Meghan Markle's Favorite Shoe Designer Sarah Flint Makes Heels Comfy Enough for a Pregnant Duchess
Even before Prince Harry was in the picture, Meghan Markle loved Sarah Flint shoes.
"Meghan has been a fan of the brand almost since we launched," the company's founder and namesake designer Sarah Flint tells T&C.
As an actress on Suits, Meghan was often spotted wearing the brand's styles, but it wasn't until she chose Flint's Natalie flat, a pointy-toed shoe with a subtle bow detail, for her first official outing with Prince Harry that the world's media really took notice of her affinity for the American luxury brand.
Flint says she didn't know Meghan was going to wear her shoes to the 2017 Invictus Games, and at first, she didn't quite realize just how big a deal it was.
"As Meghan had been a fan of the brand for so long, I don't think I really understand the gravity of the change, and the spotlight that was on her," Flint says. "So, of course I was excited, but had I understood the gravity at the time, I would have been even more excited."
Meghan had given Sarah Flint the kind of marketing that money simply can't buy. In terms of her ability to move product, the so-called "Markle Sparkle" is very real. And as with many items Meghan wears, the shoes quickly sold out, eventually prompting a 25,000 person waiting list. Fortunately for fans of the style, the Natalie was recently fully restocked, and is now even available in a new colorway: white.
"When any celebrity wears your shoes-and we’ve had really a range of incredible people, everyone from Meghan to Amal Clooney to Lady Gaga-it serves as such a validating factor," Flint says. "I feel very, very lucky."
Fortunately for Flint, Meghan's appearance in her design at the Invictus Games wasn't a one-time thing.
Meghan has continued to support the line, even wearing Flint's heels well into her pregnancy, and providing a silent endorsement of just how comfortable the shoes really are. Comfort, as it turns out, is key to the brand's ethos.
"Our shoes are made in the same factories as some of the top luxury brands, but if you look at the difference between one of our insoles and a traditional insole, it’s very, very different. It’s cushioned," Flint explains. "We also have arch support in a lot of our shoes."
Sarah Flint shoes also tend to feature a wider toe box than a traditional luxury shoe, and some even come with a non-stick rubber coating on the sole for durability and traction.
It appears that's just what Meghan needs to make it through her royal duties without missing a step.
Much like the Duchess, who just moved into her new home at Frogmore Cottage and is imminently expecting the arrival of her first child, Flint has a busy season ahead of her.
On April 14, her brand is launching a collaboration with artist Isabella Huffington, the proceeds of which will go to She Should Run, an organization that provides guidance to women considering running for political office.
Flint is also excited to debut a new style called the perfect sandal in May. "For summer weddings it’s going to be a go-to," she says.
And while she has no immediate plans to create a line of kids shoes-can't you just imagine Meghan and her new baby in matching kicks?-Flint isn't ruling out the idea entirely.
"Someday, maybe," she says. "I'll never say no to anything."
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