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CHARLES & KEITH, FOOTWEAR CHAIN
Established in 1996, the very first Charles & Keith outlet was opened by brothers Charles and Keith Wong in Amara Shopping Centre.
They had worked in their mother's shoe shop in Ang Mo Kio Central since they were young.
Now, their fashionable footwear chain has expanded into 18 boutiques in Singapore and more than 100 stores in the region, going as far as the United Arab Emirates, Pakistan, Egypt, Australia and India.
Their shoes are priced affordably from $20 to $50 a pair. This year, they have added to their collection a range of belts and sunglasses.
The company's corporate communications manager, Lau Tse Ling, offers some insights into the business.
How have you contributed to the Singapore fashion scene?
It has provided affordable and fashionable footwear for locals who had previously depended heavily on expensive imported shoes.
What struggles did you face along the way?
When Charles & Keith started, many factories and suppliers did not want to work with us. The brand has also experienced limited capabilities in operational issues such as human resource and warehousing in the beginning.
What is the Singapore look?
It's a unique combination of being sensitive to cultural differences, fashion trends, world changes and being well-educated.
Which aspect of the Singapore style would you change?
Style is subjective and changes all the time so there's really no right answer to that.
>> Singapore style
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