PETALING JAYA: With Deepavali about two weeks away, tailors in Brickfields’ Little India are racing against time to complete festive orders, with some having stopped accepting new bookings.
Most orders are for saree blouses and alterations, many involving intricate designs that take time to complete.
S. Nisha, who has 25 years of tailoring experience, stopped accepting orders a month ago after reaching her limit of 150 pieces.
Working with just one other tailor, she said each of them could stitch about five blouses a day, while customised patterns required additional time and effort.
“All of them are custom-pattern saree blouses, with customers showing us designs inspired by artificial intelligence.
“That is why we could not accept too many orders. We must deliver on time for Deepavali and do not want to compromise on quality.”
Despite the availability of ready-made clothing, Nisha said traditional practices continue to sustain demand for tailored saree blouses.
“No matter how many ready-made dresses they buy, customers prefer wearing a saree for temple prayers,” she said.
Another tailor, Selvi Raja, 35, said managing the festive workload meant handling every stage of the process herself, from customer consultations and cutting fabric to stitching the finished garments.
During the peak period, Selvi works throughout the week to fulfil orders.
“When the workload gets too high, I stop taking new orders.”
She said complex designs and a high volume of orders could delay the completion of saree blouses.
A 50-year-old tailor, who wished to be known only as Govindaraj, said knowing when to stop accepting orders is key to managing the seasonal rush.
With 27 years of experience, he stopped taking orders last week to focus on existing customers to maintain the quality of his garments.
“Staying lean and manageable is our style.”
He works alongside another tailor who handles other garments, including baju kurung and modern dresses.
Govindaraj said demand for intricate designs remained steady, with regular customers continuing to place orders.
However, not every tailor is seeing brisk business this festive season.
Sudha S. Pillai said orders had fallen by about 30% compared with the same period last year.
She attributed the decline to changing shopping habits, with more customers buying their Deepavali outfits online.
Sudha, who has been in the tailoring business for 27 years and employs three workers, said she had been receiving requests for saree blouses and alterations rather than complete outfits.
For her, maintaining workmanship remains a priority as her team works to meet customers’ expectations.
“Workmanship is the challenge because we ensure customers’ expectations are met,” she said.
