Only the wearer knows where the shoe pinches. A long-term venture in footwear has acquainted Benny Chee with the peaks and troughs of disposable fashion and supply chain management.
When he first entered the industry two decades ago, the factory he had signed with shuttered right before his store was due to open. Saddled with empty shelves and a three-year commercial lease, he and his partners decided to pivot to selling sequin sandals, then all the rage. There was just one problem. “We had no idea where to start and did the stupidest thing—we flagged down a taxi and asked the driver if he knew any sandal makers. Somehow, we struck gold.”
The SARS pandemic obliterated their first taste of success in retail, so they set up a shoe design and supply business in China with only $10,000. Luck smiled on them a second time when they scored an order for 15,000 pairs within 15 minutes of meeting their first customer. “That was our first big break in trading. We celebrated at Zouk that night,” recounts Chee, adding that they raked in $10 million in four years.
The business however again flatlined when buyers and factories started working together directly. So, in 2016, by then well-versed in creating a trusted brand and quality goods, they decided to establish socially conscious, sustainable lifestyle brand. Anothersole was launched with just one style of soft leather shoes for women.
Gloom-mongers said that the endeavour would fail because Singapore’s climate is too hot, and leather, too difficult to maintain. Chee remained unfazed. “We were determined to deliver comfortable, timeless designs while doing good for the planet and the needy,” he says, sharing that Anothersole donates 10 percent of profits to underprivileged children.
“There was also an opportunity in the travel space for stylish shoes that didn’t take up much luggage space, but were comfortable to wear all day.”
Benny Chee on the origin of Anothersole’s signature shoes
Seven years on, Anothersole operates nine physical stores across the island and its signature lace-up flats are available in more than 150 colours. All of the leathers used are from tanneries certified by the Leather Working Group, the world’s leading environmental certification body for leather producers, which means 100 percent of the water used to produce them is recycled.
Chee attributes the brand’s success to a dogged determination to produce superior products, like finding the best leather shoe manufacturers to incorporate sports technology. It took three years to complete what typically takes three months in order to perfect prototyping and testing, and nail down the supply chain.
Along the way, other shoe designs have been added to the collection. A pair of leather 247 sustainable sneakers, for example, features a sports footbed made from 20 percent castor oil along with recycled PET shoelaces, trims, and linings.
Bags have also been introduced. “Someone wise told us, ‘Listen to your customers, not talk among yourselves’. The Anew bags were launched because of consumer demand,” explains Chee, emphasising that they are also manufactured using PET bottles. “The cost is higher, but we think it is important to make a difference wherever we can. We are not yet fully sustainable but we believe it is an ongoing journey. When new materials emerge, new options will be adopted.”
Having taken a single step, Anothersole seems to be well on its journey of a thousand kilometres. Two months ago, it opened its first outpost in Kuala Lumpur and is presently in talks with other overseas retail partners. As a matter of fact, Chee reckons that its best days are ahead.
His advice for aspiring entrepreneurs? Find a business mentor—it’s going to be a wild ride, and guidance will lead to fewer mistakes. Pick up management in a corporate environment to enhance your understanding of how people and projects can be handled. And start a business before starting a family. “This allows you to take risks without the burdens of a mortgage and familial commitments.”
Art director: Ed Harland
Videographer: Alicia Chong & Yvonne Isabelle Ling
Photographer: Mun Kong
Photographer’s assistant: Teo Ren Jie
Makeup: Aung Apichai & Keith Bryant Lee
Hair: Jenny Ng & Keith Bryant Lee
Watches: Grand Seiko
