Where celebrities go to fix their £5,000 sneakers
At Shoe Lab in the UK, demand is biggest to repair Louboutin heels
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A SMALL shoe repair shop in the east of England has become a favourite among British celebrities and sports stars who need their fancy sneakers, heels, and flats repaired.
Boston, Lincolnshire-based Shoe Lab started in January 2020 as a local cobbler that cleaned Adidas Gazelles for £10 (US$12). Now it’s a UK-wide service that fixes up hundreds of pairs of Gucci, Balenciaga, and Louis Vuitton shoes every week.
Shoe Lab’s success comes from its addictively satisfying videos depicting the process of repairing £5,000 Christian Dior SE sneakers and £900 Christian Louboutin SAS heels for its 50,000 Instagram followers. Almost every day, the shop revives worn-out Balenciaga logos and tattered Gucci tennis sneakers, garnering praise from celebrities like singer Kerry Katona, Love Island star Joe Garratt, and England cricket captain Ben Stokes, as well as style and fitness influencers with millions of followers.
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