Kat Maconie has received investment from Pembroke VCT plc (“Pembroke”) a new VCTfounded by serial entrepreneur Peter Dubens to invest in early-stage consumer facing businesses. The investment will be used to expand mainline collections, focus on sales and marketing and develop a sophisticated e-commerce platform for the business.

Andrew Wolfson, Chief executive of Pembroke said “The Pembroke team were all impressed by Kat’s passion, commercial judgement and determination which have already made her a credible brand in the mid-market shoe business. Kat’s brand has already gained a fantastic amount of press coverage and standing and we feel that there is a great opportunity for growth. Kat is exactly the sort of founder we had in mind when setting up Pembroke and we are thrilled to be a part of the company’s future.”

Kat Maconie, founder and CEO of Kat Maconie said: “I am extremely excited to receive the investment from such an established and influential team. The investment is going to enable me to take the business to the next level and I have already secured some fantastic introductions via their large network of high profile contacts. The aim is to truly cement the brand as house hold name which I have no doubt can be achieved”

Whilst working in fashion recruitment, Kat Maconie identified a gap in the market for “fashionable, designer-looking, comfortable high heel shoes” at a medium price point. Alongside her full time job, the young entrepreneur enrolled at evening shoe design classes at the London College of Fashion and began seeking out sustainable and cost-viable manufacturers overseas. Finally able to quit her fashion job and focus her energies fully on her business, Kat launched her eponymous designer footwear label in July 2009. The brand is now stocked in over sixteen countries.

Kat Maconie and her team design the shoes in house and they are produced in Brazil. Her collections fuse fashion and function together into creatively designed shoes. Drawing inspiration from trims found in British antique shops and vintage markets; detail is paramount to each design and every pair is finished with a signature luxury padded insole.

Kat has generated an incredible amount of press coverage on her own with minimal help from an external PR agency, highlighting the individuality and “wow” factor of her shoe designs. This interest-generating press has secured her a number of wholesale accounts with various leading UK retailers including Selfridges (through Poste Mistress concession), Harvey Nichols (through Poste Mistress concession), Zalando, Nasty Gal and Anthropologie UK and USA. This again highlighted the uniqueness of her brand and her ability as an entrepreneur to attract such wide attention and acclaim with minimum funds and 3rd party support.

Kat Maconie has won a number of design awards including Drapers Designer of the year 2013. She has been short listed for UK Fashion and Textile Association exporter of the year and Drapers Shoe Brand of the year amongst others. Kat was recently invited to join David Cameron on a trade delegation to Brazil to promote trade between the UK and Brazil due to her successful licencing partnership there; accompanying him to a number of high profile events across the country. Kat will be attending a UKTI sponsored trip to Shanghai in October 2013 at Micam Shanghai show; a Government sponsored trip to China alongside nine other UK companies.

About Pembroke VCT plc:

Pembroke was launched on 5 April 2013 to invest in early-stage consumer facing businesses. Pembroke is managed by Oakley Investment Managers LLP, part of the Oakley Group; an asset management and financial advisory business led by private equity veteran Peter Dubens. Peter Dubens is the founder and a non-executive director of Pembroke.

http://www.pembrokevct.com