(From second left) Lew, Wong and Wee at the Selangor and Federal Territory Tailor’s Guild premises in Kuala Lumpur. — Photos: RAJA FAISAL HISHAN/The Star
A Malaysian tailor has won the Golden Scissors award at the Federation of Asian Master Tailors Congress (FAMT) 2024.
Selangor and Federal Territory Tailor’s Guild deputy general secretary Estie Wong, assisted by three others, took home the award for the first time in the International Master Cutting Contest held during the 28th edition of FAMT.
Wong said it took his team about half a year to prepare for the competition.
“The process is not easy as there are a lot of rules and regulations.
“Other contestants were also very skilful. We had to work hard to improve ourselves.
Wong holding his Golden Scissors award alongside teammates (from left) Chai Han Chiang, Yap Nyet Yoon and Lim Say Wooi.
“Fortunately, I have a good team with members that complement each other. Teamwork was key to our success,” he said during a press conference at the guild’s premises in Kuala Lumpur.
The International Master Cutting Contest required participants to produce a suit on the spot.
They were given eight minutes to do the measurements and nine hours to create the suit.
All teams were required to work with the same model and type of fabric to ensure fairness.
Wong said although he was calm throughout the competition, he felt a little anxious during the measurement phase.
“Normally, it takes more than eight minutes to measure a body.
“There was also no chance to re-measure if we made any mistake,” said Wong, who has been running a tailoring shop since 1995.
FAMT 2024, held at a hotel in Kuala Lumpur, also featured other tailoring competitions such as Junior Master Cutting Contest, Mannequin Contest and Golden Finger Contest, alongside related events such as seminars and an international fashion show.
More than 300 tailors and fashion enthusiasts from 16 countries participated in the biennial congress.
Wong also emerged first-runner up for both the creative and business coat categories in the Mannequin contest.
He said it took him around three months to produce the award-winning coats.
Also present at the press conference were guild president Liw Poi Chin and general secretary John Wee.
Liw urged the government to pay more attention to the development of the tailoring industry in Malaysia.
“We hope the government can incorporate tailoring into the education system so that the skills can be passed down to the younger generation,” he said.
Wee called for more government funds to support the tailoring industry.
“Finances are always a challenge when holding events such as FAMT.
“We hope the government can acknowledge our presence and provide more support,” Wee said.
To encourage interest in the industry, especially among youth, the guild offers monthly tailoring classes.
The next class, led by Wong, will be held on Sept 1.
Those interested can contact the guild’s social affairs-cum- craftsmanship director Yeong Su Pin at 012-652 3790.
