Sports Direct was selling Louboutin heels online this weekend – but they’ve been taken off the website
Budget sports retailer Sports Direct moved into uncharted territory this weekend as it started selling Christian Louboutin heels.
Sports Direct is known for its discount tracksuits and, most recently, for not paying its workers the minimum wage.
Read more: Sports Direct shares jump as Mike Ashley takes control
But now it appears the company wants to move into French luxury retail by stocking Christian Louboutin's high heels, normally worn by the likes of Kate Middleton and Victoria Beckham.
https://twitter.com/caitlinellis_x/status/782339284871282688
Several Twitter users expressed their surprise, posting screenshots of the nude heels on Saturday. But now the webpage with the heels has disappeared.
The heels stocked with Sports Direct appear to be the Pigalle Patent heels, which sell on the Louboutin website for £455.
So, Sports Direct really are selling Louboutin heels, I am so confused. pic.twitter.com/G9Fco6IQOd
— HAYLEY MCQUEEN (@HayleyMcQueen) October 1, 2016
At the company's annual general meeting, Mike Ashley said he wanted to make Sports Direct the "Selfridges of sports" – but the Louboutin shoes will still come as a shock to Sports Direct's shoppers.
The company also owns up-market fashion retailer Flannels, which could be a reason for the mix-up.
The mysterious move comes after Sports Direct's co-founder Mike Ashley took over as chief executive, after years on the board as majority shareholder.
Read more: Sports Direct bags Oxford Street address for Flannels
His challenge now is to repair Sports Direct's reputation after it was left in tatters by a parliamentary report that slammed the company for running its warehouse in Shirebrook like a "Victorian workhouse" and failing to pay its workers the minimum wage.
After an HMRC investigation, Sports Direct was forced to make backpayments to its workers.
Sports Direct and Christian Louboutin have been approached for comment.