Not sew simple
> Stitching his passion and skills together, this man assembles an exclusive and exquisite label
I Twas a 180 degree turn when Shahrin Bahar made the switch from making sportswear to made to measure suits. With both specialisations as different as night and day, this isn’t a route taken by many; nor is it one as easily pulled off as the 31-year-old made it seem like.
While his transition seems effortless, what he does – identified by many as bespoke tailoring – is anything but.
“Bespoke means every single detail of the clothes is custom made for you. It is by the millimetre and the process takes much, much longer. As such, I won’t say that S Bahar (his label) is 100% bespoke, but more of a hybrid of the two where it is made to measure with bespoke aesthetic and capabilities,” he explained, before proving his point with a buttonhole that took him three hours to sew by hand.
A TAILOR-MADE EXPERIENCE
Shahrin operates in a sophisticated SoHo unit nestled in Bangsar, which he dubs the Penthouse Tailors. A space that is generously sunbathed in natural light, it provides class, comfort and, most importantly, a quiet respite from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.
“At S Bahar, we work solely by appointment. I did not set up my studio in commercial areas because people tend to get distracted in retail spaces like that or by other customers who are milling around,” he said.
Likewise, its modus operandi is deliberately cloaked in secrecy as word of mouth is their main form of marketing. According to him, they’re an exclusive label that emphasises on quality workmanship and fine fabric. As such, and considering how he’s running the show alone, he refuses to compromise on any of its value.
“I don’t want to create a hype that won’t live up to its expectation or will fizzle out after a while. Hence, I decided to focus on my work first rather than advertising. Besides, the air of secrecy is a business strategy as well.”
What this unusual approach has achieved is an intimate interpersonal relationship with his client that has gone beyond that of a tailor and patron. He recounted an incident where one of his customers called him immediately after the latter nailed a job interview abroad as they have gotten close while Shahrin made his suit.
“This is what keeps me going, the emotional attachment to the clothes I make and the people I befriended along the way. No other job will provide me with as big a satisfaction as the kinship that I forged,” elaborated the menswear tailor.
THREADING ON NEW GROUND
A fashion design graduate from the London College of Fashion, Shahrin has worked for companies such as Puma, DKNY JEANS and Nike; where he contributed to the Puma and Alexander McQueen line, became a part of Nike’s team in producing the World Cup 2014 as well as the Euro 2016 jerseys, and had a hand in designing the latest kits for Harimau Malaysia (Malaysia’s national football team).
With his career going relatively well abroad, it begs the question of why he chose to spread his wings now.
“Frankly, I was done with sportswear and wanted to do more menswear projects, especially tailoring because I’ve always been fond of that. I also turned 30 last year and thought that it was finally time to do so.”
From the time he offered his expertise to the public, he has had to contend with several challenges along the way. Those woes include lack of fabric resources locally, shortage of manpower, financial restraint, and overambitious goals. The general public’s obliviousness in regard to tailoring is also a struggle.
“Most of them come to me at the last minute and insist on a fast turnaround, which is difficult since made to measure clothing requires a longer time to make. Yet they do not understand this and would cite other places where they can get it done within a few days,” lamented Shahrin, who usually needs four to five weeks to complete an order.
In spite of it, he is still optimistic about what he’s doing and promises that S Bahar will not remain in the shadow for long. After all, he believes that “you’re only as good as the last suit you make” and will therefore continue searching for perfection down to the very last stitch.