Every person, man or woman, wants to look good, and most believe it's the clothes they wear that make or break them. Hence, tailors and designers are in great demand in our society. Nevertheless, there aren't many tailors or designers around whom you can depend on when it comes to getting something stitched and delivered on time! All of us would have experienced this.
Why the delay?
No tailor would do this intentionally. More often than not, s/he is helpless as s/he lacks enough workforce. To put it simply, there aren't enough tailors (labourers) available. And those that are available seek high wages. Good tailors opt to work for celebrity designers because money is there. Such designers have no problem paying their labourers high wages, as they charge their clients mind boggling rates.
Who is a master tailor?
The profession generally has two types of workers. The master tailor, who cuts the cloth according to the required measurement, and tailors who stitch them. The master tailor generally owns the establishment and the guys who stitch are his/her employees. Your regular master tailor or designer pays his/her employees salary as per the market rate. They can only do that because they can only charge their customers reasonable rates.
Why is there labour shortage?
Vinayak Rao, a second generation designer, who owns the reputed MN Rao designer store in Vile Parle, says: "We have third generation customers and some of them are now NRIs. These days we are finding it difficult to deliver orders (clothes) on time. The art of stitching cloths is dying. Not many people are taking up tailoring as a profession unlike before, and hence there is acute labour shortage.
Tailors out, designers in...
There were many big names in tailoring who once ruled Bollywood, but now they have been pushed back and designers have taken their place. Now there are big names who design clothes exclusively for select celebrities. Every star has his/her own set of designers and does not allow them to work for others. They are well paid, and in turn pay their labourers/tailors handsome amounts. Everyone knows how much these tailors earn and are hence reluctant to work for lesser wages. Hence the scarcity of workforce.
Far more demanding...
Lalit Gangoly, a leading designer from Girgaum, who designs chief minister Devendra Fadnavis' clothes, said: "Labourers have become far more demanding. They know there is shortage of tailors and can hence demand more. But sometimes their demands are unethical and unreasonable. If a regular customer brings back a stitched clothe after a wash after s/he finds there is something wrong, I would alter it and would not demand money from him/her for the job. But the tailor who does the actual job would demand money saying it's alteration and hence extra work."
Where is the labour force from?
Mohammad Murtaza, a leading designer-contractor, who stitches uniforms for leading restaurants and star hotels, said: "Labourers in stitching profession largely come from Meerut in UP and Gaya in Bihar. Earlier they used to prefer working in Mumbai as wages were high here, but now they prefer Delhi and surrounding areas because it's close to their native places and wages too are good. They also migrate to southern states too, as wages there are good."
Are tailors shutting shops?
Yes, they are. Labour shortage has forced many tailoring firms to close down or cater only to limited/select customers. Vakil Yasin Ansari, a third generation designer in Andheri, who stitches cloths for leading five star hotels in the suburbs, says: "I am following in the footsteps of my father and enjoys my profession. But it's very difficult to maintain clientele these days. The cost of materials has increased manifold and there's acute labour shortage too. Hoteliers are not willing to pay me more, so these days, I avoid taking orders. Hotel uniform is a specialist job and requires large workforce. Unless they understand our problems, we will be forced to shut shop."
Not in their father's footsteps...
Designer Sridhar, whose shop at Dhobi Talao in Marine Lines is over 30 years old, says: "My son and daughter are not interested in this profession. My son, a software engineer, works for Infosys, and my daughter, a mass media graduate, works for Ogilvy and Mather."
Customers have to wait...
Customers, especially those stitching cloths for weddings and ceremonial events, have to wait two to four months to get their cloths stitched by designers/tailors. "Shashi Rakesh Rathod, a leading designer in Malad, says: "We are completely dependent on labourers. And customers these days have no option but to wait if they need to get their cloths stitched well."
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}