When it comes to Zhang Dahua, BNBUers have to count his many roles on their fingers.
He is jokingly called a "founding shareholder" of BNBU. He was a finance major from the second cohort, now serves as the President of the Guangzhou Alumni Association, and is also a low-key entrepreneur. He is the founder of a fashionable footwear and apparel brand.
And it all began with a boy who loved sneakers...
Alumnus, Class of 2010, Finance
Founder of ThomWills
BNBU's Fashion Pioneer: A Shoe Lover with an Eye for Style
Zhang Dahua's fashion journey started in high school with basketball. He began collecting sneakers and slowly built his own style. His business sense and aesthetic taste were nurtured by BNBU's open and inclusive environment. The school's "integrating knowledge and action" philosophy helped him connect classroom theory with real world practice.
After entering BNBU in 2006, he experimented with canvas shoes that domestic consumers hadn't yet embraced. By layering them with vintage accessories, he created new styling approaches. As similar cases added up, he gradually uncovered his strength in trend insights and aesthetics. This ability eventually helped niche products break through their own limits, laying a strong foundation for the innovative footwear he would later create.
BNBU Startup: Taobao Seller to Brand Builder
BNBU's holistic education emphasizes "responsibility and global vision," an idea that appeared early in Zhang Dahua's startup journey. His business instincts first grew in specialized sneaker forums. As a sneaker enthusiast, he started buying and reselling on the secondary market to expand his collection. But he soon saw the advantages of online transactions. No face-to-face contact meant breaking through geographical limits and avoiding social pressure.
In 2007, only four years after Taobao launched, while most people were still hesitant about e-commerce, this BNBU sophomore keenly saw the platform's potential. Alipay's escrow service solved trust issues from forum trading, and the store credit system helped keep customers.
"It started as a trial. I never thought it would actually work as a complete transaction cycle." He turned BNBU's free academic environment into a startup testing ground. By day, he attended classes. On weekends, he packed and shipped orders. His roommates helped out. The campus became his user research lab. With monthly revenue over ten thousand yuan, he became financially independent and learned young consumers' preferences by treating friends to meals.
As his agency grew, industry pain points became clear. The brands' mandatory stocking policies caused inventory buildup of slow sellers, while profits on hot items were squeezed. "To get signature shoes, you had to also take unpopular styles. The signatures sold out immediately, but the unpopular ones often became dead stock. The brand had all the power. I was completely passive." This situation of being controlled sparked deeper thinking. Could he skip the middlemen and build his own brand with a full value chain?
Breaking into a Market Gap: The Birth of ThomWills
In 2012, when Zhang Dahua entered the workforce and needed suits and leather shoes, he found that domestic department stores only offered "dad shoe" styles that did not meet his standards. The styles he liked were niche and required overseas shipping, which took a long time. Once, after waiting a full month for a pair of shoes ordered from abroad, they did not fit.
Zhang Dahua saw the gap. "I wanted stylish leather shoes, but I could not find them in stores, and overseas shipping was a hassle. My needs should represent other young people too. This is the market's pain point." This insight extended the "social care" concept from BNBU's holistic education. He did not stop at his personal needs. He decided to drive industry change as an entrepreneur.
With this idea, Zhang visited many markets and found that China's footwear supply chain was strong and craftsmanship mature. But factories lacked designers with aesthetic sense. So, he founded ThomWills, positioning it as "light luxury leather shoes for young people." He personally oversaw design, blending classic European shapes with Asian foot anatomy. He used high quality calfskin and advanced handmade techniques, while pricing his products at only one fifth to one tenth of overseas brands. His first customers came from the sneaker enthusiast community he had built in college. They grew up with him, and as they entered the workforce, they naturally became ThomWills' target audience.
Trends and Tenacity: How an Oxford Shoe Craze Led to Market Leadership
In the early days, ThomWills struggled just to survive. Then, in 2014, Taobao changed its platform rules to promote quality, value driven products. This shift set the stage for ThomWills' growth.
The real breakthrough came in 2015 with the film Kingsman. The line "Oxfords, not Brogues" sparked a gentleman's shoe craze across China. ThomWills was the only brand on Taobao focused exclusively on high quality Oxfords. If you wanted Oxfords to look like a gentleman, there was no other choice. Sales surged, and ThomWills broke into the market.
After the trend faded, imitators flooded in. Brands came and went. Who would survive? Zhang Dahua chose to focus on product quality, the same passion he had loved since he was young.
While others chased trends, Zhang Dahua chose to dig a moat. He pursued innovation in craftsmanship. For example, he collaborated with Japanese artisan Keitaro Takano on a co-branded collection. Takano's shoe store is located in Tokyo's Ginza district and accepts only private custom orders. Through this collaboration, ThomWills introduced techniques such as handmade brogueing and welt stitching into mass production. Every stitch was sewn by hand. A pair of shoes with the quality of custom shoes, worth nearly 30,000 RMB, could be owned for just over 2,000 RMB.
