British women are falling back in love with heels.
Fashion chain Kurt Geiger said sales have soared 34 per cent over the past six months as customers dressed up for a Christmas uninterrupted by Covid fears or train strikes.
The British label, which has 70 shops in the UK, reported that its best sellers are the £189 Kensington gold shoes, adorned with coloured gems.
Also available in more subdued shades of black and beige, they have been worn by the likes of US singer Olivia Rodrigo.
All change: Women are stepping out of trainers and into more glamorous footwear
First Lady Melania Trump famously favours a five-inch heel – from Roger Vivier or Manolo Blahnik. Last week she was seen sporting both brands at her husband’s inauguration ceremonies.
The Princess of Wales is also often seen in Christian Louboutin’s five-inch heels, pictured, reflecting a growing trend on the High Street at a time when all retailers are being hit by higher costs from the Budget.
Thanks to such style icons, women are stepping out of trainers and into more glamorous footwear, the higher the better, though the kitten heel is also staging a comeback in a vogue for 1990s fashion.
The return to the office may also be a factor in the comeback of the stiletto.
Rebecca Farrar-Hockley, Kurt Geiger’s creative director, said: ‘Over the past year, there has been a steady increase in our sales of heels, as customers lean into occasion wear and statement styles.’
Flannels, the luxury retailer that is part of the FTSE 250-listed Frasers Group, also reported a 30 per cent rise in stiletto sales.
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