In a country whose streets are plagued by the ’shorts and slippers’ army, Kevin Seah, a Singaporean designer and a knight of the bespoke cause, sets out to revolutionize the clothing ideals of the local people. With a Ready To Wear collection and an abundant wealth of sartorial knowledge, we really think that he’s the next big thing on our shores.

Who and what is Kevin Seah?

I’ve been designing for 17 years. I started out as a apprentice at a tailor shop that also sold fabrics for two years. There I learnt the craft from skilled old Shanghai-nese tailors, everything right down to how to sew a button right.

I always wanted to do couture, and the closest thing to couture that you could do in Singapore was wedding gowns. Very extravagant and grand kind of stuff. Things that people would remember for life. I started my own in 1999, ten dresses and a shop space at OUB centre. Along the way there were ups and downs, and I closed the business, and joined Projectshop to do its menswear. Doing mass production taught me more about production, deadlines and merchandising, which is a completely different set of skills from the bespoke business. Naturally, with a new set of skills, I wanted to do more, and I ventured out again, adding menswear to the mix.

I wanted to create a space where guys or girls can come and chill out, have a coffee and have a shirt or a pair of pants made and have the final product be truly your own. We’re here to sit down with you and guide you through all the different fabrics that we have and the different details that we can do – the buttons, the stitching, the hardware. It’s a different shopping experience.

How different is this shopping experience?

We always sit down and find out who our customer is before making recommendations on anything. I can’t make someone wear something that is not him or her. It would make me look stupid suggesting things that is not you. Understanding the customer is important.

Then comes the part where my experience and expertise assist in giving good recommendations. Most customers aren’t in this line of business, so they might have an idea for a piece of clothing, but that might not always be the perfect idea. I help them get there. I’m a clothing doctor. It’s fun.

Do you think locals support local designers?

The sad part is that they are willing to part their money with a foreign label when quality product can be found here. It’s a mindset that’s got to be changed. The designers don’t have that power though, but the media does. Word of mouth is also important in the bespoke business. The influence of others is powerful.

It’s time that people take designers seriously as a profession in this country.

Why did you decide to move from doing Bridal wear to Menswear?

It was always what I wanted to do, but I only want to do things when I’m ready. I get the ammunition ready, then I go to war – it’s as simple as that. A slow and steady progression. Right now I feel that we have reliable supplies. Suppliers that provide me with the best cotton in the world and working with the biggest brands producing wonderful quality fabric.

What’s the difference between your bespoke service and the regular tailor?

Alot of tailors in this era are too competitive, but they compete on a wrong scale. They don’t compete on the quality of the work, only on the quality of the price. Consumers focus too much on the cheaper prices without realizing that you’re not getting good fabric or workmanship.

A bespoke service gives you the right advice and consultancy, and there is always pride in the final product.

We hear you’re going to do a Women’s Ready To Wear line this year…what’s in store?

The influence would be what we always think is important – fabrics is a key ingredient. I don’t like to do fashionable things, I prefer to create things that can withstand the test of time. Modern Classics.

With the Ready To Wear line, we are also hoping to educate younger females to move towards Made To Order items. Like in the olden days when alot of our older relatives tailor made their clothes. Our fathers and grandfathers tailored their pants for sure. But when it came to our generation we stopped doing so, and tailors are in decline now. There are so many choices now out there. But Made to Order items ensures quality, and the perfect fit. The hard part is always the education.

What do you think of the current fashion trends?

With every generation there are style tribes. Skaters, rockers, grunge kids, the new wave butter kids, ah bengs and ah lians…the list goes on. There’s always good taste and bad taste, but I think that the overall taste in fashion has improved in recent time because of the internet and the media.

What do you think of fast fashion houses then?

I think their presence is good. They make fashion very accessible and very affordable. Everyone can be fashionable almost instantaneously now.

What’s the Kevin Seah Dream?

The dream has always been the same since day one – to be the first Singaporean to be accepted to the Paris Syndicale of Couture. It’s not impossible. We’ve reached the stage where we’re ready to compete, and we’re ready to show the world what we can do as Singaporeans. Just give us the chance.

Ninety percent of the shows at London Fashion Week belong to British designers. Ninety percent of the shows at Singapore Fashion Week belong to foreign designers. Where is the sense in that?

Kevin Seah Showroom is located at #04-08 Red Dot Traffic Building