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Wardrobe Tailoring Business |
According to CEO of Wardrobe, Lim Fang Heng, tailoring is not going obsolete. He actually thinks that the demand is increasing, with more people wanting the feel of something specially made for them.
“Of late, for the past five to seven years, there is a focus on bespoke. Gucci, for example, devoted an entire department to its custom tailoring service. The same goes for brands such as Dunhill, Burberry and Zegna.”
To Lim, the suit is a basic form of globally accepted business wear. He doesn’t see it as anything scary and intimidating or – as some would even go so far as to put it – unnecessary.
“Only in Malaysia do people think, ‘Aiyah, no need lah. My bosses also not wearing it. The weather is hot.’ But I beg to differ. It’s always better to be overdressed than underdressed,” he adds.
Wardrobe was founded in 1978 as Spark Manshop, with its first store located within Sungei Wang Plaza in Kuala Lumpur. As the tailoring business grew to include 28 outlets throughout Malaysia, the founders then sold it off.
They, however, teamed up again to establish Wardrobe in 2001. Lim is part of the second-generation partners, and he is looking to breathe new life into the brand, while revolutionising its trade.
Some of the changes that Wardrobe has witnessed include the sprucing up of its retail environment. Lim says that they try not to set their outlets up like old-school tailoring shops, but instead, design them as sleek boutiques.
As it is, the brand has only three outlets in KL at the moment. One is located along Jalan Maarof in Bangsar, and two others within Parkson Pavilion and Sheraton Imperial.
“It’s all about the feel you get when stepping into our stores. We also try to make it as complete as we can for men. We offer accessories like neckties, bowties, belts and pocket squares.”
Wardrobe was recently named as the “Brand of the Year 2014 – 2015” by The World Branding Forum (WBF). This year’s awards ceremony took place in Paris, France, where it honoured 50 brands from 22 countries.
Points were awarded through four streams, that being Brand Valuation, Consumer Market Research, Public Online Voting as well as the Advisory Council Judging by a panel made up of luminaries from the world of branding.
When it comes to Wardrobe’s business model, there is more to it than meets the eye. Lim says they own a tailoring outsourcing facility, which takes orders from fashion designers and other brands.
Wardrobe also has a sister company that buys and trades fabrics. In this way, Lim sees the brand as having more than just a retail aspect. His vision borders more on creating a “tailoring empire” under their name.
“We don’t outsource any of our operations. We cut and design our own suits, as well as tailor and sell them. The only thing we don’t do on our own is weave the fabrics,” states Lim.
He explains that they adhere to the traditions passed down from European countries. He says the original founders and subsequent partners of Wardrobe were trained at Savile Row – a street in London, known principally for bespoke tailoring.
The brand does carry ready-to-wear, but that happens to be just a small percentage of their offerings. “We are not a ready-to-wear shop. Our core offering is still bespoke. Wardrobe will always be about tailoring,” Lim points out.
Source: Star2.com
