ROCKFORD, Mich. (AP) -- Fifty years ago, a small shoe company gave birth to a casual shoe that soon was to make a name for itself. With their soft suede and rubber soles, Hush Puppies padded into middle America to offer an alternative to the wing tips and Converse sneakers that lined closet floors.
Before long, Rockford-made Hush Puppies were on the feet of everyone from the Rat Pack in Las Vegas to the Beatles in London. Within a few years, the shoe maker said one out of every 10 adults in this country claimed to own a pair.
''When the brand started in 1958, the world was Ward and June Cleaver. It was very formal about rules of what to wear,'' said Jenni Hamilton, Hush Puppies' global marketing director.
''I think this brand says 'Relax -- just kick back.' It just resonated.''
This year, Wolverine World Wide Inc. is celebrating Hush Puppies' golden anniversary.
The brand -- synonymous with its down-to-earth mascot, a stoic basset hound -- still represents a casual, laid-back look to a wide audience.
In 2006, nearly 19 million pairs were sold worldwide, accounting for one-third of the footwear sold by the $1.2 billion parent company, Wolverine.
Hush Puppies' popularity also has spanned the generations. While the shoes still are worn by '60s hipsters who now carry AARP cards, they enjoyed a trendy resurgence among generation Xers in the mid-1990s after designers John Bartlett and Anna Sui paired the shoes with their fashions.
''It's the world's shoe. It's not an age or a demographic; it's an attitude,'' Hamilton said.
Now, the brand is meeting its middle-age milestone head-on, with a yearlong celebration of activities including a Guest Designer Series, a shoe drive and a cross-country tour fundraiser for an animal shelter.
''We wanted to step back and say thank you to the world for 50 great years,'' Hamilton said.
Turns out the casual lifestyle is a global trend; three-quarters of the brand is sold outside the U.S.
Because the brand has been in some countries for decades, it is seen as a homegrown product there, said Mark Neal, Hush Puppies' global brand president.
''They'll see the dog and say, 'Hush Puppies,' and I'll think they speak English, but they don't,'' Neal said.
Many international partners have opened concept stores -- 400 worldwide -- that sell the shoes, accessories and, in some Asian countries, apparel.
From the beginning, Hush Puppies set their sights on the global market. Canada became the first international licensee in 1959. In the 1960s, Hush Puppies began selling in the United Kingdom, South Africa, Australia and Japan, followed by much of Central and South America in the 1970s.
Today, the shoe is sold in 139 countries outside the U.S. -- and the focus is on growing the brand's presence in the emerging markets of India and China.
''Everybody wants a global business because the U.S. is a mature market,'' Neal said. ''In so many markets, we had a head start.''
''It's like a great marriage,'' said Neal, adding the global licensees come to Hush Puppies' Rockford headquarters every May to spend time with the brand's staff and designers.
In the U.S., Hush Puppies often are carried by upscale retailers, but the brand is seen as affordable luxury. Men's shoes sell for $80 to $125 a pair -- and up to $165 for the Black Label Collection. Women's sell for $69 to $100 and children's, from $30 to $45.
Although people mostly think of Hush Puppies as comfortable loafers, the 80 or so styles introduced each year range from sandals to boots.
Comfort always is an important design element -- even with women's high-heel shoes.
Hush Puppies' trademark ''Bounce'' technology developed out of a collaboration with the Michigan State University Biomechanics Evaluation Laboratory.
''Technology doesn't matter unless the style is there,'' said David Bok, vice president of global product development.
To celebrate its anniversary, the brand is offering some unexpected looks with its Guest Designer Series.
For the launch of what will become an annual tradition, celebrity stylists Phillip Bloch and Rachel Fanconi were tapped to design a line of shoes.
Fanconi created a women's line that ranges from Victorian-shaped boot to a modern Mary Jane that is ''very sassy and fun,'' Hamilton said.
Bloch, a Hollywood fashion guru, gave his line an urban chic feel.
''I wanted to design three types of shoes a guy could use to travel: boots, dress shoe and the sneaker,'' Bloch said.
