'I have no off days, but there's nothing I'd rather be doing': Traditional Malay fashion is this Chinese seamstress's passion

Why I Do What I Do is an original AsiaOne series where we showcase people with uncommon professions and what it takes to get there

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As her customers show off their beautifully-coordinated family outfits — matching masks and all — over Hari Raya Aidilfitri, seamstress Lie Hong Haw will be eagerly waiting for their #OOTD snaps.

She's been sewing for over 50 years but she still gets excited over receiving photos and compliments from her customers, the affable 66-year-old tells AsiaOne in a mix of Mandarin and Malay.

From baju kurung to baju jubah for festive occasions, and even matching onesies for babies, Lie, also known to her customers as Auntie Bewa, does it all.

And the seamstress, who founded the eponymous Bewa Fashion in 1997, says she doesn't have plans of stopping any time soon.

She's watched customers grow up

When we meet Lie at her office about a week before Hari Raya Aidilfitri, the room is crowded with racks and racks of beautifully-tailored outfits.

Most of them are orders for the festive occasion, she explains, and are due to be collected soon.

Even with Covid-19 putting a damper on Hari Raya celebrations and weddings alike, Lie is still as busy as ever — one recent order consisted of a total of 50 outfits for one family to wear to a wedding, she tells us.

"I have no off days. I work every day," Lie admits with a chuckle. But she explains that there's nothing she'd rather be doing.

"For over 50 years, I wake up every morning and I want to cut out patterns and design clothes."

And so the seamstress spends seven days a week at her happy place — Joo Chiat Complex, where her office and boutique are located.

"I'm happy working. I don't really like to go out shopping. I'm 'shopping' when I come here every day," she says with a hearty laugh.

Lie began honing her skills at the tender age of 14 at a sewing academy in Medan, Indonesia, where she grew up, learning the ins and outs of designing and tailoring traditional Indonesian costumes.

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Later, after she relocated here with her Singaporean husband Wong Song Kwong, it was only natural for her to go into Malay fashion, she says, and the rest is history.

Thanks to word-of-mouth and glowing reviews, the brand has enjoyed a steady stream of customers over the years.

"We have had customers who have been with us since the start, over 20 years ago," Lie tells us proudly. "I see them from when they're a baby to when they get married. It makes me so happy."

Keeping busy during the pandemic

Even when Lie had to close her boutique in Joo Chiat Complex over the circuit breaker period last year, she still found a way to keep busy — sewing masks.

Before this, she had only focused on making Malay clothes, she said. But she was reading the newspaper one day when she came across an article about the different types of masks celebrities were wearing, sparking inspiration.

She immediately got to work, experimenting with different fabrics and cuttings, and eventually came up with her own line of masks.

"I saw this photo where a bride was wearing such a beautiful dress, but she had a disposable mask on," Lie tells us as she shows off her masks in an array of colours and ornate designs. "So we decided to make masks that will match your outfit."

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The masks have also provided work for the seamstresses in her employ, she shared, explaining that the company had been making and selling less clothes as a result of the pandemic.

"If you ask me if I was worried, of course there is worry. But there is no use getting stressed.

"You must take care of yourself first, then you can take care of others."

kimberlylim@asiaone.com