I’ve spent £28k on 400 pairs of shoes but STILL can’t resist a new set of heels!
BOOTS, stilettos, platforms, loafers, pumps ... Katie Porter’s shoe collection would probably make Imelda Marcos go green with envy.
Over the past 30 years, the well-heeled 49-year-old has splashed out an astonishing £28,000 on over 400 pairs.
Her brightly-coloured assortment is displayed floor-to-ceiling in a tiny bedroom in her London apartment – because she cannot bear to hide them away in boxes.
The shoes, which make up one of Britain’s largest collections, range from charity shop bargains to high-end brands.
In her 14ft by 16ft bedroom, Topshop boots sit alongside designer heels by Alexander McQueen and Vivienne Westwood.
And her hoard is still growing – mainly because she just can’t resist buying more. In fact, the freelance events manager will often impulsively buy a pair as soon as she sets eyes on them. The divorced mother-of-one, from Hammersmith, said: ‘When I go to other people’s houses they have their books all on display on shelves.
But I have my shoes because it says far more about my personality, I think they are fascinating.
‘I absolutely love all the different shapes and colours they come in. That’s what makes them really attractive.
‘I might have spent tens of thousands of pounds on shoes but it’s completely worth it to me. They bring me so much joy and they are things I can actually wear.’
Miss Porter’s earliest memories are of playing in heels as a toddler, and after buying her first pair of heels aged just 12, she began avidly collecting them at 19 and has not stopped since. She said: ‘I’m sure I’ll keep going until I’m 100. My interest in shoes goes back as far as I can remember.
‘There were a pair of plastic heels in the dressing up box at play group and infant school and I would always pick those.
‘I bought my first pair of shoes for myself when I was 12 or 13. They were leopard skin Chelsea boots from BOY on the King’s Road in London and they were marvellous.
‘I paid for them using birthday and Christmas money. I can’t remember the price any more but I know they wouldn’t have been cheap.
‘When I went to Charters School in Sunningdale, the actress Diana Dors would drop her son off in an open-top Rolls Royce [wearing] matching coat and heels. She was just amazing and was something of an icon for me.
‘Then my father got lots of work in France and the women were so chic. They would colour match and were always in heels and they wouldn’t think twice about making themselves look glamorous. I liked that.’
And for her, the saying is absolutely true: ‘You can never have too many shoes.’
Despite the impressive size of her collection, Miss Porter says it could have been even larger had she not thrown dozens of pairs away over the years.
She tries to make sure her favourites are repaired repeatedly, but admits to regretting letting go of some heels too soon.
She said: ‘I’ve bought my shoes from everywhere I have seen them over the years. It doesn’t matter to me where they come from, they can be designer or come from a charity shop.
‘This winter my favourite pair of shoes have been a pair of yellow boots from Topshop I picked up for less than £50. They’re wonderful.
‘That’s what great about my collection.
‘You can never have too many’
It’s not that niche and so many people enjoy shoes, so it’s accessible to people.
‘I love watching other people to see what they are wearing. I’m forever paying attention to people’s feet to see what they have on.’
Miss Porter added: ‘I spend hours looking at my shoes, sometimes just lying back on my bed and admiring my ankle while I try them on.
‘It’s good to have something that keeps you happy, and for me it’s definitely enjoying my collection.’