Amid the rush of taking measurements, trying out new designs, and delivering garments within tight deadlines, Oviya, a tailor at Born2Win Trans Boutique in Saidapet, has barely had time for herself this festive season. But she is not complaining. “More orders mean more work, and I am happy to do it,” she says, adding that customer satisfaction remains her priority.
When customers bring her designs that they want stitched, Oviya first considers whether the chosen fabric will suit the pattern. Lined garments take longer because they require overlocking and additional finishing. “This Deepavali season has been exceptionally good, much better than I expected. We are receiving so many orders that it is becoming difficult to complete all the stitching within the available time. There is no fixed number of orders during the week. Two of us work at the boutique, including me, and during the festive rush, we put in extra hours,” she says.
For Oviya, running the boutique also represents a professional opportunity she once struggled to find. She initially worked at a tailoring shop in Saidapet, where she faced discrimination because of her gender identity. “They didn’t want to work with me because I am a trans woman, so I approached Amma (Swetha Sudhakar, founder of Born2Win Social Welfare Trust),” she says. Swetha enrolled her in the organisation’s tailoring classes, where she learnt cutting and stitching. They subsequently started Born2Win Boutique, which Oviya has managed since 2025. Today, she works on the designs customers bring her and researches unfamiliar techniques online when necessary.
Deepavali rush
For Jeevaa, who has been running Jeevaa Fashion in Tambaram for 15 years, the festive season follows a familiar pattern. Business begins picking up around August or September with Navaratri, before reaching its peak during Deepavali. “After Deepavali, business slows down slightly, although it does not drop drastically. Christmas has also become almost as busy as Deepavali. January and February bring similar levels of business, partly because of Pongal. April and May are generally quieter because of the school holidays, and business tends to slow down for two or three months,” she says.
The location of a shop also determines the kind of orders it receives. Jeevaa says college students often prefer particular styles, while school cultural events generate their own demand. She receives several orders from Madras Christian College. On an average day, her shop receives three to five orders, although the numbers fluctuate. During Deepavali, she prioritises garments that customers need for the festival and completes the remaining orders later.
Evolution of preferences
Customers’ preferences have changed considerably over the years. Jeevaa recalls how television serials and films once influenced the designs people brought to her. Today, customers increasingly arrive with pictures from Instagram and AI-generated designs that they want tailors to recreate. Devi, who runs Grace Boutique in T Nagar, has noticed the same trend. “Customers come to us with designs they have seen on Instagram, and some also bring AI-generated designs and ask us to customise outfits accordingly. We try to accommodate their requirements and complete the work within the stipulated timeframe,” she says. Devi also photographs finished outfits for Instagram and uses Google to reach potential customers.
Gopal, who has been running a tailoring shop in T Nagar for 25 years, has also noticed more customers using AI to curate their outfit designs. For S Sivagami, who runs Aksharaa Fashion in Mogappair West, unfamiliar designs sometimes mean additional preparation. “Sometimes, customers ask for patterns we have not worked on before. In such cases, I research the design and try it on sample pieces before accepting the order. This helps me understand how much time the garment will take to complete,” she says.
Sivagami has worked in tailoring for ten years and has run her shop for around six. During Deepavali, she plans her workload and works around 10 to 12 hours a day, taking breaks in between. Sometimes, she finishes urgent orders at the shop, returns home and continues to work. Bulk orders add to the pressure. Customers often bring clothes for themselves and their relatives, including their children and cousins. “If a customer asks for 20 pieces, I plan the work accordingly. At the same time, I have to account for unexpected situations such as rain or power cuts, which can affect the time needed to complete an order,” she says. At Grace Boutique, Devi receives around 50 to 60 customers during a normal week, with numbers rising slightly during Deepavali. She works nine to ten hours a day while also managing her household responsibilities.
The cost of keeping a shop running
The festive rush also brings some financial relief to tailors who must manage rent, electricity bills and other expenses during quieter months. At Grace Boutique, Devi charges around Rs 300 for a regular outfit and Rs 750 for a lined garment. A regular kurti costs around Rs 500, while a lined one costs Rs 1,000. Sivagami charges Rs 350 for an unlined blouse and Rs 750 for a lined one. Oviya charges around Rs 200 for an unlined garment. “We try to keep our prices lower than those of neighbouring shops. Some charge around Rs 400 to Rs 420, whereas we offer our services at a more affordable rate. During Deepavali, the additional income helps us manage expenses such as electricity bills,” Oviya says.
Jeevaa, who employs four women, knows this drill all too well. “When my children were younger, I had to manage the shop, look after them, take them to and from school, cook and take care of the household. I would reach the shop only around 11 or 11.30 am. Even if I was unwell, customers would expect me to attend to them. Things have become a little easier now that my children are older,” she says. Sivagami, meanwhile, rues the rising expenses. “With the rising cost of living and increasing expenses, managing the business has become somewhat difficult.”
Competing with the market
Gopal has seen the profession change over his 25 years in the trade. Making a living from this profession has become somewhat difficult, he admits. He works eight hours a day and says customers often underestimate the labour involved in making a garment. He also points to customers who speak rudely to tailors. Sivagami feels that online shopping platforms have added to the pressure, particularly because of their return policies.
Despite the competition, Devi believes customised clothing still gives tailoring a place in the market. Customers may have numerous ready-made options online, but many still want garments made to their measurements and preferences. For Sivagami, customer satisfaction remains the most important part of the work. She hopes to finish all her festive orders by the night before Deepavali so that she can take the day off and celebrate with her family. “Our priority is to ensure that customers are satisfied with their outfits. If our customers are happy, that is what makes our Deepavali special,” she says.