Designer Alexandre Birman On Kate Middleton Wearing His Schutz Shoes

Kate Middleton is known for sticking to a few shoe brands for her public outings. She counts Jimmy Choo, Rupert Sanderson, L.K. Bennett and Gianvito Rossi among her favorites.

But on Wednesday, Middleton thrust a new, more accessible brand into the global spotlight: Schutz. Middleton wore the brand’s Dollie peach-hued sandals when she presented the Museum of the Year award at an Art Fund event in London. The shoes retail for $180, a relative deal compared to her usual pricey designer heels.

Kate Middleton Schutz Sandals — Kate Middleton arrives at the Natural History Museum wearing a Barbara Casarola dress and Schutz sandals.

CREDIT: REX Shutterstock.

Schutz, a contemporary Brazilian brand that’s been around since 1995, has lately been spotted on celebrities such as Chanel Iman, Hilary Duff, Gigi Hadid and Solange Knowles. Those are certainly notable names, but this is the first time the Duchess of Cambridge has worn the brand.

Here, the brand’s designer Alexandre Birman shares his thoughts on Middleton with Footwear News.

What does it mean for Kate to wear the brand?
“Kate is a unique reference of style that goes beyond fashion, inspiring all women around the world. Having Duchess Kate wear Schutz was remarkable.”

Have you worked to develop a relationship with her team or is this something that came about organically?
“It came about organically and was a great surprise for us. It’s nice to see how strong the presence of Schutz is outside of Brazil.”

Have you seen any impact on sales of that shoe/increased traffic online?
“Yes, the shoe is already sold out, and traffic on the Schutz website is much higher than usual. We also gained a lot of new followers on Instagram, both on the Brazilian @schutzoficial and U.S. @schutzshoes accounts.”