The tailor makes the man

THE stock of new lounge suits and jackets on the racks in the shop of tailor-cum-fashion designer Jackie Chong are all top quality.

One could just imagine secret agent 007 James Bond walking in to be fitted in a macho suit before going on his next MI5 assignment.

Jackie, as he prefers to be called, is from a new generation of tailors in Kuching city who have set a new benchmark and trend in their profession and the apparel industry.

He could be the next Ascot Chang of Hong Kong who owns tailoring joints from New York to Shanghai, and Jackie’s lounge suits will fit any gentlemen with a great taste in apparel and clothes that make them stand out in the crowd.

“I finished my secondary education in 1985 and since I did not do well in school, I decided to become a tailor as I like clothes with good designs and the latest fashion. I took my apprenticeship with a well-known tailor in the city and two years later in 1989, was ready to open my own shop,” he told thesundaypost.

He started with a small capital and from day one, has been busy making clothes — shirts, trousers, lounge and ceremonial suits and jackets.

To ensure he is not left behind in the profession, Jackie keeps upgrading himself by attending local and international seminars and conventions.

“I like the Master Tailor Convention where there are workshops and competitions.

This is where I really learned the ropes and got the cutting inspirations for my suits,” he said.

By updating his knowledge on apparel fashion and building rapport with his customers over the years, he not only built up his confidence but also created a bigger clientele.

Word from the industry as well as his customers has it that Jackie’s tailoring is as good as any professional in his line of business and that any gentlemen of stature would be comfortable with his fittings.

“I have customers from all walks of life and I take their orders from ordinary shirts to high-end clothes based on their taste and, of course, the fashion of the day,” he enthused.

A friend who was present at the interview and who has good taste for men’s fashion, said Jackie’s suits and choice of fabrics were also fit for the nobility and royalty.

A framed photo on the wall of Jackie’s fitting room shows him taking the measurements of the current Sultan of Johor, Sultan Ibrahim Ismail Iskandar Al-Haj, in his shop.

Jackie disclosed the photo was taken in 2009 when Kuching was holding the Ruler’s Conference. He recalled the Sultan did not bring his tuxedo for the banquet hosted by the state government and the state Protocol Office called him to make one for the Sultan.

“I went to the Sultan’s official accommodation in the city and was surprised by the royal hospitality — His Highness treated me like a friend. I came for the appointment to take the measurements for the royal suit and returned again later for the fitting. I did a nice tuxedo for the Sultan in 24 hours — in time for His Highness to attend the state banquet. I remember how down to earth the Sultan is — he didn’t mind having his photo taken with me while I took his measurements,” Jackie related.

Even before this special royal encounter, Jackie’s clients already included well-known Kuching socialites, politicians and senior government officers. He is happy many respected members of the public and local socialites have given him the recognition. To them, Jackie is their ‘tai-lor’ (Cantonese for big brother in fashion) or just their tailor in English.

 

Not an sunset business

He said his success today was due to not viewing tailoring as a sunset business but rather a respectable and competitive profession where probably many had tried and given up.

“I’m still here because I will attend to my customers’ needs and give them the products they want. I like to make them feel great by ensuring what they wear fit their stature. I use the best materials, designs and cuttings.

“You must remember your customer is king. So you must tailor their clothes to fit comfortably and make them feel like a king! I always combine their ideas with mine and if they agree, then from both our ideas, I try to make their clothes to suit the style and fashion they fancy.”

Jackie said most of his clients liked their clothes tailor-made because they wanted the designs to be different.

“This is what strikes me most — that individuals who are very conscious of what they wear, will always opt for individual designs and fashion. This is not a sunset industry and that’s good for me,” he smiled.

These days, lounge suits are tight fitting which looks great on young slim men but the more senior citizens prefer a looser fit.

Jackie has materials for all sorts of weather to meet the styles and needs of his customers.

He has also made his into a family business. His wife is a tailor as well and over the past three years, has been making women’s clothes — from the traditional to the fashionable. She helps Jackie when she is free but mostly, she is very occupied with her own work.

 

In his footsteps

Jackie, a father of three, revealed his second son is now studying to be fashion designer in the US.

“We encourage him since he has a flare for tailoring. As parents, we wish him well. His elder brother and his sister are also very supportive.”

Jackie is active in the First Division Tailors’ Association and supports the committee’s agenda for the tailoring industry in the state. He hopes to see more young people getting into the profession ‘as there is a future in tailoring’.

“I suppose it’s more glamorous if people call you a fashion designer rather than a tailor. But to me, you have to be both — only then will you be complete in this profession,” he said.

Jackie looks forward to Malaysia hosting the 28th Congress of the Federation of Asia Master Tailors. Thailand hosted the 26th Congress in Ubon Ratchathani Province in 2016 while the 27th edition will be in South Korea in 2018.

This biennial event is organised by the Federation of Asian Master Tailors and the 11 Asian member countries are Thailand, Japan, Taiwan, Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Hong Kong, Vietnam and the Philippines.

Jackie said he will stick around for as long as he has the fabrics, the scissors, the sewing machines and a gentleman for a client.