Joanne Peh and daughter create capsule shoe collection
Joanne Peh could not be more proud to see her daughter’s dream of wanting to be a shoe designer become a reality.
The local actress said her nine-year-old, known only by her nickname Mimi, has had that career aspiration from a young age. At age four, the girl fashioned her first footwear, a pair of ballet shoes made of aluminium foil and ribbons.
Now, the duo have collaborated with PrettyFit to create a capsule shoe collection as part of the home-grown footwear brand’s 30th anniversary celebrations.
Apart from ballet flats, the PrettyFit x Joanne Peh & Mimi collection also features sandals and sneakers. Priced from $63.90 to $99.90, the shoes are available in sizes 28 to 33 (junior) and 34 to 41 (adult). They will go on sale from Aug 28 at PrettyFit’s retail outlets and website.
Peh, 41, told The Straits Times that she was approached by the company, which had an idea for a mother-daughter collection.
She jumped at the opportunity, as she knew Mimi would love to be part of the process, which began in March. The girl also enjoys drawing and painting, and went through a phase where she designed dresses for her dolls.
The former Mediacorp artiste also has a seven-year-old son with her China-born actor-husband Qi Yuwu, 47. The celebrity couple have never revealed their kids’ names and faces on social media.
“We had the freedom to decide what styles we wanted,” said Peh of the tie-up.
Her daughter played around with various colours and fabrics before they consulted PrettyFit’s designers, who would then create a prototype.
One of the designs in the PrettyFit x Joanne Peh & Mimi capsule collection is the ballet flat, which pays homage to the first shoes Mimi made.
The Celestial Flats ($79.90), crafted from supple patent leather, have a bow and a shimmering metallic front, and are available in four colours – silver, rose gold, blue and black.
Peh said her daughter also had to learn to accept the practical aspects of shoe design. She cited an instance when Mimi, a cat lover, insisted on using fur in one of the designs and “suggested having a tail as part of it”.
“I had to explain to her that adults have to wear the shoes too, so in that aspect, I have the final say,” said Peh with a laugh.
In the end, they compromised on a cat motif. The Misty Sandals ($63.90) – with 5cm block heels for women and 2cm heels for girls – feature an embroidered cat face and come in white, blue and black.
Mother and daughter wanted sneakers in their collection too, and opted for a high-cut version.
Peh, whose pet peeve is seeing shoelaces coming undone, said: “You know how it is with children. They sometimes don’t bother tying the shoelaces when they come undone, then the laces are stepped on, and they get dirty and disgusting.”
So the Starlit Sneakers ($99.90), crafted from airy mesh, leather and fabric in white, pink, blue and black, feature fixed laces with a Velcro strap to ensure a secure fit.
This mother-daughter shoe collection works well for Peh as she dislikes going out with her daughter wearing the same clothes.
“I find twinning very cringey,” said the award-winning star, explaining that with shoes, they can at least sport the same style in different colours.
Having Mimi as part of PrettyFit’s campaign may mean the end of her anonymity, something Peh and Qi have insisted on since their children were born.
“My husband and I always reinforce the stand to keep our children’s identity private. We were prepared that she might be in the spotlight when we decided to do this collaboration. I’m very thankful to the PrettyFit team, who were very receptive to the idea of doing the campaign photoshoot without revealing her face,” said Peh.
“She’s still shy and not ready to be put out in public. We want to protect her from any issues that may arise from being in the limelight.”
Nevertheless, Peh said working on the collaboration has been an empowering experience for her daughter.
“It’s also rewarding for me to see the new ideas she has and how she has grown as an artist. Hopefully, the collection will be successful and then perhaps we can push out new ones at various times of the year.”
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