Trained by Japan’s best for nearly a decade, this Singaporean now handcrafts bespoke shoes under his own label

When Tor Cheng Yao moved to London to study economics in 2012, he didn’t expect to fall in love with shoes.

Like many Singaporean students overseas, his time at University College London was meant to set him on a path toward a conventional career – perhaps in banking, consulting, or the civil service. Instead, it led him down an unorthodox road paved with calf leather, cobbler’s tools and a growing obsession with fine, hand-welted footwear.

“I was just browsing online and came across blogs like The Shoe Snob,” he recalled. “That’s when I realised you could actually restore shoes. In Singapore, we usually just throw them out.”

With its centuries-old tradition of bespoke shoemaking and heritage brands like Church’s and Joseph Cheaney & Sons, London offered Tor a front-row seat to the craftsmanship and culture behind classic British footwear. Eventually, he ventured east to Tokyo, where he trained under some of Japan’s most revered shoemakers.

After nearly a decade honing his skills overseas, the 34-year-old returned to Singapore earlier this year to launch Fumu, a bespoke men’s footwear label that applies traditional hand-welted shoemaking techniques to modern, wearable styles. The brand retails online, and Tor works out of a shared studio in Tai Seng, where customers can book appointments to be fitted and discuss their shoes in person.

AN UNCONVENTIONAL PATH

“Like my peers, I did apply to jobs at investment banks, etc,” he admitted with a laugh. “But I was never really serious about it, and I think the banks knew my heart wasn’t in it.”

Instead, it was in shoes – or more precisely, in the quiet, intricate art of making them. What began as a curiosity sparked by internet browsing evolved into a deep interest in traditional shoemaking methods, particularly Goodyear-welted construction. “The idea that you could repair and restore a shoe rather than throw it out really resonated with me,” he shared.

Working part-time at heritage shoemaker Joseph Cheaney & Sons, Tor immersed himself in the arcane world of fine British footwear. He learned how to polish leather to a mirror shine, evaluate fit, and what separated a well-made shoe from a merely good-looking one. On a student budget, he even invested in a few classic pairs – not just to wear, but to study.

It wasn’t long before he wanted to try making his own. He approached several of the capital’s revered bespoke houses, including Foster & Son, but was turned away. “To even get in, you need to already know how to make a pair of shoes. They don’t teach beginners,” said Tor.

Workshops for casual learners were prohibitively expensive, so he searched further afield. During summer breaks, he took short shoemaking courses at TaF.tc (Textile and Fashion Industry Training Centre) in Singapore. Through online research, he also found schools in Italy and Japan that offered proper training. Then, fate intervened.

One day, a Japanese distributor for Cheaney visited the shop where Tor worked. On a whim, he asked if he could go to Japan and learn shoemaking. The distributor said yes – and to contact him after graduation.

And so, in 2016, Tor and his girlfriend (now wife) relocated to Tokyo. There, he worked full-time for Watanabe, a trading company and retail outfit known for its British luxury imports, while attending shoemaking classes once a week at The Shoemaker’s Class, a school run by celebrated artisan Noriyuki Misawa.

Misawa is known for blending traditional techniques with sculptural innovation – his shoes have been exhibited in galleries, and worn by celebrities such as Adrien Brody. Under his guidance, Tor built six pairs of shoes from scratch, starting with a classic brown Oxford. The process was painstaking – his first pair took six months. “It was actually very poorly done,” he laughed. “You can see holes in the sole.”

His sixth creation filled him with pride – until he brought it to Yohei Fukuda, one of Japan's most respected bespoke shoemakers. The comparison was humbling.

“I was feeling good about them,” said Tor. “Then I saw Fukuda’s shoes next to mine, and it was clear: I wasn’t ready to sell anything yet.”

Rather than discouragement, this became a turning point. Fukuda connected him with master craftsman Kiyo Udagawa, who refined Tor's technique, and later invited him to work part-time in his own atelier.

THE PHILOSOPHY OF IMPERMANENCE

“In Japan, they’ll spend hours refining a curve, reworking a stitch, even if no one else will ever notice. And they do it not because of the customer, but because of their own standard,” shared Tor.

This pursuit of perfection, combined with kaizen – the Japanese philosophy of continuous improvement – shaped Tor’s outlook not just on shoemaking, but on life itself. It taught him to embrace discipline while remaining grounded in the present; to keep refining, while accepting that nothing is ever truly permanent.

This philosophy is stitched into every pair of Fumu shoes through a hidden sakura motif beneath the tongue. “It reflects the transience of nature and time,” Tor explained. “Nothing lasts forever. We must cherish every moment, and live in the present.”

The sentiment is personal too. His second and third pairs ever made were matching wedding shoes for himself and his wife. "I wasn't a great artisan back then," he grinned, "but I couldn't imagine wearing shoes made by someone else on my big day."

Even now, he wears mostly his own creations. “Wouldn’t it be strange for a shoemaker to wear other brands?” he quipped.

BALANCING ART AND COMMERCE

After nearly a decade abroad, Tor returned to Singapore earlier this year to launch Fumu – Japanese for “to step” – a bespoke men's footwear label that applies traditional hand-welted techniques to modern, wearable styles.

A bespoke pair of Fumu shoes takes approximately 130 hours to make. The process begins with a personalised consultation, during which clients discuss their preferences – from shoe style and leather types to colour, construction and finishing details.

Tor then takes precise measurements of each foot and carves a personalised wooden last – a three-dimensional form that replicates the shape of the wearer’s foot – and develops a custom pattern. A trial fitting follows, allowing for further refinement to ensure a perfect fit. Only after all adjustments are made does he begin crafting the final pair. It’s a meticulous journey that can take anywhere from eight to 12 months, and costs upwards of S$6,000.

As fulfilling as it is to craft shoes entirely by hand, Tor is pragmatic about commercial realities. “I don’t think I could support my family that way,” said the father to a five-year-old son.

Enter the Travellers Collection, made-to-order Japanese and Italian calf leather sneakers that bring elements of traditional craftsmanship to a more accessible format. Unlike bespoke shoes, made-to-order pairs follow standard sizing, but are still individually produced with premium materials and careful hand-finishing. Priced at S$798 and requiring around 16 hours of work, they offer a taste of artisanal quality without the bespoke price tag.

The collection's name is intentional. “I want to inspire people to step out of their comfort zone,” Tor explained. “In Singapore, we're taught to follow a certain path: Study hard, get a good job. But my time in Japan showed me there are other ways to live. That you can create your own path.”

THE JOURNEY CONTINUES

Now based in a shared studio in Tai Seng, Tor handcrafts each pair of Fumu shoes himself. His long-term goal is to build a small, sustainable shoemaking industry in Singapore – one that offers opportunities to skilled artisans who might not fit into the country's high-tech, degree-focused economy.

In the meantime, he’s focused on telling stories through shoes.

"When I complete a pair, it represents my journey as a shoemaker," he reflected. "But the shoe isn't done yet. It's only complete when someone puts it on and goes on a journey of their own."

Whether that journey leads to a wedding, a career change, or a long-awaited adventure, Tor hopes that his shoes will be there for the wearer when they decide to take that crucial step forward – with intention, purpose, and the knowledge that some things are worth investing in for the long haul.