When breaking in a new pair of Charles & Keith sandals, a woman in Singapore had a bad case of blisters, which worsened into a foot infection just days after she bought the new footwear.
Subsequently, she took to TikTok to express her discontent with the homegrown fashion brand, in a video posted on Aug. 13.
@xuanzxuan Charles & Keith is very well known local Singapore brand. Never though I expect I could gotten infection from wearing their in-house brand shoe product. “Shoe-Bite” is very common for every new pair of shoes unfortunately NOT as worst as my ankle condition now. My wounds get worsen day by day from a tiny cut become a pig trotter NOW! Some people say maybe is the material not good or maybe allergic? 🤔 Because of NEW shoes that I bought and now I have to take antibiotic to prevent it continue swollen and pain these got me. @CHARLES & KEITH #singapore #imm ♬ original sound - Xuanz Xuan
Experienced discomfort after an hour
The customer, surnamed See, told Mothership that she bought the flatform sandals from the Charles & Keith IMM outlet on Aug. 8.
Having tried on the sandals at the shop, she liked the design and said that they "fit nicely". They cost her S$70.
However, after wearing them for an hour the next day, her feet experienced some "irritation and discomfort", and before long, cuts and blisters started to form.
See wrote that she was aware of "shoe-bite", which refers to the pain or soreness commonly experienced when wearing new pairs of shoes, but it was more than what she had bargained for.
Escalated into inflammation and swelling
Over the next couple of days, the discomfort escalated, and her feet became inflamed and swollen.
"My wounds worsen day by day, from a tiny cut become a pig trotter (sic)" she wrote in her post.
She also suspected that the infection might be caused by the material of the shoe or an allergic reaction.
See's worsening feet condition prompted her to seek medical attention on Aug. 11, and she was told that she had a foot infection "with fluid coming out".
Additionally, she was prescribed antibiotics to prevent the infection from spreading to her ankle, which otherwise could have caused her to end up in hospital.
Charles & Keith offered a refund
See said the unforeseen turn of events had disrupted her daily routine.
"This has caused difficulty in getting my daily routine done, such as getting groceries at the supermarket," she noted, adding that she has not been able to go for her weekly gym sessions either.
She has since flagged the case to Charles & Keith and has been offered a refund on the sandals if she brings them back to the original outlet.
No compensation was offered for the medical treatment she underwent, she said.
See added that the whole experience made her feel disappointed and regretful.
"Charles & Keith is very well known local Singapore brand. Never thought I could gotten infection from wearing their in-house brand shoe product (sic)," she wrote.
At this point, she is waiting for her feet to recover, but worries that the "scars are still visible".
Other users shared similar experiences
In the comments on See's video, many users wished her a swift recovery.
Some echoed her sentiments about Charles & Keith footwear, saying that they faced similar issues with new shoes from the brand.
Charles & Keith's response
In response to Mothership's queries, a spokesperson from Charles & Keith said they are sorry to hear that a customer might have had such an experience, and hoped that her foot has since healed.
"The brand takes extreme care in quality control, and we encourage her to connect with us directly so we can better understand the situation," the spokesperson added.
Top image from xuanzxuan on TikTok.