But the 16 years at The Edge flew by very fast hopefully it will be a bit slower here.īut as I imagined selling shoes, making millions and living life as an orang kaya baru, my thoughts of emulating Mr Ferragamo were derailed. The average age of the world’s billionaires is 65, so at 52 in June, there is still time for this writer to realise his dream. With reference to a Chelsea boot, would a bright red Liverpool boot sell? Would it be a suitable first product for a wannabe high-fashion billionaire to launch? Maybe not … it’s perhaps too pedestrian. It shouldn’t be that difficult we should be able to pull it off. This is a good start by any standard into the world of high fashion. The Options girls were very helpful, explaining the many nuances - tote, cross-body, satchel, shoulder and clutch for bags, and for shoes, there are wedges, flats, stilettos, thongs, boots, even one called a Chelsea boot, and many others. The seeds of entrepreneurship have been sown, and the making of shoes and other high-end items such as handbags will be explored. Perhaps start with a RM2 company-equivalent and contract or outsource production under licence to a company here in Malaysia - Batu Pahat or some other little town. We must set up Barrock Santacruz Ltd or Puppee Ltd in Paris or Milan, fashion capitals mah.

Suddenly, the slightly smelly, slightly overweight puppy comes by looking for attention … ah another possible name, Puppy … or we could give it a French ring, Puppee, which could work as a high-end fashion brand. We haven’t chosen a name but dad’s name, Barrock Santacruz, would work well as an international brand. Ferragamo started out making shoes, worked hard and made it big internationally, and is proof that hard work does pay off. While on a flight recently, I watched a documentary about the late Italian fashion designer Ferragamo, whose life is nothing short of inspiring. Plantations and rail, maybe even sewage water treatment, but certainly not high fashion. Never mind that contributing editor M Shanmugam, who has agreed to leave as well and be my partner in crime, will likely have cold feet since high fashion may not be his thing.

By the time you read this column, this writer would have tendered his resignation and left The Edge after 16 long years and moved on to bigger things - like taking on the world of high fashion, perhaps even becoming the next Salvatore Ferragamo.

The science of breakable things author