This is the story of three friends, all mad about shoes and the Internet. Boris, Paul and Jérémie, with a combined age of less than 75 years and recent university graduates. Their dream was to start their own company, in their own image.

The three friends got together in the ski resort of Chamrousse, in the mountains high above Grenoble, to celebrate the New Year 2006. They were filled with high hopes and they were not about to be disappointed! To get it off to a flying start, they celebrated New Year's Eve in a wooden chalet belonging to the father of one of their friends.

On the menu: roast turkey around a log fire and plenty of Champagne... The party went off with a bang. Midnight was fast approaching.

The three friends met Philippe, a few years their senior with the experience that went along with it! Having recently left a management position in a large company, he was at a crossroads in his life.

Outside, the snow continued to fall... the clock struck midnight and the plan to sell shoes on the Internet was born. But not just any old shoes! Those which are not easy to find and which are the envy of all your friends.

In the space of one night, they came up with what could be the first ever shoe retail site in France.

As the first rays of sunlight hit the freshly fallen snow, our four companions celebrated their decision with a bottle of "Cristal Roederer" rosé champagne and toasted the project.

The magic of the New Year has been cast. It was time to part company but our four friends, now inseparable, were snowed in. No problem! They continue their visions of what they now called SPARTOO.CO.UK in reference to the Spartiates, ancient rudimentary leather sandals and to the city of Sparta, one of the most powerful cities in ancient Greece. A clever touch: the two "O"s were added as a nod to the Internet's greatest successes: gOOgle, yahOO, kelkOO, wanadOO...

The enthusiasm of the team and the unique project appealed to employees, investors, brands and service providers who have all taken part in the adventure.

SPARTOO was launched on August 16 2006. Cheers!