding into the hardgoods market with the launch of DC snowboards.[3] The team consists of Devun Walsh, Lauri Heiskari, Iikka Backstrom and Aaron Biittner.
In popular culture
- They have released a video, entitled "The DC Video" which featured a part by Danny Way in which he skates the DC "Mega Ramp," a series of enormous skateboarding ramps. It has been released on VHS, DVD, and UMD for PSP.
- Travis Barker, past member of punk rock groups blink-182, Transplants and current member of punk rock group +44, had a shoe line influenced by him called DC Travis Barker remix.
- Rapper Currency of Cash Money Records/Young Money Entertainment is a big fan of the apparel.[citation needed]
- Lil Wayne, owner of Cash Money Records, wore DC shoes apparel in his music video for "Make It Rain" (Remix).
- Actor Adam Sandler is a fan of DC Shoes and apparel. He can be seen wearing DC products in many of his movies. He was also wearing a pair of DC Shoes when he left his footprints at Mann's Chinese Theater in Hollywood, California.
- Rob and Big, from the Rob and Big show on MTV, wear DC shoes apparel constantly during the show.
- Mike Shinoda of Linkin Park / Fort Minor wears DC Shoes and apparel. In 2004, Shinoda remixed the DC Clientele Shoe, with original artwork, hang tag, and insole created by hand. All proceeds of this shoe went to the Michael K. Shinoda Scholarsip