It was in Saint-Astier, in the heart of the Périgord
in south-west france, that the very first pair of
Aster shoes was born. They were the famous Dingo shoes.
The founder, Sicaire Georges, opened a shoe factory
which developed constantly over the years, to the
extent that almost a century later, the brand had
become a leader in footwear for infants and children
in france. The brand name - L'Asterien, then Aster
- naturally came from the geographical location of
the company: Saint-Astier. The aster flower was also
chosen as the company logo.
The Dingo, the company's leading model, has evolved
considerably over the years since 1913. Initially made
of canvas, it has now become a leather sandal that is
instantly recognisable and is available in an impressive
range of colours to match the seasons. Almost three
million pairs have been sold around the world and it
is still the best-seller in the Aster collection. Its
little sister, the Bimbo, was created in the 1970s,
with its higher ankle providing extra support for little
ones as they take those first steps.
Aster directed its research efforts into the market
of shoes for babies and created a new concept, the Alpha,
designed to be more supple and leave the foot greater
freedom.
In 1987, the shoe was elected the best toddler shoe
on the french market by consumer magazine "Que
Choisir". 1 million pairs were sold in ten years,
from 1983 to 1993.
Aster invented a new generation of shoes for those
first steps with the launch of the Astri, a revolutionary
design to prevent twisting.
The shoe had three essential technical properties,
protecting the foot from twisting, vibration and shocks.
A major communication campaign was conceived for the
new model with the slogan "Astri, the shoe that
get's them up and walking".
Aster innovated once again, launching its 3rd generation
of shoes for those very first steps, the Technic by
Aster. Thanks to this new product, the brand positioned
itself as the leader in technical research into footwear
for children who are learning to walk.
The Technic by Aster was designed to help little ones
in their very first steps by adapting to their fragile
feet and protecting them from shocks. Its essential
advantages were the fact it was supple and flexible,
and its ability to absorb shocks and prevent twisting
of the foot. It was replaced by the Technic 2 in 2002.
In August 2001, Aster joined the SAR Group. Thanks to
this acquisition, consolidated turnover of the SAR holding
reached €61 million and it employed 580 staff,
thus becoming the undisputed leader in children's shoes
in france.
Aster has created a subsidiary in the United States.
Already present for many years in North America, the
brand wanted to gain a 100% foothold in the American
market.
The ambassador of the "French touch" on the
other side of the Atlantic and skilled in meeting the
specific demands of American consumers, Aster has gradually
become one of the leading European brands in this market.
The company sets itself up in New York where it distributes
its shoes to a large network of retailers and departments
stores, as well as the major online sales sites.
