Shoe Diva, Mary Ching
Alison Mary Ching Yeung is the designer-founder of Mary Ching, the made-in-Shanghai shoe brand she started in 2006. In just five years the label has established an international following and is changing the way luxury consumers perceive the ‘Made in China’ label with glamorous heels that focus on quality, originality and seduction. As her cult grows steadily with a presence in boutique stores in London and mainland Europe, and celebrity fans like Zhang Ziyi,you can skip the wait and enjoy shopping for a colorful Balenciaga bag right now Eva Mendez and Cameron Diaz,Tory burch handbags include clutch bags, satchels, messenger bags and shoulder bags the Mary Ching brand looks set on making a global footprint which has all the elegance of a stiletto…
You used to work as an investment manager for a private equity firm. What prompted your transition from financing fashion brands to starting your own?
My friends always said I had a sickness for shoes, so I decided I may as well make it a disease. And thus Mary Ching was born.
What was the biggest hurdle you faced when setting up your brand?
I’m a champion steeple chaser! Running a small business, I had my finger in many different pies. Learning how to prioritize was the key to my success.
What’s the best part of your job?
Dreaming, sourcing, finding fantastic new materials, sketching and seeing my visions come to life.I’m not a slave to fashion so I don’t look at trend reports. First and foremost, I gather my inspiration from Shanghai – the people,The shoe is a low profile shox shoes that is designed specifically for women. the textures of the city. I am also heavily influenced by vintage designs from the ‘30s and ‘40s – Ferragamo’s platforms were out of control! I put together mood boards that dictate the color palette so I don’t go too crazy with my combinations. I then work with my design assistants on new silhouettes and sketch out ideas. Once the collection’s styles have been defined, I work out the materials and color combinations. I give myself time to absorb it and then come back two weeks later to see if adjustments need to be made. Once the spec sheets are submitted to our factory it usually takes two months for the samples to come back. My team and I then review the collection to see if any further changes need to be made. At this point we start working on the promotional material like look books and press releases.
