Local before arrival
Suzhou Cobblers, where Denise Huang sells shoes, is a small yet exclusive shop. She uses elaborately embroidered silk for her designs. Before a new model is admitted to her product line, she tests it to see how comfortable the shoe is to wear and how well her friends like the design. She often draws on traditional colors and motifs. After Denise returns from a walk through her native city, a cabbage design or a bamboo button may find its way onto a sandal.
