A survey of 1000 women across Singapore and Malaysia has lifted the lid on their shoe shopping secrets.

The survey, commissioned by Chic Outlet Shopping, a collection of nine shopping villages across Europe, has found that 76 per cent of Singaporean women spend an average of two weeks a year looking for shoes to buy.

The survey was released to mark Chic’s spring shoe campaign, “The Secret of Shoes”.

Two-thirds of respondents in Singapore admit to topping up a secret designer shoe fund every month, saving up to S$1000 (US$735) – more than double the amount saved by their counterparts in Malaysia. Over a lifetime, the survey indicates, women in Singapore spend up to $204,000 on shoes, with $120,000 reserved for designer shoes.

Almost a third of respondents said they bought several pairs of the same shoe or every colour of one style once they have found their perfect pair. However, 89 per cent admit to owning shoes they have worn less than five times, while 46 per cent have shoes they have yet to wear.

“From timeless silhouettes to innovative designs, shoes have always been a symbol of style and elegance… and are a great indicator of how people are feeling both emotionally and financially,” says international style expert Tamu McPherson, who is hosting shoe-styling sessions this spring at Chic’s Fidenza Village near Milan.

While more than a third of respondents confess to taking over their partner’s luggage allowance or buying an extra suitcase to take their new shoes home, a quarter go further, wearing designer shoes on the plane to save on luggage allowance.