Growing up in a family doing fabric business at Ben Thanh market, Mr. The Tai was soon familiar with the rhythm of life of workers around the market. His childhood was associated with young shoeshiners and lottery ticket sellers. When he was young, shoe polishing was just like a game, but for many people around him, it was a livelihood attached to his whole life.
In 2019, Anh The Tai officially became attached to the shoeshiner profession. From his initial experiences, he gradually formed a desire to do the job in a methodical way, not only to earn a living but also to affirm the value of a handicraft profession that has long had many prejudices. In parallel with practicing his skills, he aims for the goal of standardizing techniques, contributing to enhancing the image of the shoe polishing profession in Vietnam.
Before becoming known in the regional arena, Anh The Tai once made his mark at the Vietnam Shoeshine Championship 2025 with the runner-up title. However, according to his sharing, it is not a destination but a motivation to continue improving his skills. In the field of leather shoe care - where accuracy, hand feel and discipline play a key role, every small detail requires time, patience and deep understanding of materials.
That persistence brought Anh The Tai to Asia Championship of Shoe Shining 2026, a tournament that gathers top technicians in the region. Here, he surpassed many opponents to win the championship, thereby affirming the skills of Vietnamese shoe shiners in the international arena.
A notable highlight of the victory is that Mr. The Tai was awarded the Silver Médaille d'Or Badge by Mr. Raymond Tan - Chief Executive Officer, the prestigious silver badge of the Saphir Médaille d'Or brand. This is considered international recognition for his skills, standards and contributions in the field of leather shoe care.
According to experts, this achievement is not only of personal significance, but also contributes to changing the perception of shoe shining - from a simple job to a handicraft requiring technique, knowledge and sophistication. In the context of the shoe care profession in Vietnam gradually developing, Anh The Tai's victory is considered a source of inspiration for young people to pursue the profession seriously and sustainably.
Although he has reached the regional peak, Mr. The Tai said that he still considers himself a professional who is on a journey of learning. For him, the title is not an end, but a responsibility to continue to spread the value of the profession and contribute to raising Vietnamese skills standards in the field of leather shoe care.
From a person who loves his profession to an Asian champion, Anh The Tai's story shows that when manual labor is pursued with discipline and belief, its value can reach beyond the everyday space to be recognized at the regional level.
