The tailor shops of those days…

The 1980s were the most difficult time for the country. The daily worries of most people during that subsidy period revolved around food and clothing. Clothing was very meager back then; if you worked for the government, you received a fabric ration of 5 meters per year, but self-employed people had to fend for themselves. Therefore, the feeling of holding a stack of fabric and walking into a brightly lit tailor shop to have new clothes made is something few people will easily forget…

The remnants of the once-famous Tạo tailor shop on Thống Nhất Street.

Back then in Nha Trang, Thong Nhat Street was lined with famous tailor shops: Quoc Te, Adam's, Nguyen, Tao... Specializing in women's ao dai (traditional Vietnamese dress), there were Son Nu Da Lat, Song Hiep, Phuong Thao… Other major streets like Tran Quy Cap, Nguyen Trai, and Ngo Gia Tu also had tailor shops, but people usually remembered the ones on Thong Nhat Street. Buying fabric meant going to Thong Nhat Street to get it made, because during the subsidy period, this street held a very special place. The shops and stores on Thong Nhat Street represented… a certain social status. The tailor shops, with their gleaming glass display cases, hung stacks of colorful fabrics and newly made clothes waiting to be delivered to customers – the dream of young people who wanted to dress well…

Recalling the golden age of tailoring, no matter how difficult family circumstances were, they would save up to have a new outfit made before the Lunar New Year. Therefore, from the 11th lunar month onwards, tailor shops operated at full capacity but still couldn't keep up with demand. It was common to have appointments postponed by shop owners for several days. Back then, the excitement of having a new outfit made was immense. No matter how impatient or how much customers urged the tailors, they always avoided the 12th day of the 12th lunar month, as that was the anniversary of the founding of the tailoring profession. On that day, shops focused on rituals and offerings instead of working.

Back then, tailors usually chose a familiar shop. My whole life, I've only had my clothes made at Tien Dung's shop on Phuong Cau Street. The owner was quite unique; when taking measurements, he always did it all at once before writing the details down in his notebook. I was surprised at first, asking how he remembered a dozen measurements. He smiled kindly and said, "That's the trade." Now, seeing the struggling tailor shop again, I feel a pang of sadness. The couple is getting old, and none of their children want to follow in their footsteps, so they keep the shop open for as long as it lasts, just to enjoy their old age, without any real passion for tailoring... Another tailor shop is about to fade into the past!

The "Mountain Girl" shop in Da Lat has now switched to selling clothes. Photo: KHANG NGUYEN

At the entrance to my alley, there's a small, unmarked tailor shop. The owner is a middle-aged woman, gentle and skillful, so most of the neighbors in the alley get their clothes made there because the prices are reasonable. She said that learning the trade back then was extremely difficult. Larger tailor shops still accepted apprentices on a trial basis, meaning apprentices didn't have to pay and even received lunch, but in return, besides learning the trade and working as assistants, they also had to do housework. The apprenticeship involved hands-on training, with each step taking about 5-6 months, such as sewing collars, cuffs, and buttonholes. Only when they mastered these skills would the owner allow them to measure and cut. After about 4-5 years, when they were proficient in all the steps and could sew a complete suit, the owner would let them open their own shop.

I still vividly remember the first time I went to get a suit made. I hesitantly walked into the International Tailor Shop at the beginning of Thong Nhat Street, feeling as nervous as if I were entering an exam room. The owner kindly led me to choose fabrics – a whole warehouse of luxurious imported fabrics… After taking my measurements, the owner scheduled a date for me to come back after the suit was finished, to make adjustments, and only then would the tailoring officially begin. Over time, I've bought several ready-made suits from various fashion brands… but that first suit still retains its classic beauty, never outdated, with exquisite stitching, and I still love wearing it.

Entering the 2000s, as fashion brands and industrial garment factories flourished, traditional tailor shops gradually lost customers. Ready-made clothing from brands like An Phuoc, Pierre Cardin, Viet Tien, Khatoco, and Tomy, offering both style and convenience, won the hearts of consumers. Then, when a plethora of high-end and affordable t-shirt brands sprung up, traditional tailor shops were officially forced to close. Once famous tailor shops now only exist in memory, except for those specializing in tailoring traditional ao dai (Vietnamese long dress) for women, which continue to thrive.

These days, the once-famous tailor shops have disappeared. My familiar Tiến Dũng tailor shop is now just an old couple watching TV. When my child hears about tailor shops, even though it was only a little over a decade ago, their eyes widen in surprise. Almost all of their clothes, and those of their friends, are bought online or from shops. They only know about sewing machines when they need to mend clothes, and there are now many shops on the streets of Nha Trang. Mending clothes seems like a lot of work, because not everyone can wear ready-made clothes that fit perfectly…

MERCURY

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