Updating the Kinky Boots Story The Kent Connection. This is the true story of how working-class Dover Road, Folkestone become home to a most unusual
shop called Lacies. This is also the story of how a chance encounter with a struggling northamptonshire based footwear manufacturer led to a surprising outcome.
What is the real story that inspired Kinky Boots film & Musical ?
The movie and subsequent musical Kinky boot, was loosely based on this real story. This involved two real people both struggling to make ends meet in their respective businesses. The first was Sue Sheppard, herself transgender, owner of Fantasyshopping, then known as Fantasy Girl.  The other person Steve Pateman, 4th generation owner of family firm W J Brookes & Son who made quality men’s shoes and boots.
Sue started selling female clothes and footwear for the cross-dressing and transgender community simply as a way of making a living. When she transitioned in 1990 she discovered quite quickly that most employers refused to employ transgender women. Originally mail order only she was successful and quite quickly needed to rent premises. An empty shop became available, it had previously been a wool and haberdashery store. She bought it with small a morgage in the summer 1998 for £40,000. This new shop she called Lacies, as she thought a bland name wouldn’t attractive negative attention.
Meanwhile..
At the same time as Sue was establishing the new shop, Steve Pateman the real Charlie Price, was struggling to compete against cheaper foreign competitors. In particular he had just recently lost quite a large order to Asian rivals, this lead him to think of alternative markets for his footwear.
Sue was also becoming increasingly frustrated at being able to procure larger size ladies shoes for men. One day after being told by her supplier that the wait for shoes would be at least 4 months she decided to act. Almost like finding a needle in a haystack she somehow found WJ Brookes and Son, via the British footwear Association. To her surprise a stranger with a midlands accent rang her to say he had got her message and was interested in the making ladies footwear but on male lasts. The rest as they say is history !!
The Kinky Boots Film & Musical, A moral story about Toleration
The Kinky Boots Movie & Musical is a moralistic tale, loosely based on these true events. The moral of the story is that people from totally different backgrounds can get on when they get to know each other beyond negative sterotypes and prejudices. Steve’s struggle to turn his footwear company fired the imagination of Hollywood write Harvey Fierstein, with lyrics and orginasl muscic added by Cyndi Lauper. This resulted in a smash box office musical which has wowed audiences in UK, USA, Europe, Asia, Australia and beyond.
Sue Sheppard Owner of Lacies and fantasygirl
Fantasygirl the first business of its kind to receive government funding as a start up business. The shop in Folkesotne is still trading tot this day and still run by Sue. You can find Lacies Shop, at 127 Dover Road, Folkestone, Kent CT20 1NL Tel 01303 40470 10.30 am to 5 pm
Summary Updating the Kinky Boots Story The Kent Connection 2025 Edit:
Original background information on Sue Sheppard, the real life ‘Lola’ from Kinky Boots.
How the real life Charlie Price and Lola actually amde contact.
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Boss in boots by Steve Pateman, the true story in his own words o f the kinky boots factory owner.
