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Wong gives talks at schools to pro-
“I use new types of cloth such as “Also it has become harder to buy mote the traditional skill to students.
denim and velvet, depending on the materials for making shoes in Sham
seasons and compatibility into daily Shui Po, where many cloth and needle “Youngsters do appreciate tradi-
outfits,” Wong says. work stores have closed down due to tional culture. I put my passion into
decline in demand,” Wong says. this craft. I will persist, until the time
The styles of shoes are also amend- when I accomplish,” she says.
ed. “I have made more slip-resistant At the height of the business when
soles for slippers so they are more her grandparents were running the Edited by Alexia Leung
Edited by Alexia Leung
suitable for wearing outdoors. I de- store, each version with the same size
sign high-heel and more slim-fit edi- and design had 10 pairs produced. Sub-edited by Suan Yeon
Sub-edited by Suan Yeon
tions to make embroidered shoes The store mainly sold ready stock in-
more fashionable,” she says. stead of made-to-order items.

Wong finds that there are support-
ers for both traditional and innovative
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designs, and sometimes older custom-
ers opt for those with unconventional Follow Us on Instagram
patterns such as rabbits and Shiba Inu.

“Most existing customers purchase
our shoes about once a year, especially
for festivals or special occasions such
as Lunar New Year. Some tourists vis- Embroidered shoes with
traditional pattern
iting Hong Kong also buy my shoes,
and most are from Japan,” she says. “There were 20-30 full-time work-
ers back then when my grandparents
were in charge. They had to seek help
from neighbours and friends some-
times before Lunar New Year to meet
the sudden increase in demand,”
Wong recalls.

“A few years ago, I made five to six
pairs of the same size and design. But
now, only one to two pairs for each are
produced,” she says.
Shoes with Shiba Inu and goldfish design
To sustain the business, she scales
Despite Wong’s effort to sustain it down and continues to create more
the business, 2025 is tough for her. new designs to grow customers.
“My shop survived SARS and COVID.
But in 2025, the total change of con- Wong also tries to hold more work-
sumption pattern is a big hit. People shops to promote embroidered shoes.
are more willing to spend money on “Participants can make their own
traveling instead,” Wong says. shoes from scratch and learn about
the meaning of each pattern,” she says.
“The business was good even dur- So far, about 2000 people have joined
ing the pandemic. The embroidered her workshops since 2012, most of
slippers were popular and many pur- them are in their 60s and 80s.
chased them online,” she adds.