Melaka sisters prove local footwear can be both chic and comfortable

KUALA LUMPUR: When it comes to footwear, why should women have to choose between comfort and style? Why can’t a pair of shoes feel as good as they look?

Those questions led to Machino, a homegrown footwear brand founded in 2020 by Melaka-born sisters Amy and Esther Tai. The siblings found themselves drawn to the footwear industry during the pandemic despite having little prior experience in the business.

“We had been thinking about starting something of our own because our mother was involved in the fashion industry, making custom-made clothing,” Esther told FMT Lifestyle.

“Around that time, we met up with a shoe manufacturer in KL and visited his factory. That’s when we started exploring the idea of getting into the footwear business.”

After six months of research and development, the sisters came up with a shoe featuring a thick sponge insole, designed to be more comfortable for women who had to stand or walk for long periods. “Not many shoes had that at the time.”

The idea proved popular. The sisters began selling them online, before gradually expanding into pop-up stores and becoming familiar faces at local markets and events.

With backgrounds in marketing, Amy and Esther had to learn the ins and outs of the fashion and footwear industry as they went along.

They held on to the belief that, as shoe lovers themselves, they understood what customers were looking for.

Their growing customer base eventually led to the opening of two physical outlets, one in Subang and another in IOI City Mall, Putrajaya.

Today, the brand offers footwear for women and children, alongside handbags, passport holders, and even feline-themed merchandise cheekily branded as “Meowchino”.

Beyond its emphasis on comfort and practicality, the sisters believe the brand’s customer-first approach has helped set it apart.

“A lot of startups like to focus on influencer marketing. That’s great, but why centre the VIP treatment on influencers instead of your faithful customers, the people who actually buy your products?

“That’s why we decided to build a community-based, customer-centric brand,” Amy said.

“We are highly appreciative of all our customers, some of whom have been with us since day one. It fits with the three pillars of our business: comfort, confidence and community.”

For Amy and Esther, one of the biggest milestones came recently when Machino was named to the Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia list in the Retail & E-commerce category.

The sisters are among a select group of Malaysians including entrepreneur Daniel Woodroof and social activist Allison Choong.

Looking ahead, they hope to bring Machino beyond Malaysia, introducing their products to customers in Singapore and other markets.

More importantly, they hope their story serves as proof that local brands can compete on a bigger stage.

“Footwear is very important: it affects your posture and boosts your confidence. There are many shoes out there, but we believe Machino offers a balance of fashion and function,” Esther said.

Amy agreed. “You always need to make sure you’re addressing and resolving your customers’ pain points. At the end of the day, we’re not just selling shoes – we’re selling a lifestyle.”

Follow Machino on Instagram.