Putting a youthful spin on classics
Fan moved from Miaoli to Taipei when he was 16 to work as an apprentice, and he has been involved in the wholesale fabric trade for 38 years now. He experienced the boom era for tailored uniforms, when consumers would line up to choose their fabric and get measured. He then witnessed the damage that branded ready-to-wear clothing caused the made-to-measure sector. Yet Fan remained determined and adopted a more entrepreneurial approach, buying Kaien Bespoke Tailoring. The decision bore witness to his confidence in the market for tailored clothes if only the proper approach were taken.
To transform any old-established industry, one must start by changing attitudes. Traditional master tailors who simply follow the old styles, stressing the fine quality of their work but not understanding consumers’ needs, will naturally not be able to keep up with the trends of the time. Master Zheng was one of Kaien’s old tailors whom Fan asked to stay on. In the business for more than 40 years, Zheng says, “Current customers all demand a sense of design.” He has affixed many customer-supplied photographs of suits next to his workbench. With a glance, he can figure out how to make them. As an old master tailor with both up-to-date ideas and craftsmanship that has been honed over many decades, he has helped Kaien to gain a stable footing despite a depressed market for tailored clothes.
Fan has also made good use of social media such as Facebook and Instagram. What’s more, he holds an immense stock of select fabrics worth more than NT$70 million, which allows him to provide consumers with more choices. That’s also a key factor in why Kaien is attracting young people.
At first, Fan was designing for customers over 55. He discovered that although they could invest more money in a suit, they rarely were repeat customers. The younger generation, meanwhile, were boldly investing in themselves. Currently, Kaien’s average customer is about 35, and 80% of its clientele are repeat customers. The shop typically has about 30 new customers in a month. And there are even a group of friends that treat Kaien as a hangout spot, coming in often to touch base and discuss suits and accessories. Chris Chu is a regular who works in the restaurant industry. Suits are his work attire. A tailored suit that complements the lines of his body and that has a nice feel to its fabric makes him look good and adds to his confidence and sense of professionalism at work. The transformation it imparts is keenly felt.
The idea in Taiwan that suits are old fashioned or suitable only for going to weddings or to meetings with matchmakers and potential wives, says Chu, is based on misunderstanding. The truth is that suits have absorbed many different styles and fashions over the years, and one needn’t always wear a complete suit. Chu often mixes and matches different pieces. It’s a way for him to express a little personal style in his everyday life.
Taking the client’s measurements and carrying out basted fittings are important steps in the process of making a bespoke suit.