Australian shoe brand Volley will open 50 stores in China following a surge in online demand.

The 79-year-old brand became unexpectedly popular after Mandopop diva Faye Wong was photographed wearing then at Hong Kong International Airport. Subsequent orders online crashed the company’s e-commerce platform.

With the success of a trial pop-up store in Beijing, the brand’s first shop will open in Shanghai later this month.

Collective brand manager John Szwede said the celebrity focus was a major factor in deciding to open the stores. In a discussion with the Australian Financial Review, he said: “Since opening the pop-up store in May, we’ve had our biggest growth month in China ever. The split between online and physical store sales is almost 50-50. It’s remarkable how big the market is.”

Szwede added that 70 per cent of the brand’s wholesale sales are now going to China.