Australian brand Shoes of Prey has announced it will be closing after nine years , with the company’s founder admitting the business has ‘faced struggles’.
On Tuesday, the shoe retailer loved by fashionistas and stars alike released a statement confirming to shoppers the company will halt production effective immediately.
‘When we started Shoes of Prey back in 2009, we couldn’t have dreamed that we would have the opportunity to share in such an incredible adventure,’ the statement said.
‘And you were the most wonderful people to have that adventure with. Today we’re pausing to consider our options for the future of our business, and we have stopped taking orders.
‘We have reviewed all of our orders and if we see that we are unable to make your shoes, you will be fully refunded.’
Shoes of Prey co-founder Jodie Fox (pictured) explained ‘like every company behind the scenes we faced struggles’
The company is famed for it’s unique take on the shoe market, one that allowed customers to design their own shoes
The brand, which launched in 2009, is famed for its unique take on the shoe market, and counts names such as Rihanna, Kate Middleton and Elle Macpherson as customers.
Using their online 3D designer customers were able to design their dream shoe from scratch, from the fabric used, to the colour of the sole, and have these delivered within weeks.
In a longer explanation shared on Instagram, the brand’s co-founder Jodie Fox said ‘just like every company behind the scenes we faced struggles’.
‘While the all the data was positive, we were not really able to crack mass-market adoption.
‘We remain passionate and positive about our vision.’
A statement released by Jodie Fox on Instagram explained in more depth why the business was halting production
Speaking previously to Daily Mail Australia, Ms Fox explained why she decided to launch the company in the first place.
‘I’d always liked shoes, but I never loved them because I couldn’t find exactly what I was looking for,’ she said.
‘Either it wasn’t quite the right colour, there was an embellishment I didn’t like, or not quite the right heel height. I didn’t love shoes until I could design them myself.’
Jodie Fox, 35, raised $30 million in investment for the online customised shoe company Shoes of Prey
She was aiming to solve a problem many women have while shoe shopping – finding the right fit in the right colour in the shape she wanted
In 2009, the 36-year-old raised $30.6 million to launch her business.
In the same year, Ms Fox and with her husband, and their friend Mike Knapp, set up shop, working from the couple’s one bedroom flat in Sydney.
‘In the beginning, our biggest hurdle was getting other people to understand what it was we were doing. We had to provide a lot of education around the idea, she said.
‘We also had to build our reputations from scratch, as we were three twenty-somethings building a totally pie-in-the-sky idea.’
More than six million shoes have been designed on Shoes of Prey’s website since then, shipping to 100 countries and worn anywhere from the shops to the catwalk.
Ms Fox moved to Los Angeles in 2014 to grow the business in the U.S., which is now ‘by far’ its biggest market, with 200 staff in Australia, LA, and Asia.
The Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton was a fan of the brand