Entrepreneurial mums solve a footwear dilemma

Anita Klaus and Shamsa van Keulen have a lot in common. Both quit their jobs 10 years ago to be full-time mums, both came to Hong Kong six years ago when their husbands were posted here, and both have eldest sons who are 11 years old.

There's something else they share: a passion for shoes. Van Keulen, a former real estate researcher, admits she has "a fair number" herself. But when it comes to buying shoes for their children, the pair have often been frustrated by the lack of shops stocking quality footwear that appealed to youngsters and also suited their growing feet.

Trying to find the right shoes for their young children usually required a wearying trek round many retailers, Van Keulen says. "Mothers can't predict how their children's feet will grow, especially if they are under-fives who are having a growth spurt. I have made so many expensive mistakes when buying shoes." Klaus, a former occupational therapist, felt the same way: "I have been in Asia for 15 years. I always had difficulty finding quality shoes that properly fit my children's feet."

Klaus and Van Keulen kept hearing similar complaints from their friends. "At schools where we have parent friends, we talk about the need to leave space in the suitcase on trips back to our home countries where we can buy shoes," says Van Keulen. "You cannot tell when your child is going to have a growth spurt. So if I buy sports shoes in summer, they may last only until Easter. What can you do in the six weeks before school ends?"