From the young age of four, Mimi—daughter of actress Joanne Peh and actor Qi Yuwu—had already set her sights on becoming a shoe designer.
Joanne Peh and her nine-year-old daughter Mimi have teamed up with the Singaporean shoe brand PrettyFit to create a special mother-daughter capsule collection.
To celebrate PrettyFit's 30th anniversary, they launched the "Little Steps, Big Dreams" collection, featuring three shoe styles inspired by Mimi's passion for footwear design.
"I introduced my kids to process art at an early age to encourage them to experiment with various art supplies and create things they love," shared Joanne, 41, in an email interview with CNA Lifestyle. She and Qi Yuwu also have a seven-year-old son.
Joanne reminisced, "When Mimi was four, she was fascinated with princesses and costumes. I provided her with aluminum foil and ribbons to create her own shoes."
The elegant Celestial ballet flats pay homage to the 'shoes' Mimi crafted from aluminum foil and red ribbon during that period.
Joanne continued, "There was another instance where she made a pair of heels by attaching building blocks as 'heels' to a cardboard cutout shaped to her feet. It was quite impressive. She told me she wanted to be a shoe designer. So, when PrettyFit approached me about a mother-daughter collection, I saw it as a fantastic opportunity for Mimi and me to collaborate and help her achieve her dream."
Throughout the creative journey, which involved selecting shoe styles, shapes, materials, colors, and accessories, Joanne discovered a new side of Mimi.
"I realized through this process that my daughter is very decisive and knows precisely what she likes and dislikes."
A devoted cat enthusiast, Mimi wanted to incorporate a feline theme into the collection. Joanne shared, "We love cats, although we don't have a real one at home—just eight toy cats! We wanted to include our favorite animal in one of the designs. After several rounds of experimentation, we decided to feature a cat face on the Misty Sandals."
As for their favorite design, the Starlit sneakers were inspired by Mimi's beloved pair of boots. "She loves those boots so much that she still wears them, even though she's outgrown them," Joanne explained.
Mimi's creativity can be traced back to Joanne's unique approach to parenting. "Fostering creativity is at the heart of what I do with my children, and it's a core principle in my business, The Dimple Loft," Joanne said.
Describing her creative learning institution for children, Joanne elaborated: "I focus on sparking imagination and storytelling in children. It's not about guiding them in a specific direction but offering them opportunities to explore, express their ideas, and showcase them in ways that foster a sense of ownership and empowerment."
Mimi indeed felt empowered while working on the three-piece shoe collection. The nine-year-old shared, "I couldn't have done it alone. Working with my mother made me feel more confident."
The mother-daughter duo worked closely together. "Since it's a collection for both mothers and daughters, the designs need to appeal to both adults and children," Joanne explained.
"Mimi came up with many wonderful ideas. My role was to help refine them into something practical. And since I would be wearing the shoes too, I contributed my design thoughts and suggestions, and together we reached a consensus."
Joanne hopes the collection will "give mothers and daughters an opportunity to dress up and explore their styling creativity together."
The PrettyFit x Joanne Peh & Mimi collection, available in both junior and adult sizes, will launch on August 28 at PrettyFit stores.
