Tsim Sha Tsui is known for its busy crowds, delicious food, and beautiful harbour view. Its history as a hub for Hong Kong’s storied suit tailor shops goes beyond that.
Many of these shops are family-run and have been passed down through the generations. While many Hong Kong-based tailors can trace their roots to Shanghai’s boom as a centre for fashion in the 1920s, a significant number come from the Indian subcontinent, establishing their businesses in the city in the 1950s and 1960s.
Young Post spoke to two family-owned shops – Raja Fashions and Bobby’s Fashions – to learn more about their history.
“Our business has grown because we have put in a lot of effort and a lot of love into it, and we serve a lot of people,” said 65-year-old Raja Daswani, who operates Raja Fashions. “There’s a lot of trust.”
Personal business
Raja’s family immigrated to Hong Kong from Pune, India, in the early 1950s. His grandfather started the business in 1957, the same year Raja was born, making him the third generation to run the business.
Raja said his family opened a tailoring shop because they already “had a good understanding of clothing” and there was high demand: “The British military was in Hong Kong, and they needed a lot of clothes,” Raja said. “We had a lot of British personnel and expats from the UK coming to trade with China then. So there was a big demand because things were very expensive in the UK and not so expensive in Hong Kong.”
Over the years, the shop passed from his grandfather to his father to Raja.
“I started very young – at the age of 16, I took over,” he said. “At 18, I became a boss because my father became sick ... I was managing everything.”
Now, Raja’s children are also involved. His son, 29-year-old Prashant Daswani, initially planned to enter the biomedical field. But a part-time job at a men’s suit store in the United States changed his mind.
“I enjoyed the family business a little bit more,” said Prashant, who, along with his older brother, has also helped update the shop’s operations for the modern era, handling the company’s social media pages and online newsletters.
Of course, working with family can “make it 10 times more complicated”, Prashant said, adding that he sometimes gets into disagreements with his father and older brother.
“But they’re also family; they’re family before [anything],” he explained.
Running the shop can feel very personal, not just because he is working with family but also because of the nature of the business.
“It’s all handmade, and mistakes happen. I get heartbroken when a customer or client I look up to does not like my product,” Prashant said. “But then you also get the opposite side of the spectrum, where you get heartwarming messages, and they really appreciate your service and the value you provide.”
Simple secrets to success
Just a few minutes down the road is Bobby’s Fashions, run by brothers Bobby and Nick Daswani. The duo is related to the family that runs Raja Fashions and a few other family-run tailors in Hong Kong.
Bobby’s Fashions opened in 1952, and the brothers, the third generation to run the shop, have been learning about the business since childhood when they used to help out after school.
“We used to go to the shop and do business. From there, we learned things ourselves,” said Bobby, who has worked in the store for 42 years.
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While the shop has had its ups and downs – especially during the pandemic – Bobby said he was grateful to work alongside his brother.
“You can trust each other,” he said.
The secret to a long-running family business is simple: hard work, a willingness to learn and a good attitude. “You have to enjoy your business. Otherwise, you’re wasting your time,” Bobby said.
Of course, good customer service is also key: “We make sure our customers are happy, always,” Bobby said. “You know what we say: God makes you a man. Bobby will make you look like a gentleman.”
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