Press

Isaac Wang, shoe designer and owner of Leapin Lizard, has been in the business for 21 years. He works with a team of seven other designers and shoe-makers. He even has his own factory, located in Tampines, to ensure better quality control.

‘The right pair of shoes can really enhance someone’s confidence,’ says the soft-spoken. ‘It’s a very small thing but a glamorous dress without the right shoes won’t look right.’

He designs shoes in a variety of styles for those with problem feet (such as those with bunions or of different sizes on the left and right feet), as well as shoes for brides, dancers and the occasional celebrity.

Once, he was commissioned to make a pair of shoes encrusted with semi-precious gems for a local jeweler, which ended up costing about $30,000.

However, he has modest ambitions. He likes keeping things more small-scale so that he can focus on each order. ‘When I see satisfied customers who love the shoes that I make, it makes my day.’

*This article was first published in Urban, The Straits Times