Fashion Designs

Vadapalani is a crowded area, and our place on South Sivan Koil Street is right in the middle of it. If you walk past the temple and take the turn, you’ll find us at number five. It’s a small shop, mostly filled with rolls of cloth and half-finished garments hanging from the racks. We’ve been here for several years. Most mornings start with sweeping the floor and checking what orders need to be finished by the evening. It’s not always quiet. There is the sound of traffic from the street and the constant whirring of the machines. We do a lot of sketching on bits of paper when an idea comes up. Sometimes the sketches end up in the bin, and sometimes they turn into a real shirt or a dress. We don't have a big team. It’s just a couple of us who know how to handle a pair of shears. We don't use fancy computers for the designs. We just use chalk and measuring tape. The lighting isn't great in the back, but we make do with what we have. People drop by to ask if we can fix a zipper or hem some trousers, and we usually just do it while they wait if we aren't too swamped. It’s just a regular neighborhood business. We don't have a website or anything like that. We just show up, do the work, and go home when the street gets quiet at night. It is a long day usually, but we are used to it by now. The tea stall across the road keeps us supplied with snacks.