appConfigEntityId

bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

isVideo

articlePageQuery

article

articleSchemaContent

content

hooksArticlePageAdvertisementConfigArticle

hooksArticlePageFloatingButtonConfigArticle

appConfig

filter

json

liveArticle

Nagmani

First the world had Jimmy Choo; now, Malaysia has produced another renowned shoe couturier – Lewré Lew.
While the former has dominated the footwear world for decades and made a name for himself in other accessories too, the latter has been successful in making his presence felt in more than 40 countries worldwide. What makes Lew’s journey more fascinating is that he wasn’t always in high fashion. The designer was once a rubber tapper in his youth.
In an exclusive interview with STYLE, we find out what motivated Lew to become a shoe designer, what it means to him, and what’s in store for the brand as it gains more global recognition.

Lew found his interest in designing shoes for women because many of his lady friends complained about their designer shoes not being comfortable enough.
“While I couldn’t go to any design school, I was fortunate enough to have met and learned from many great designers from countries such as Italy, Japan, Germany and Australia. On top of this list, however, is my own fellow Malaysian sifu dato Professor Jimmy Choo, from whom I got a chance to learn a lot,” he says.
Golden heels? World’s most expensive shoes cost ﻿US$20 million
Today, the brand – which is primarily known as Lewré Bespoke – boasts an impressive history of designing for royalty, celebrities, artists and world leaders. “Our products are 100 per cent custom-made and handcrafted by highly skilled artisans with over 40 years of shoemaking experience. Besides, with my own 35 years of shoe designing experience and vast exposure in the global market, we’re a serious player and professionally designing high-end ladies footwear with superior craftsmanship,” he says. “We believe we’ve built a certain name and trust in this beautiful profession I’m passionate about.”
Inception of Lewré Bespoke as a world-class brand
It’s never easy building a new brand from scratch. “I launched my label in 1997 after being in the market for 10 years designing shoes for different haute designers such as Ben De Lisi, John Rocha, Arkadius Weremczuk, Melinda Looi and Eric Way,” he recalls. “I feel really great when I can say without pause that my collections are so outstanding that the retail stores can’t resist carrying my label today. Most importantly, Jimmy Choo himself was present to cut the ribbon for it at the time. It was an honour for me.”

The ultimate moment for Lew came when the British Malaysia Chamber of Commerce (BMCC) invited him to attend and design six pairs of shoes and two matching clutches for Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge, during her visit to the country in 2012. These were later presented to her as national gifts by the then king and queen of Malaysia at the National Palace.
“Just after this, my label started appearing in the top media outlets from the Western world. I felt honoured,” he says. “I also got a call to design a single piece and a matching clutch for the first lady of China, Madame Peng Liyuan as a national gift to mark the 40th anniversary of China-Malaysia relations.”
The brand has also designed shoes for the current queen of Malaysia and other royalty in Malaysia and Brunei. “We’ve designed for our own superstars such as Siti Nurhaliza, Sheila Majid, Shila Amzah, Michelle Yeoh, etc.”
Lewré’s inspiration and role model
Travelling often gives Lew ideas to reflect on. “Doing meditation with a calm mind too can be a beacon for clearer visions that come from conceptual thoughts in the first place,” he says.
Can Paul Andrew ‘own leather’ for Salvatore Ferragamo?
Salvatore Ferragamo is the one designer who has been a source of inspiration to Lew for many years. “I’ve been a big fan of his since I started in footwear. He came from a big family of 14 siblings and I grew up with 15 siblings. We were both from a poor background,” he says. “I just adore him for his creative shoe designing talent. He designed shoes for celebrities like Marilyn Monroe.”

