For that perfect pair

The fast pace of life and changing technology can make some professions redundant, no matter how hard the practitioners try to catch up with the changing times. I have been getting my trousers stitched from a particular tailor’s shop at Kozhikode’s popular SM Street for almost forty years now.

Once or twice a year I visit the shop to get a pair of perfectly fitting pants. The shop is run by two brothers and there was a time when the young brothers had to hire additional workers to meet the deadline during festivities. In those days the shop always remained busy with a flurry of activity. The symphony created by the never-ending sound of sewing machines and the warm smell of new clothes that hung in the air made the shop a buzzing place.

The young brothers took turns to take the measurements and prepare the invoice with a small sample piece of cloth stapled on it. It was the time when Keralites were starting to switch over to pants from the traditional ‘mundu’ and expert tailors who stitch trousers were few and far between. The shop was then at a prime spot on the street but later, when business nosedived, shifted to its present location in a by-lane.

Since the online purchased garments have begun to take over our wardrobe, the situation has become tougher for the tailor brothers. Last week I once again made my customary visit to the shop. It was getting dark when I entered the narrow by-lane. The elder brother greeted me with a familiar smile. His curly thick hairline has turned salt and pepper.

Youthful energy in his eyes has ripened into calmness under the black frames of his spectacles. The slouch at his back, an occupational hazard, has become more pronounced now. As usual he asked me to first remove the belt and purse from my hip pocket to get the minute fit details. He asked if I prefer new trends or to continue with the old style pleats.

The passage of time and the lack of demand for his skill have hardly affected the professionalism and his passion for the work. Taking liberty of my long acquaintance I tried to engage him in a conversation about the fall in demand for the tailor-made garments.

“The youngsters do not have the patience to choose the fabric, and to wait for days before the tailor stitches it. It takes only a few minutes to place orders on their mobile phone for a pair of slacks. At this stage in our life, we can’t think of doing anything else. So we have to hang on to our trade,” he said.

Surprisingly there was not an iota of grousing in his voice but only the plain acceptance of reality that one can’t tailor-make the situations in life; rather we should alter our attitude and resize our ambitions.