Custom-Made Shoes (and Bags and Belts) in Hong Kong

Wasn’t it Oliver Twist where the boys sang about “Shoes, glorious shoes?”  No?  Regardless…  One of my great shopping adventures in Hong Kong came at the advice of my friend Abbie, who sent me to see David Ng and his wife Sally, the proprietors of A. Beauty Shoes in the Nathan Road section of Kowloon.

Men's shoe styles about at A. Beauty Shoes in Hong Kong

Like many of my readers, I’m a shoe fanatic.  Even so, when we got to the Mirador Mall, I was slightly apprehensive.  Actually, I was convinced we were in the wrong place.  I told Jacob to stay close and not to touch anything.  What a dump!  Water was dripping from the ceiling, construction was happening all around us, and the smell was horrendous.  Then, we found our way to the right shop, and entered a room full of fabulous skins in the most fantastic array of colors.  There was baby crocodile in plums and deep violets, ostrich in midnight blues, python in shiny electric green and brown and ivory, and stingray in ruby and sapphire glistening like bejeweled caviar.  It was like Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory for grown-ups!

Crococile and python skins are but two of many choices at A. Beauty Shoes

First you pick the style you’re looking for, and then you pick your skin (or vice versa).  After these are in place they take a tracing of both of your feet, and take a tape measure and get a few measurements of width and girth around your feet.  Then, they look at you, smile and tell you to come back in a couple of days for a fitting.  The fitting is similar to what you see on Project Runway where the models meet-up with their designers.  David has you stand in the mock-up of the shoe (made in some sort of canvas), and makes marks with white chalk.

Meanwhile, you pay a little bit each time you visit.  20% on the first go around, another 40% at the fitting, etc…  Also, it is expected that you will finagle a bit; so do so – but not obnoxiously.  By the third visit, David (who is an incredible salesman) had sold me on four pairs of shoes and a belt for me, a wallet for Jacob (in the aforementioned electric-green python – very D&G), a clutch (á la VBH’s iconic “manila envelope”) for my stepmother in metallic silver python, and a shoulder bag in matte navy and black python for my mom.  Naturally, I put my own unique stank on everything (raising this heel, elongating that toe, putting this closure on that bag, etc…), but that’s what custom is all about!

The shoes I had made at A. Beauty Shoes

The shoes make me feel like I’m walking on marshmallows, the purses turned-out better than I had hoped, and Jacob adores his new wallet.  Plus, they delivered it all to my hotel.  So, the next time you’re in Hong Kong, get into A. Beauty Shoes.  Your feet and your wallet will thank me!