The tailor who is tailor-made for the HK apparel industry

Visiting Madam Chan's sewing workshop is like going on a study tour about the history and development of the Hong Kong textile and garment industry. Her workshop now employs half a dozen sewing workers, each specializing in different types of garments - suits, denim, leather and fur etc.

Post Second World War Hong Kong saw the city's transition from an entrepôt to a manufacturing-based economy. Industrialists from mainland started to relocate to Hong Kong since the Chinese Civil War. They brought skilled labour, technology and capital to the city. Many mainlanders also fled to Hong Kong, contributing to the city's labour supply. By the early 1960s, Hong Kong's textile manufacturing industry was one of the most successful in Asia, and one of the largest suppliers of denim. Many factories flourished and some even had dyeing facilities and docks.

In 1970, there were more than 16,000 factories and Madam Chan, who was a teenager at that time, and was among one of the 540,000 factory workers, which represented over 40% of the city's employment structure. At that time, she was sewing a good variety of products, and it was at that time she was equipped with solid skills in cutting, sewing of the full garment, and learning the skills of pattern making.

Since the 1980s, Hong Kong industrialists took advantage of Mainland China's pull factors (including cheap land and labour costs) by relocating their factories there. With increased protectionism under the quota system, many factories relocated to other parts of Asia and elsewhere. By the 1990s, over 80% of the factories had been relocated, causing a significant drop in the manufacturing industry and the rise of the tertiary industry.

From working as an employee, Madam Chan realized she had to adapt to the changing economy. She started her own workshop and diversified into alteration services, making samples for brands and tailoring for customers. She is not only a master tailor, but also a successful entrepreneur who is passionate and proud of what she does. She also believes in giving back by supporting young designers in Hong Kong who are passionate about turning their dreams into products.