Cover Meet the sisters using their platform to empower women in more ways than one
Meet the sisters using their platform to empower women in more ways than one
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Meet the sisters who are using their platform to empower women in more ways than one
In this new series, Tatler speaks to second-generation entrepreneurs about their business journeys. They share more about stepping out on their own, the life lessons learnt through business and how they hope to keep their family legacy alive.
When it comes to footwear, there is no one-size-fits-all. For those with wider feet, like local footwear brand DMK’s co-founder Wendy Ng, the quest for comfortable and stylish shoes is never-ending. The difficulties in finding fashionable footwear for wide feet pushed Ng to start DMK in 2000, which revolutionised the industry for women with similar struggles. 23 years later, Ng’s daughters Eileen and Sophia Goh have taken over the business, and continue to expand the brand in Singapore and Asia.
Ng’s passion for helping women look and feel their best through fashion inspired the sisters to continue the family legacy. As her mum handled the product design and finance teams at DMK, while her dad managed operations-related teams, Eileen revealed that school holidays meant taking trips to the office to watch her parents pour their hearts into the company.
“It was only a matter of time before we fell in love with the world of fashion and business,” she shares, adding that joining the business felt like a natural progression for her and her sister. Like their mum, both sisters understand the importance of well-fitted shoes, which fuelled their desire to take over the business. Today, Eileen is the company’s chief creative officer while Sophia has taken over as the chief operating officer.
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Evolving during trials
When the sisters joined the company, the first step they took was digitalising the brand. This meant setting up the store’s e-commerce platform and revamping social media pages. This proved to be a smart move for the brand, with the pandemic hitting shortly after, which forced their physical retail stores to close and necessitated the shift to online shopping.
Instead of simply trying to stay afloat during this time, the sisters decided to go against the industry trend to invest more in marketing and rebranding. Of course, their hard work had paid off as Eileen shares that the response to the rebrand has been overwhelmingly positive.
The rebrand opened doors both local and abroad. In 2022, they had the opportunity to expand to the US, setting up a pop-up store at Showfields, New York.
Empowering women
The pandemic also forced the sisters to re-assess the brand’s purpose and identity. While DMK had always strived to help women look and feel good, they also wanted their label to serve as a pillar of support for women. Over the years, the sisters have learnt the importance of connecting with customers on a deeper level. Understanding that DMK’s value extends beyond financial gain, the duo places importance on social impact.
Beyond shoes, the sisters have consistently used their platform to raise awareness for various causes within the community, including Breast Cancer Foundation, Daughters of Tomorrow charity organisation and women’s shelter The Star Shelter.
They also believe in the importance of sharing inspiring stories, and how they can help to empower each other. This year, they’ve expanded their mission to focus on helping women feel good both physically and mentally through a DMK boutique that puts the spotlight on inspirational women. Eileen explains that the store hopes to serve as a “powerful reminder of the strength found in courage and community”. These stories are showcased in a custom-designed rotating display in the Plaza Singapura store.
Working as a family
While Eileen admits that working together as a family has its ups and downs, the close bond between the sisters made it easy to have productive discussions with each other, finding solutions regardless of differing opinions. She also believes their connection since childhood has laid the foundation for their working relationship. Their shared mission of “making a meaningful impact on the lives of women both in and beyond the world of fashion” constantly serves as their guide to navigating any conflicts.
Sophia adds: “By practising open and honest communication, we create a safe space where everyone can express their concerns, acknowledge their shortcomings, and seek solutions without fear of judgment.”
Transforming the industry
DMK is constantly evolving, thanks to the sisters. Eileen shares that they continuously seek to enhance their offerings in addition to serving the community. They are constantly improving themselves and their brand, with their latest revamp currently in the works.
The sisters hope to unveil their freshly designed website in October. On top of being a digital storefront, they want the website to be a platform to help enrich society, from providing style tips to sharing more about the causes close to their hearts.
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Amanda Goh was the former senior writer for Tatler Singapore.
