Dockers by Gerli – the brand

It all started in a small restaurant in Merzalben, a village right in the middle of the Palatine Forest, ten minutes from the Shoe City Pirmasens. Gösta Andersson and Bruno Heim have both been making and selling shoes for many years, and they understood the signs of the times: everyone wanted docksider shoes, those casual loafers that were traditionally worn on boats. The Gerli GmbH decided to pick up on this trend. In 1985 they designed and produced for the first time leather slip-ons for men. The clear aim was to ensure that everyone could afford “Dockers”. Therefore, utmost importance was placed on the cost-benefit-ratio – without neglecting the quality. 

When Bruno Heim presented his customers in Cologne the docksiders he realized that they were brand material. So he sped directly from Cologne to Munich to have his idea patented: “Dockers by Gerli” was born.  

The brand’s breakthrough, however, was a different kind of shoe: the Dockers Boots. They became iconic, in their bright corn yellow or chocolate brown with high, cushioned shafts, reminiscent of mountaineer boots. The first Dockers Boots were manufactured in Spain and Portugal. They became extra durable due to the Goodyear Welt Technique: outsole and shaft were not simply glued together (as is custom), but sole, frame and shaft are stitched together. Today, Dockers’ designers interpret them almost annually with new types of soles and details. However, their original character remains. Dockers Boots are always recognizable on first sight.       

Gradually, the collections expanded. First with unisex styles, later with a separate women’s collection and finally kids’ shoes.

Today, Dockers by Gerli stands for fashionable, sporty shoes. Well established know-how in the art of shoemaking was and still is the brand’s special attribute – figures, since Gerli GmbH has been doing this for 40 years. Dockers catch the eye with love for details: a decorative stitching here, a stud there. The seasons’ trends are re-interpreted in the brand’s style. Docktex and Sympatex membranes were added which make the shoes wind- and waterproof without taking away the breathability. New and patented is the extra comfy Soft Insole.   
Today, the collection consists of more than 100 styles and is available in many European countries and even as far as the UAE. One thing, however, has not changed for 30 years: Fashionable shoes. Perfect cost-benefit ratio. High quality standards. 
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