Nowhere was that relationship tested more than in 2020, when the pandemic struck. Unable to hold face-to-face trunk shows, Mashizan wondered if his company would survive. As the world went into lockdown, new pairs of luxury shoes were hardly a priority – after all, there was nowhere to go and no occasion to trot around in a glamorous pair of heels.
Mashizan began holding private sessions over Zoom with customers in Singapore, including virtual fittings. To his relief, sales did not dry up entirely. Some clients continued buying shoes, even if they had to wait until the world reopened to wear them.
“Everyone was stuck at home, but then they had all this money to spend,” he recalled with a laugh. “So what do they do? They buy more shoes.”
By then, his decision to build the business around direct relationships rather than depend heavily on department stores had become an advantage. Mashizan could reach out to customers who already knew the label instead of waiting for a wholesale buyer to place another season’s order.
Read Full Article At Source