Lew believes Ferragamo’s dedication and passion, and a keen focus on high-end women made him an icon in that era. “His made-to-order service became a trend for the future,” he says.
Comfort is key
Lew prefers to use leather, particularly fine and soft leather from the calf. Then he turns to fabrics such as silk and Duchess satin from Santa Croce sull'Arno in Tuscany, Italy, which remains his favourite place to source materials. “At times some materials are sourced from Spain, India, China or the Philippines,” he says.
Lew insists that any shoe design must be comfortable. “It’s crucial for us to have this comfort embedded in our high-heeled shoes,” he says.
Which of these shoes is Brad Pitt’s favourite?

To ensure the brand delivers bespoke service, Lew makes sure that everything is done to achieve perfection with a personal touch. “Here we try to understand each individual’s lifestyle and character. Her feet play an important role in designing a right pair of shoes. This is how personal I become when it comes to creating that bespoke design I want to give to my clientele,” he says.

His latest collection titled “520” is inspired by the Princess Diana to whom, he says, he wanted to pay a tribute with a magnificent collection that mirrors her grand persona. “Although it’s been 20 years since the death of HRH Diana, we still remember you and we love you. We’ve used natural birthstones as the key embellishments from a garnet for January to a diamond for April to a sapphire for September. It is a personalised and custom-made design for each individual,” Lew says. “As part of the collection, there is one pair of shoes called 520 (embellished with 1,188 diamonds of 32 carats) which won [a place in] the Malaysia Book of Records as the most expensive pair of ladies shoes at 5 million ringgit [US$1.2 million].”
Lady Gaga loves them – but Kermit Tesoro’s shoes aren’t for everyone

Celebrity endorsement and future agenda
Lew favours the concept of celebrities endorsing brands around the globe, saying: “It’s always an encouragement and recognition for a great name endorsing your work.”

Lew intends to become a major player in the years ahead. “We embark on smart footwear leveraging the loT and AI towards data collections which will enable us to understand our customers’ lifestyle. Designing individualised footwear that could provide each individual with a perfect fitting is the next big thing waiting to happen. This could be the future in shoemaking,” he says.
Want more stories like this? Sign up here. Follow STYLE on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Twitter .


Malaysia deploys air force aircraft for cloud seeding to combat worsening haze

Why the Global South keeps its doors wide open to Russia

Malaysia’s Najib Razak allowed to serve the rest of his term under house arrest

Thailand’s Muslim separatists vow to fight for independence ‘until the end of time’

Malaysia

Kate Middleton is an admirer, Princess Diana inspired his latest collection – who is Malaysian shoe designer Lewré Lew?

Lewré Lew showcases his exquisite design for Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge. Photos: Handouts

heels

Black heels

Dark Blue Flats

Heels

Beige flats

The most expensive ladies shoes by the Malaysia Book of Records

How Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, feels about Prince Andrew, the Hong Kong protests – and being a role model to women around the world

Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, sits down for an exclusive interview with STYLE in Hong Kong. Photo: Bridgette Hall

Who is Sarah Ferguson’s favourite royal? The Duchess of York on online abuse, motherhood and more

Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, talks to STYLE about empowering young women. Photo: Bridgette Hall

US$20 million heels? World’s most expensive shoes are made of solid gold, with 30 carats of diamonds and a 1576 meteorite

A pair of shoes worth almost US$20 millionaire seen during the launch presentation at the Dubai Marina in Dubai. Italian designer Antonio Vietri’s Moon Star Shoes feature 30 carats of diamonds and a small piece of a meteorite discovered in Argentina in 1576. Photos: AFP

A pair of shoes worth 19.9 million US dollars are seen during the launch presentation at the Dubai Marina on October 11, 2019 in Dubai. - The Moon Star Shoes, of Italian designer Antonio Vietri features 30 carats of diamonds and a small piece of a meteorite discovered in Argentina in 1576. (Photo by GIUSEPPE CACACE / AFP)

Magazines

Style

Luxury

People

Celebrities

Lifestyle

Leisure

Tech & Design

In an exclusive interview with STYLE, the shoe couturier tells us about his Lewré Bespoke’s 520 diamond collection, which is embellished with 1,188 sparklers of 32 carats and costs US$1.2 million
