Suited for success.

WHEN Robert Loh decided to foray into the tailoring business, little did he realise four decades on that he would be laying the finest threads on Malaysia's finest folk from premiers, royalty, celebrities and a loyal following among international clientele as well. The father-and-son team at Lord's Tailor talk to BRENDA JAMES about their beginnings, the appeal of bespoke tailoring and exciting plans for the future.

ROBERT LOH and his wife Lee Lee Loh arrive at their outlet in Bangsar Shopping Centre. It had been a busy week for them before they left for their family reunion in Australia. While waiting for Kenny Loh, their son, to arrive, the conversation started only to be perfunctorily interrupted as a customer required the master-cutter's attention. He excused himself and in a second-nature kind of a way, snapped on his fitting kit onto his wrist before proceeding to the dressing room. After all, this brand is his legacy and people come from the world over to be fitted and dressed by Robert Loh. Many prominent local personalities are also his clients.

When Loh started his business in 1974, he operated out of a 1,200- square-feet shophouse in Jalan Alor off Bukit Bintang, with about 15 staff on hand. 'At that time, I used to clock in 14-hour days and this was the routine …