For casual shoes, ThomWills added a logo on the heel. This small detail increased recognition and became an invisible ad worn by celebrities.
Zhang also launched a comfort revolution, developing ergonomic insoles to solve the pain points of hard, uncomfortable leather shoes. This raised costs but fit his product philosophy. By 2024, ThomWills ranked among the top men's shoe brands on Tmall.
Celebrity Endorsement and Brand Breakthrough
Zhang Dahua probably didn't imagine in 2014 that his brand would one day be worn by so many celebrities. But good products speak for themselves. "We really didn't pay them."
ThomWills first entered the entertainment spotlight when a celebrity wore a custom pair to an event. The topic trended online, putting the brand on the map. Since then, ThomWills has appeared on celebrities hundreds of times each year. Many business leaders have also chosen ThomWills for major conferences and product launches.
Brand Philosophy: Long-Termism and Interest Driven
The ThomWills brand is really an extension of Zhang Dahua himself. In his view, ThomWills' success is no accident. It comes from a commitment to long termism. He firmly believes that product is passion. He remains personally involved in design, translating his personal aesthetic into the brand's DNA. Through steady and methodical planning, ThomWills has expanded into the casual wear market, focusing on an old money aesthetic. When talking about materials and design, Zhang speaks with enthusiasm. "For example, our German training shoes use wool fabric, inspired by Scottish style wool suits. If I don't like it myself, how can I sell it to customers?"
When asked about the founding of his other clothing brand, Skaro, Zhang explained, "We chose not to add a new clothing line under ThomWills. Instead, we launched a new brand. This was also a long-term decision. We want our brands to look more focused and professional." Reserved by nature, he also refuses to expand blindly. Although advised to enter cross border e commerce, he insists on strengthening his domestic foundation first. "European and American foot shapes are very different from Asian feet. Inventory pressure would ruin the customer experience."
To fellow entrepreneurs, he offers this advice: "Find a field you are truly passionate about. Even if growth is slow at first, time will bring compounding returns. We have seen many rising stars in the industry. There are plenty of dark horse stories out there."
Future Blueprint: From Online Leader to Offline Experience
"Now is actually a good time. Many platform tools are rich. With strong products and internet power, going viral is really easy." Today, ThomWills is not just about e commerce. Zhang has considered opening flagship stores in high end malls across the country. "Physical stores are not just sales channels. They are the brand philosophy in physical form." Meanwhile, the women's shoe line has quietly launched. Can it replicate the men's success? We will wait and see.
Zhang Dahua's story is more than a business miracle. It is also a result of holistic education. Academics feed practice. Responsibility drives innovation. Passion builds long termism. Looking back, Zhang has always stayed true to his original purpose. As ThomWills' slogan says, "Luxury at your fingertips" (Fine products, within reach). Making it easy for everyone to own a refined life is the brand philosophy he will always uphold.
（Written by Chen Chang, Class of 2024, Master of Media Management, BNBU）
【Company Introduction】
ThomWills Brand
ThomWills (also known as TW), is a Chinese original brand specializing in light luxury handmade footwear and gentlemen's apparel. Founded in Guangzhou in 2012, it operates under Guangzhou Huate Li Information Technology Co., Ltd.
1. Brand Foundation & Philosophy
ThomWills adheres to the core concept of "Luxury at your fingertips." The brand is dedicated to making high-quality, handmade footwear and gentleman's attire accessible through artisanal craftsmanship and approachable pricing, leading a new wave of quality in Chinese domestic brands.
2. Core Positioning & Products
Core Categories: The brand specializes in handmade men's shoes (including dress shoes, casual shoes, and classic white sneakers) and has expanded into a full range of gentlemen's wear, such as suits, casual menswear, and leather bags.
Quality Standards: The entire collection uses imported, high-quality leathers and materials. The shoes are crafted using traditional handcrafted techniques like Goodyear welting and undergo hundreds of manufacturing steps. The lasts are specifically designed for Asian foot shapes to ensure a comfortable and precise fit.
Hero Product: The G931 Platform White Sneakers, famously worn by entrepreneur Lei Jun, have become an iconic item for the brand. They are recognized for their 5cm (2-inch) height increase, matte cowhide leather, and versatility for both business and casual wear.
3. Market Position & Influence
E-commerce Leadership: The brand has a strong online presence with over 500,000 followers across its Tmall and JD.com flagship stores. It has consistently ranked among the top sellers in the men's dress shoe category (priced over 500 RMB) on Tmall for several years.
Cultural Impact & Recognition: ThomWills products have been favored by over a hundred celebrities, including Andy Lau, Chen Weiting, and Jackson Yee. It has also been featured in major fashion publications such as Harper's Bazaar and GQ, establishing itself as a benchmark for domestic light luxury footwear.
4. Brand Vision
Through exceptional handcraftsmanship and a steadfast commitment to quality, ThomWills aims to build a brand of gentleman's wear that blends international aesthetics with an Eastern fit. The brand seeks to redefine "Made in China" and aspires to become a trusted, time-honored "century brand" for discerning consumers.
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