The faint whirr of sewing machines inside neighbourhood tailoring shops, workers bent over fabric with chalk in hand and others looping measuring tapes around customers. These form a distinct childhood memory for many Kolkatans.
Those cramped rooms, which once throbbed with urgency and anticipation, today appear empty and silent. As online platforms promise swift deliveries and effortless returns, many of the city’s legacy tailoring families are watching their life’s work unravel, thread by thread.
Apprentices have disappeared, measurement registers have yellowed with age, and with orders dropping steadily, a legacy painstakingly crafted over decades is beginning to fray.
At Delight Tailors in New Market, established over six decades ago by N.K. Abul Hasain, the decline is stark. “Only five per cent of the original demand remains,” a 60-year-old karigar, Mukundan, told My Kolkata. The shop, now run by Shakir Hasan, survives largely on ageing loyalists who have been customers for over four decades.
Mukundan, a 60-year-old Karigar at Delight Tailors Amit Datta
Mukundan’s son, like many of his generation, has chosen a different path. He is pursuing Chartered Accountancy, convinced that tailoring is a dying trade.
French Dress Makers on Lindsay Street, established in 1943 and now owned by Deepak Poon, Prabhat Poon and Sanjeev Poon, has been facing similar struggles. Durga Puja sales dropped by 30 per cent. While the wedding season often witnesses a rise in orders, the average annual footfall has decreased drastically. “We have families who have been coming to us for generations. That keeps us going,” said Anil Bhatt, a tailor there for over 30 years.
Anil Bhatt, a tailor who has worked at French Dress Makers for over three decades Amit Datta
Several other city-based shops have a similar tale to tell. On Ho Chi Minh Sarani, H. Abdul Latif, established soon after Independence by the grandfather of its current proprietor, Mohammed Kamran, specialises in western formal wear for men and women.
Kamran noted that in the last few years, annual sales have dropped by 30 to 40 per cent. The rise of online shopping is a big reason. But, Kamran believes that there exist some other reasons too. The relocation of corporate offices and the work-from-home culture are also primary factors that have affected orders and sales.
Additionally, the workforce has shrunk, forcing the shop to outsource orders. The reduced influx of skilled workers from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar has also affected the demand-supply chain.
Once associated with Jet Airways until its closure, the shop still stitches uniforms for pilots. Generational customers and a handful of NRIs still view it as their go-to place for custom fits.
“The younger generation barely knows about us,” Kamran said. Sometimes, new customers often walk in apprehensive and leave impressed. “They are unaware that there are local shops that still do this — take measurements and make custom fits from scratch. We get that a lot,” said Kamran.
Mohammed Kamran, the current proprietor of H. Abdul Latif Soumyajit Dey
Nu Fashion on Syed Amir Ali Avenue presents another bleak story. “We hardly get any orders, even before Eid,” says Mohammed Shahbuddin, who has worked there for over 25 years. “The last order was placed on February 19. Today, it is February 23. After four days one single order has come. There is hardly any profit,” he added.
Mohammed Shahbuddin Soumyajit Dey
Sanjay Ladies Tailors, located in Paddapukur, Bhowanipore, was established 26 years ago by Sanjay Thakur. In the last 10 years, the shop has battled crippling competition from online platforms and boutiques. Consequently, there has been a startling decrease in wedding-season orders.
“Orders for bridal lehenga and gowns have decreased significantly. We still get many orders for blouses. The orders for salwars and churidars have also decreased since these are so readily available in the market,” said Abhishek Kumar, who has worked there for three years.
Karigars at Sanjay Ladies Tailors in Paddapukur, Bhowanipore Soumyajit Dey
Over at Barkat Ali & Brothers in Chowringhee, founded in 1910 by Fazal Elahi, Karam Elahi and Barkat Ali, the story, however, is slightly different and history still proudly sits on the racks.
The shop remains a preferred address for custom-made suits, bandhgala jackets, coats and blazers for customers who prefer hand-stitched clothes. “Four generations of families come to us,” said Sarfraz Ali, one of the current partners. Even customers who have relocated return to the shop when they are in Kolkata, especially during the winter season, Sarfraz explained.
A karigar at Barkat Ali & Brothers in Chowringhee Amit Datta
November and December continue to be busy months for the karigars. And yet, despite the thriving business, subtle signs of change characterise even this heritage shop. Durga Puja sales have dropped and not many people turn up with orders for everyday wear like shirts and trousers, said Anwar Hossain, who has been with the shop for 35 years.
