Tailor made for the future

(From left) Founder of Este Bartin, Justin Loy with Chief Technical Officer, Marcus Loi. PHOTO: SKILLSFUTURE.

Sometimes not finding what you need sets you on a path much less travelled; as Barry Lim and Justin Loy, Founders of Este Bartin, both found out. The two young men, eager to dress to impress, found it near impossible to find clothes that looked good and fit well without having to spend a fortune.

Frustrations in finding professional wear that fit well, coupled with the duo’s entrepreneurial spirit drove them to start Este Bartin, an affordable “Made in Singapore” tailoring business, picking up the ropes from scratch, a step at a time.

We sat down with Justin, and Chief Technical Officer (CTO) Marcus Loi, to find out how the business has grown through the years.
 

Starting a tailoring business today can be considered unconventional. Why did you start Este Bartin and how did you get going?

Justin (J): It was really a business idea generated out of our personal needs. Barry and I were in insurance and shipping before starting Este Bartin and dressing well was important. We wanted to dress better and make a good impression, but tailored shirts ranging upwards of $150 were out of budget for us.

After a little research, we identified a gap in the market for affordable tailored shirts for work — a gap we aimed to fill by starting a mobile tailor five years ago. Not being trained in any of the technical skills of tailoring, we had to pick them up from scratch. Slowly but surely, we learnt — through research on the Internet and willing retired tailors and seamstresses who took the time to show us the ropes.

How do you get new staff up to speed on the skills required?

J: Passion. First of all, passion is the fuel in this industry. New entrants are generally untrained in the tailoring trade and are taught on the job. They are first trained in the basics — measure, trace fabric, cut and sew. They definitely also have to keep things interesting through exploring different shapes, fabrics and technique.

In our case, we operate a retail shop too, and long retail hours aren’t exactly inviting, but it does help to keep things fresh with the different customers we meet, and the various skills we can pick up within the workplace.

"Passion and a never-give-up attitude are always good to have. But for me personally, the guidance and direction of a mentor is something you cannot take lightly."

Justin Loy, Founder, Este Bartin

With lots of talk around industry transformation, have you seen the tailoring industry bring in talent with skills outside of what we traditionally associate with the business, and how are they implemented to innovate?

J: We definitely see skills from not typically associated with the tailoring industry! One prime example is the implementation of technology, such as computer-aided design in our work. Admittedly, we were initially resistant to it, preferring a measuring tape and the human touch but technology has its pros.

Marcus, our CTO, is a civil engineer by training. He envisioned using technology to allow for scalability — that saw us implementing CAD software to craft our shirt patterns which vastly improves consistency of measurement and reduces production time.

Marcus (M): Those with skills in 3D scanning have a good transferrable skill. 3D scanners are rippling through the local tailoring industry — cutting down the number of times needed for client fittings by using his digital avatar in the software instead.

How do you choose who to send for training and what course?

M: We haven’t found suitable training for our staff to move on to here after our in-house apprenticeship. There are fashion courses and degrees but they’re long in duration — short courses both online and in person with master tailors, found all over the world, are better options for upgrading skills set.

Tailoring isn’t just about the craft, you should have an eye for fashion. While some may have a flair for dressing, another could be a whizz at creating patterns. Either way, honing your craft is done on the job and paying attention to what’s on the streets.

Would you say the team or yourself are now masters of the tailoring and bespoke apparel retail? What are some of the gaps you’d like to fill?

J: “Masters” is too strong a term to use. We are always students, learning every day sometimes from the most unlikely sources! There is a definite need for more exposure of this business and courses to help those interested to pursue tailoring as a career too.

Passion and a never-give-up attitude are always good to have. But for me personally, the guidance and direction of a mentor is something you cannot take lightly. What I learnt from my business partner and mentor, Barry, I still consider invaluable. To this day, I still reach out to him for advice.

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