Steve Pateman

Steve Pateman is renowned for telling stories and anecdotes from how he went from the back streets of Earls Barton to a BBC2 programme “ The Kinky Boot Factory” which millions of people have watched worldwide. Subsequently, the story was adapted into the film “ Kinky Boots” and then into a Broadway musical of the same name.

Steve started in the family shoe business W J Brookes straight from school at the age of 17 where he learnt the trade from his farther, eventually taking over the running of the factory when his farther retired. When a down turn in the shoe industry led Steve to look to new ideas he stumbled into the market of making kinky boots for the transvestites and transgender community.

A series of events then led him into a world of new experiences, people and celebrities as well as becoming a television star BBC2 programme, The Kinky Boot Factory.

The documentary where shaving his legs and learning to walk in six-inch stiletto heels are just two of the things he did to save his family business. The programme caught the attention of film-makers and in 2005 became the film Kinky Boots. Now the New York stage version has won the Tony award for Best Musical.

Watch “Trailer: Kinky Boots” on YouTube.