The game's afoot

Today, there is also a shop in Elements mall in Kowloon, which has its fair share of Chinese mainland customers who, as Mak painfully admits, "is not yet a sophisticated market and puts more importance on celebrity endorsement and if the shoes look expensive enough or recognizable".

Mak summarizes what most retailers already know and talks about buying patterns not unlike those in other parts of the world, "Customers want their money's worth and if they buy a shoe for HK$ 6,000, they should be able to get a lot of use out of it. There is a customer that really wants something unique and in-your-face but I would say that is only 1 percent of our business.

"Often they see a particular shoe of the season, look at it, try it on but they will end up buying a simple court or basic flat."

Sanderson explains, "Although they may not buy the fashion-forward pieces, they have to be in there. When a woman buys a court or low-heeled shoe or flats, there should be the magic from the crazy shoe that is evident in the flats."

Rupert Sanderson shoes do not have obvious design details like brightly colored soles, logos, pilgrim or rhinestone buckles, that would instantly identify a brand. In fact, it was only last year that the designer decided it was time to subtlety "communicate handmade in Italy with a branding device that did not compromise individual design".

He chose to use a benchmarking device from carpentry that involves a smear of gold paint as if done with a thumb, in the inside of each heel. Mak, on the other hand, started selling a collection of shoes with heels coated in 24-karat gold leaf only available in Hong Kong.

"I think it is essential for each brand to have a signature, not necessarily a logo, that people can recognize. This (gold heel) has not been done by other brands because it is expensive to do, labor intensive and delicate," Mak explains.

"How do you stand out among your friends with something unique?" asks Mak, who then answers, "This is where we come in with our products and controlled quantities. Two ladies bumping into each other wearing the same pair of (our) shoes is extremely low unlike with Louboutin or Roger Vivier. But it's ultimately about business which comes with growth. There is a delicate balance between exclusivity, who you sell to and your buys, yet we have to be a viable business to stay afloat in this competitive market."

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