Aldo has made a name for itself as a retailer with remarkable prices and wide range of shoes and accessories. The brand we know today was founded in 1972 by Aldo Bensadoun, who was the son of a shoe merchant and the grandson of a cobbler. The apple didn’t fall too far from the tree, meaning that Bensadoun was bit by the same shoe bug his father and his father’s father before him had been. Equipped with vast knowledge, and a deep understanding of footwear, soon, Bensadoun established a brand that would turn into a retail empire.
The brand would start its humble beginnings in Canada, and grow to become a multinational sensation. The mission was simple. To create a brand that cared deeply about the shoes we wore and the stories that the soles told. With that mission in mind, Aldo opened its first location in Montreal, Quebec, and has been flourishing ever since.
Here, fast facts you didn’t know about Aldo.
1. Aldo was the first retailer to fight against HIV AIDS
Aldo has been a part of the fight against AIDS since the mid-’80s. The retailer cared deeply about their customers. The brand became the first retailer of its kind to overcome the social taboos that came with being HIV positive. The brand has since actively supported the cause and has taken part in many initiatives to fight the disease including their “Aldo Fights AIDS” campaign. Aldo continued its efforts for years by putting informational pamphlets in bags and selling ribbons to raise both awareness about the disease and funds to support AIDS research organizations like CANFAR.
2. The first Aldo store in the USA opened as late as 1995
The retailer slowly migrated to every corner of the world, reaching American soil in 1995. Since then, the brand has become a go-to for many around the globe. The first store in the United States opened in Boston, Mass. The brand has come a long way since then. As of October 2023, there are 237 Aldo stores in the United States, with over 40 of them located in California.
3. Aldo created a customer-oriented hashtag to give their followers a special place to share
#AldoCrew created in 2016 was put in place to create a community of Aldo individuals to share in their love of the brand. The platform was created so that people from all over could share snippets of their day. It has since become the place to be for style-minded men and women.
4. Aldo is climate neutral
The Aldo retail brand has become the first of its kind to introduce climate-neutral initiatives to their store’s policies. The brand began focusing on reducing its carbon footprint in 2018 and has been working hard ever since. Their climate commitment now includes all eCommerce stores and product transportation.
5. The Aldo Group is Very Philanthropic
The conglomerate has helped many causes over the years, including War Child, YouthAIDS, CANFAR, Youth Fusion and the Cure Foundation just to name a few.
6. Aldo Has collaborations with JCPenny and Kohl’s
The accessory and shoe mogul has collaborated with retailers like JCPenny and Khol’s to create separate collections from the Aldo brand name. First, it was Kohl’s in 2011. The brand would be released exclusively in Kohls’s stores. By the fall of 2011, JCPenny wanted in on the action. Aldo collaborated with the department store to create a collection titled “Call It Spring,” which would then be sold in over 600 JCPenny stores in the United States.
7. The Aldo Group has linked with Ted Baker and Brooks Brothers
In 2023, Authentic Brands Group and the Aldo Group announced plans to launch an expanded selection of men’s footwear and small leather goods for Brooks Brothers and also partnered with Ted Baker to release footwear, handbags and small leather goods.
8. Scotty Pippen Jr. and Tinx were among those tapped to star in Aldo’s Spring 2023 Campaign
For its latest spring campaign, the brand collaborated with legendary NBA star Scottie Pippen’s son, basketball player Scotty Pippen Jr., as well as social media influencer Tinx, Youtuber Noor Stars, model Irene Kim and musician Rishab Sharma.
9. Aldo shoes are Celebrity-Approved
Lupita Nyong’o paired her dazzling Calvin Klein dress with a pair of $90 Aldo sandals, a strappy silver metallic style, for the 2020 Golden Globe Awards. The same year, Helen Mirren hit the red carpet in a sky-high platform shoe. Other celebrities that have been spotted in Aldo footwear recently include Selena Gomez, Demi Lovato, Sarah Hyland, Emma Roberts and Sarah Michelle Gellar.
10. Aldo teamed up with Mattel on a Barbiecore Collab
Aldo released a Barbie-themed collection in partnership with Mattel this past summer ahead of the premiere of the buzzed-about film. The 19-piece collection features clear pink PVC pumps, baby pink platforms adorned with crystal-encrusted hearts and strappy iridescent sandals with Barbie-stamped soles.
Read more on Aldo’s recent footwear and apparel creations here.
