Business1 min read

From Singapore’s heartlands to luxury footwear: How Mashizan Masjum built a business on his own terms

By · Published by Everything Blog

In short

Following his departure from corporate television in his early 40s, Mashizan studied shoemaking during a 2013 sabbatical in Italy before launching his brand in 2015. Although his debut line caught the attention of department stores, customer feedback urged a swift pivot away from extreme 11cm heels toward wearable alternatives. The label overcame operational doubts in 2017 and weathered the pandemic by prioritizing practical footwear. Now, his limited-edition collections center around flats, sneakers, and modest heels capping between 5cm and 7cm.

Key points

  • The luxury label manufactures limited-edition footwear that is entirely handmade by artis…: The luxury label manufactures limited-edition footwear that is entirely handmade by artisans in Florence.
  • Listening to practical customer feedback enabled the brand to endure significant business…: Listening to practical customer feedback enabled the brand to endure significant business uncertainty in 2017 and during the pandemic.
  • The company's most popular commercial products now consist of sneakers, flats, kitten hee…: The company's most popular commercial products now consist of sneakers, flats, kitten heels, and lower heights capped under 7cm.

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Once a television producer, the Singaporean now creates limited-edition shoes handmade in Florence for an international clientele. But building his luxury footwear label has meant learning when to adapt, rethink his designs and listen to his customers.

Mashizan Masjum’s first women’s shoe collection had all the elements of an escapist bling fantasy. There were heels towering up to 11cm, bold colours, iridescent leather and enough Swarovski crystals to send a magpie into a frenzy. After nearly two decades in television, the Singaporean had gone to Florence to learn how to make shoes and returned with a new creative itch that the media industry could no longer scratch.

The collection, launched in 2015, got fashion tongues wagging. Press coverage came hard and fast, and soon department stores started knocking. But women trying on his shoes kept telling Mashizan the same thing: The heels were simply too high.

“I listened to my customers,” said Mashizan, now 53. “You have to understand what’s practical and what they want.”

So he lowered the heels. By the time he presented his next collection at Singapore…

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