Sze Accessories: Tailor Made!

Earlier this year, when Louisa Lim from The Star wrote an article about Sze Accessories, she mentioned that my inspiration comes from my maternal grandfather who use to own a tailoring shop. It was about a 100 years old and lived through the Japanese Occupation. It was made fully of wood and was two story high. It had the upper story lined with rooms for the family to sleep and the ground floor was where the tailoring was done.

As a kid, I always loved to go back to our hometown in Perak. His shop was filled with rows of fabric in wooden glass cabinets in an array of wonderful colours. I especially love to climb atop the two huge gigantic measuring table and ironing table to have my school homework done there. So much so, I fell off one day and almost broke my wrist.
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In Ah kong's (grandfather in Cantonese) shop were rows of antique Singer sewing machines that were mended by peddling instead of electricity. I use to sit and watched, amazed as lengths of clothes go through the needle creating a speedy ketak-ketak-ketak sound that came out of the manual machines. I use to pry open the drawers to find all sorts of funny buttons. They used to amaze me the most. Multi coloured candy looking things. I'm suprise I never tasted one...

Well, visits to the shop were my favourite, unfortunately, the government decided (instead of refurbishing these heritage lots) to tear wooden lots down to build a huge recreational garden over it. One that nobody goes to, in this mad heat and mosquito infested country. Anyway, I've only got memories to share. Now the shop is gone and sadly, so if my grandad. He passed on earlier this year :(

But anyhow, this month marks the 2nd anniversay of Sze Accessories and so I thought I'd pay tribute to my beloved grandpa. I miss him so much...if only he knew how much he meant to me and how much I looked up to him as my inspiration. Here are some pieces that I found that reminded me of him. Enjoy :)

Above: Tyler Taylor

Type: Earring Size: 1" x 1.5" Price: RM35/ USD10 A dainty pair of matching antique sewing machine charms in bronze colour. Like a trip down memory lane, these replicates of the old Singer machines evokes a sense of nostalgia.

Above: Measurements

Type: Necklace Size: 13.5" x 1.5" Price: RM38.50/ USD11A measuring tape hanging with little buttons, a timbrel, tailoring chalk, clothe cutting scissors and a little key. All things you'll find in a tailors drawer.

Above: Scissors, Paper, Stone

Type: Necklace Size: 13.5" x 1" Price: RM38.50/ USD11 A triple layered necklace with a pair of sunnies, an antique sweing machine and a pair of clothes scissors. All 3-in-1. A great match with the Tyler Taylor earrings.