The Beginning of a Legacy

Our story begins in the late 1960s, in a small workshop tucked inside Sialkot, Pakistan.

It was here that Muhammad Fazil, a dedicated craftsman, began shaping leather into something more than just shoes. With no advertising, no storefront presence, and no ambition for scale, he built his reputation quietly through his work. Every pair was made using traditional Goodyear welt construction, custom sizing, and a level of comfort and durability that spoke for itself.

People didn’t discover his shoes through marketing. They found them through trust.

Over time, his craftsmanship reached beyond local streets. His handmade shoes were worn by army generals, politicians, ambassadors, and individuals who understood the value of true craftsmanship. He worked long nights in that modest workshop, perfecting each detail by hand, never compromising on quality.

The Shift of an Era

But as the world changed, so did the industry.

By 2009, mass production, machines, and the rise of sneakers began to dominate the market. The demand for handmade footwear declined, and the workshop that once thrived slowly moved towards closure. There was no system, no marketing, and no way to reach a wider audience. What was once respected craftsmanship was being overshadowed by speed and convenience.

In 2010, due to illness, Muhammad Fazil stepped away from the workshop.

A New Chapter Begins

That same year, I returned to Pakistan from Saudi Arabia with my family.

At first, I had no connection to the business. The workshop felt old, unorganized, and far from what I imagined for my future. I visited occasionally, but never saw myself continuing that path.

My father, Shahid Fazil, stepped in during this time. With the support of my grandfather’s old artisan friends, he took over the responsibility of keeping the craft alive. Within a couple of years, he learned the trade himself and opened a small shop in Sialkot, continuing the legacy in his own way.

I continued my studies, occasionally helping at the shop when needed, but my focus was elsewhere.

Failure, Learning, and Direction

In 2017, after completing my degree in Software Engineering, I pursued a different path. I started a digital marketing agency with a friend. For a while, things worked. Then COVID hit. The business collapsed. At the same time, my father suffered heavy losses and had to shut down the shop.

Everything stopped.

I moved to Turkey and started from scratch again, this time in eCommerce. I built Shopify stores, tested products, failed repeatedly, and saw small wins. But nothing felt meaningful. It didn’t feel like I was building something real.

The Turning Point

During that time, I began studying global brands. Not just what they sell, but how they started. I noticed a pattern. Many of the world’s strongest brands were built on legacy. They started small, often from a workshop, a garage, or a family trade, and then scaled that story to the world.

That realization changed everything.

I already had a legacy. I just wasn’t building on it.

That was the turning point.

Rebuilding the Legacy

I returned to Pakistan with a clear decision: to rebuild my grandfather’s workshop, but this time with a global vision.

I started from the same small space in Sialkot. There was limited capital, so I used family savings and small loans. I reconnected with old suppliers through my grandfather’s and father’s network. Slowly, I brought together skilled artisans from Sialkot, Rawalpindi, Lahore, and Faisalabad. Craftsmen with 20 to 25 years of experience, people who still believed in handmade work.

Entering the Global Market

In 2023, I launched our Shopify store under the name Leather Shoe.

The product images were simple. Some were even taken by my father back in 2013. But the product itself was real. I used my digital marketing experience to run Meta ads with a small budget.

The response was immediate.

Orders started coming in from the UK, USA, and across Europe. Within 60 days, we received our first 50 international orders. It proved something important:

There are still people in the world who value craftsmanship.

Scaling Without Compromise

But growth came with challenges. Each pair was made to order, fully handmade, and required 20 to 30 days to complete. With a team of only 3 to 4 craftsmen, delays became inevitable. Customers loved the product, but waiting times were too long.

That’s when we made the next big move.

My brother, Hussnain Shahid, joined the journey. While I focused on building operations in Pakistan, he established our presence in the United Kingdom. Our company, Wayz London Limited, was registered in London, creating a foundation for global expansion.

Building a Modern Craft System

From there, we began scaling the production side seriously.

We partnered with leading manufacturers like INTRA Last Pvt. Ltd. in Lahore for high-precision shoe lasts, transitioning from traditional wooden lasts to advanced fiber lasts for better durability and accuracy. We brought in expert pattern makers from different cities, ensuring every design remained handcrafted without machine dependency.

Our leather is sourced from premium tanneries in Kasur, including Premier Tanneries and National Tanneries, using high-quality calf leather. For finishing, we use products from Saphir (France/Italy), one of the world’s most respected names in shoe care.

Every step remains rooted in handcraft.

No shortcuts. No mass production methods.

Where We Stand Today

Today, what started as a small, nearly closed workshop has evolved into a growing production unit. Over 50 skilled craftsmen now work on our shoes, supported by a dedicated team handling operations, fulfilment, customer service, and global logistics.

We have reduced production time, improved consistency, and expanded our reach across the UK, USA, Europe, and the Middle East.

And this is just the beginning.

The Future Vision

We are now preparing to launch our first physical outlet in the United Kingdom by 2027, taking our legacy from a small workshop in Sialkot to the global stage.

Our Philosophy

Through every phase of this journey, one belief has remained constant:

Mass production makes shoes. Craftsmanship creates legacy.

This is not just our slogan.
It is the foundation of everything we do.