"China has been a very generous place to do business in the past 10 or 15 years, not only for foreigners but also for local enterprises ... To be good is far from enough; you also need to position yourself right, and the most important thing is to be distinctive and unique.

He said that in the 1990s, demand far exceeded supply. "So if you had leather shoes of decent quality, you could sell them without needing to worry about having no buyers."

But the market today is more competitive and sophisticated than in the past.

"China is such a huge market. Everyone wants to grab a piece of the action, not only international competitors. You also have many strong local competitors. The country is becoming more like the European market now, and you need to be more professional to be successful," he says.

Leschly believes being trendy is the competitive edge that D:fuse enjoys, and the company is firm about wanting to give Chinese women a way to express their individuality through designs that encompass style, fashion and trends.

"D:fuse is well-known for its high-heels. People like our distinct design. If we were not distinctive and different, they would not choose us. Instead of doing repeat styles, we try to make more new and fresh ones, to constantly renew our collection."

With an experienced team of designers, the brand specializes in creating a wide range of leather shoes. Its designers are constantly globetrotting in search of the latest trends. Ida Maria Ottosen, D:fuse's chief designer, studied shoe design and myriad aspects of both the shoemaking and fashion industries in Italy. From European and Asian fashion capitals to beautiful unspoiled nature and deserted beaches, she looks for interesting shapes and color combinations to keep the D:fuse collection fresh, she says.

"From Stockholm to Barcelona and Copenhagen to Rome, the design and product development team keeps our customers on the pulse of cutting-edge fashion. Whether the latest designs are breaking into the fashion weeks of London, Paris, Milan, New York or Tokyo, D:fuse will bring them to China first," she says.

"Comfort and craftsmanship are key elements of our shoes."

Leschly says that while the Chinese market is huge, making money in it is still challenging, not necessarily because of the fierce competition but because Chinese consumers are also very value-driven.

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