By Jacqueline Tan

RUNNING a showroom at the office filled with a dizzying array of footwear is a dream job for shoe fiends.

For Ms Sophia Ng, 43, founder and manager director of prettyFIT, test-fitting sandals and stilettos, pumps and platforms is only a small part of her job. Her prettyFIT label, which she started single-handedly 13 years ago, is today found in 17 countries, including Australia, Dubai, Turkey, China, Vietnam and India. Her next stop: Bulgaria.

She owns the boutiques in Singapore and Malaysia, while the rest make up the prettyFIT franchise.

The label had a humble beginning as a consignment counter at Isetan Orchard in 1995. The auditor, quit her job at a bank and started out virtually a one-woman show, with only a driver and a sales promoter assisting her.  

"I started out by bringing in trendy shoes from overseas I felt would go well with our local women," recalls Ms Ng (above, seated right). "Back then, I had already decided to focus more on the quality and design instead of expanding too quickly."

She opened her first prettyFIT boutique at Wisma Atria in 1998 and a second one at Bugis Junction. Soon after, the second shop closed after the lease expired. Currently, she has two outlets - one at Wisma Atria and another at CityLink Mall, with a third opening at Jurong Point later this year.

She also started BeetleBug, a men's line in 2000, which has two stores - one is at Wisma Atria and the other shares the same premises with prettyFIT at CityLink. Today, she heads a 40-person team in Singapore and over 20 staff at her factory in Guangzhou, China.

Her early collections were mostly fun, colourful and casual footwear for women in their 20s. The label now carries designs for women from 25 to 40 years old. Her casual shoes come with accessories or vibrant fabric motifs while the corporate shoes always have a twist - never boring black basics. There is also prettyFIT Else, a diffusion line comprising footwear made from synthetic leather.

"The Else line targets women in their early and mid-20s. It has a lower price point without compromising on quality," says Ms Ng.

Unlike other successful local boutiques that make their presence felt at every mall, Ms Ng keeps her expansion plans minimal.

"I want prettyFIT to have a more exclusive feel and not end up like a convenience store. With fewer outlets here, there's better quality control on the products and the service."

Instead of expanding locally, Ms Ng sets her sights on taking the prettyFIT label overseas. "It's exciting and very challenging to help our franchisees come up with styles and designs that suit their consumers. I travel once or twice a month to meet them and help them develop their product line," she says.

The self-confessed workaholic also attends trade shows two to three times a year in Italy to suss out the latest trends and styles.

"I work on all our collections from the start and we churn out over 500 styles each year. My team and I work out each collection's size and category breakdown, the sampling process and finally, the fitting. I personally try every fit and shoe we make," says Ms Ng, adding that she is "heavily involved in the entire product development process".

"I work hard and push myself very hard," adds Ms Ng, who is happily single. "With the local stores and overseas franchisees to take care of, I've to be on top of things. Passion for what I do is what drives me."