How algorithms and influencers are driving the UGG Lowmel craze

There are over 60M posts on TikTok discussing the UGG Lowmel Trainer shoe. Teenagers desperately want them for Christmas, driving up the demand and prices. Are these $150 shoes truly that comfortable, or is it some clever marketing ploy?

As the holiday season enters full swing, consumerism is going through the roof. Remember the clamor for the Nintendo Wii during its launch in 2006, Apple’s AirPods, initially ridiculed, followed by mainstream adoption in 2016, and the Popeye’s chicken sandwich frenzy in 2019?

This year, UGG shoes seem to be trending.

Uglies are back

UGGs truly took off in the noughties when Paris Hilton and her homies turned them into a symbol of comfort and casual luxury. Think lounging around at home but still being able to pop to the store in your pajamas – comfy couture.

But as the ugly shoe trend began to kick off in the late 2010s, brands like Balenciaga and Céline booted out the traditional elegant motifs and inverted ugliness into something desirable, creating the perfect storm for influencers to step in.

The nostalgia of Y2K fashion tied in nicely with the current trends too, making the Lowmel Trainer the perfect example of this.

There are three types of ugly shoes out there: tastefully ugly, ironically ugly, and genuinely ugly. Crocs is the king of the latter, collaborating with ugly brands to push the boundary. In 2017, they batted away the “Average Joe” stereotype by teaming up with Balenciaga.

Shoes you’d previously have been bullied for are now in. When you see an influencer on TikTok recommend them or just make an innocuous video combining outfits with the UGG Lowmel in Sand, it feels like a personal recommendation from a friend.

Native advertising means paid promotions, and then the sheer want for the product increases in magnitude. This is different from the old-school line around the store for Nike Air Jordans – this is an ambiguous hype machine that propagates itself through mania.

Part of this buzz also comes through TikTok’s shop feature, where users can spontaneously click and buy, as opposed to searching for products. The fact that TikTok pulled in $50 billion in the States in 2024 shows how strong this emerging trend is.

The role of TikTok and influencer marketing

Trends like dadcore, for instance, aren’t just fleeting moments, they’re fed by the algorithm. TikTok’s algorithm is key to its virality. When you see someone recommend a product, it feels organic, not paid for. This is the genius of the platform – its features like Duets, Stitches, and hashtags encourage user interaction, spreading trends even further.

Brands also play a role, using influencer partnerships and paid ads to increase visibility. TikTok is a powerful tool for launching and spreading trends quickly.

The hook for UGGs is created through an inclusivity/exclusivity binary opposition. Think about it: the UGG Tasman slipper is made for homebodies, while the UGG Pumped Slide or Big Sky shoe works for those seeking a more high-profile look. This plays into that reliability and desirability trope – akin to a “Which Friends character are you?” style quiz.

Exclusivity becomes part of the picture when certain UGGs are harder to find than others. Gen Z is on a perpetual hunt for rare items – whether it's limited Taylor Swift swag, Starbucks limited edition cups, or UGGs.

In a world of fast fashion, having something rare signals status. This is where mimetic theory comes into play – when you see someone coveting something, you want it, too.

@sneakerask One of the most populair Uggs at this moment! The UGG Lowmel are selling fast 🧸🤎🍂 #sneakerask #sneakers #ugglowmel #uggseason #uggs ♬ Being a Girl - Jonica

Dopamine and the thrill of the hunt

This constant search for rare items brings on a dopamine rush – rewarding the customer and placing them in a feedback loop, much like a slot machine. This hunt for rarity, coupled with the thrill of the chase, means excitement for Gen Z consumers. It’s a unique form of consumerism, and for many, it’s about status rather than the product itself.

We reached out to Peter Martinez, co-founder and fashion stylist/designer at Leather Skin Shop, a fashion brand based in the USA, to hear his thoughts on the trend.

"Teenage fashion today is about self-expression, comfort, and personality. UGGs represent a shift from traditional beauty standards to freedom and authenticity,"

Martinez said when asked why teenagers gravitate toward “ugly” or unconventional fashion items like UGGs.

The system is designed to capitalize on users' thirst for items, and it seems that such viral advertising is akin to the Christmas ads you’d see on TV for Barbie or Lego. Only this time it rubs in your face a bit more, as these particular UGGs are uber-scarce.

“TikTok’s algorithm tailors feeds to user behavior, while features like Duets and hashtags spread trends. Influencer partnerships and paid ads amplify their reach," Martinez added.

The future of UGGs and the trend economy

As brands like UGGs utilize scarcity as a marketing strategy, it makes you wonder how long this FOMO will last. Will it be measured, or is it an entirely unknown quantity? What is clear, however, is that it seems to be less about the product itself and more about the status symbol it represents.

Much like meme coins in the cryptocurrency space, it feels like a large cartoon mannequin standing on stilts without a real leg to stand on. However, perhaps TikTok’s algorithm is more robust than we give it credit for.

Acknowledging the cult of the influencer, it doesn’t take one person to plug the product. These 15-second videos are nowhere near as throwaway as older generations claim them to be. TikTok has its wild fluctuations, but it’s here to stay.

Seduced by the buzz, younger generations are reframing online consumerism in new ways. Scarcity and virality have been juxtaposed to create a unique beast of the trend economy.