Dapper Drip

How did you get into bespoke tailoring?
I studied fashion design in LASALLE College of the Arts and got an internship at a local tailor shop. Now I’m the head cutter for my brand, KAY-JEN. I cut patterns, do the fittings, and liaise with my tailors and seamstress to sew my garments.

Where do you draw inspiration from?
The music I listen to and the TV shows I watch. I get my inspiration from everywhere, really!

What’s your fashion style like?
I’m very influenced by Yasuto Kamoshita (the creative adviser of United Arrows, Japan’s largest multi-brand store). He has a quiet aesthetic that can easily be missed on the street. But look closely, and you’ll discover small details like the right proportion, fit, and colour combination. If I go loud, it’s on prints and textures, but still nothing too much.

Tell us about your bespoke process.
It’s very much a relationship between me and my clients. We find the best colours, fabric, and especially proportion, as many guys don’t understand that. And I teach them how to dress: how high they should wear their pants, or how tapered or roomy a jacket should be.

How has men’s fashion style changed since you first started?
Well, the suits are getting less skinny. Tight-fitting suits have dominated the market in the last decade but pants and jackets are getting longer. People are starting to understand drip. The clothes shouldn’t hang onto your body, but drip off.

What’s a piece of fashion advice you’d like to share?
Don’t follow trends blindly or simply buy branded clothes. You can dress stylishly if you know how to play with proportion.

What’s a piece of advice you would give yourself seven years ago?
Learn to enjoy the process and celebrate the small wins!

Is there a skill you’re picking up?
I go to Evolve MMA every morning and practise Brazilian jiu-jitsu and Muay Thai. It teaches me not to judge a book by its cover because you see people in their fifties and sixties taking on people half their age, and people who are slim yet have a lot of core strength. So I always say not to get into a fight (laughs).