How Meghan Markle's Favorite Shoe Designer Is Trying to Keep Her Shoes Affordable

Meghan Markle loves Sarah Flint—it's been one of her favorite brands even before she was a royal. Now, Flint is making news for revolutionizing the shoe industry, and the Duchess of Sussex has likely helped her towards footwear popularity and affordability.

Katherine J. Igoe#039;s avatar
By
Published In News
Hair, Face, Facial expression, Smile, Skin, Hairstyle, Chin, Beauty, Eyebrow, Head,
(Image credit: Pool/Samir Hussein)

Meghan Markle loves Sarah Flint—it's been one of her favorite brands even before she was a royal. But ever since Meghan officially stepped into the royal spotlight wearing a pair of Sarah Flint flats (way back when at the Invictus Games in September 2017), royal fans and shoe-enthusiasts have taken a keen interest in the brand (like, 25,000-pairs waitlist for some shoes interest). And, in good news for those of us who have duchess-level taste but a more modest budget, the designer has taken steps this year to make her shoes a little more affordable. As Forbes reports, Flint changed her model to sell direct to consumer this year, which is in turn dropped the retail price, making clients happy, and probably giving the princess and mom-to-be even more of an reason to shop online while she's relaxing over the holidays. 

Flint explained, "I wanted to offer women shoes that are luxurious and exquisitely crafted, but also functional." It's a perfect summary of why Markle might love the brand so much, since she loves her style but also needs to walk and move around at her various royal outings (most recently while also several months pregnant).

The direct to consumer retail change means big things for Flint's brand:

Latest Videos FromMarie Claire


"We were able to drop our prices by 40%-50% below traditional retail by taking out the middle man and giving that savings back to our customers," says Flint. "Our previous price point was $495 to $1,200, and now it is $195-$725, with an average of $345. My goal was to be able to offer the best price-to-value ratio in luxury footwear."

Flint says the move means her sales have grown by 250%, which is helping her market to more women. Now she can add little touches like arch support and a rubber foot pad that she couldn't before (perfect for the woman who has to navigate grass and stone, on the regular).

"Returning customers acquired early this year have already shopped with us more than four times on average," said Flint. Markle has shopped with her much much more, of course, so that could be a subtle nod to Flint's most famous customer.

Markle was spotted in Sarah Flint shoes since the very beginning, in her first public outing with Prince Harry ever and since then, she's broken out Sarah Flint sandals and pumps, including the very popular and ubiquitous tortoiseshell Jay pumps—a good staple that brings a little oomph to the princess's trademark fashion-forward style. Sarah Flint was on full display during Harry and Meghan's tour of Australia

Clothing, Coat, Street fashion, Uniform, Fashion, Trench coat, Overcoat, Footwear, Headgear, Outerwear,

(Image credit: getty image)

.

For more celebrity news, beauty and fashion advice, savvy political commentary, and fascinating features, sign up for the Marie Claire newsletter.

SUBSCRIBE HERE

RELATED STORIES

Lip, Hairstyle, Skin, Sleeve, Collar, Forehead, Eyebrow, Facial expression, Jaw, Eyelash,

(Image credit: getty image)

Shop the Shoe Brands Meghan Markle Loves

Fashion, Skin, Beauty, Hairstyle, Fashion model, Event, Human, Fashion design, Dress, White-collar worker,

(Image credit: Design by Morgan McMullen)

Shop Every One of Meghan Markle's Best Looks

Katherine J. Igoe
Katherine J. Igoe
Contributing Editor

Katherine’s a contributing syndications editor at Marie Claire who covers fashion, culture, and lifestyle. In her role, she writes stories that are syndicated by MSN and other outlets. She’s been a full-time freelancer for over a decade and has had roles with Cosmopolitan (where she covered lifestyle, culture, and fashion SEO content) and Bustle (where she was their movies and culture writer). She has bylines in New York Times, Parents, InStyle, Refinery29, and elsewhere. Her work has also been syndicated by ELLE, Harper’s Bazaar, Seventeen, Good Housekeeping, and Women’s Health, among others. In addition to her stories reaching millions of readers, content she's written and edited has qualified for a Bell Ringer Award and received a Communicator Award. 

Katherine has a BA in English and art history from the University of Notre Dame and an MA in art business from the Sotheby's Institute of Art (with a focus on marketing/communications). She covers a wide breadth of topics: she's written about how to find the very best petite jeans, how sustainable travel has found its footing on Instagram, and what it's like to be a professional advice-giver in the modern world. Her personal essays have run the gamut from learning to dress as a queer woman to navigating food allergies as a mom. She also has deep knowledge of SEO/EATT, affiliate revenue, commerce, and social media; she regularly edits the work of other writers. She speaks at writing-related events and podcasts about freelancing and journalism, mentors students and other new writers, and consults on coursework. Currently, Katherine lives in Boston with her husband and two kids, and you can follow her on Instagram. If you're wondering about her last name, it’s “I go to dinner,” not “Her huge ego,” but she responds to both.