SINGAPORE: Singapore's bespoke tailoring brand CYC Company has stood the test of time, having dressed generations of customers for 90 years – including founding prime minister Lee Kuan Yew.
The clothing firm has evolved with the times since it was founded in 1935, embracing e-commerce and conducting its own research to stay in step with changing customer preferences and styles.
It was among the first batch of 42 longstanding businesses – from traditional eateries to craft shops – recognised under the SG Heritage Business Scheme on Thursday (Oct 9).
The new initiative, introduced by the National Heritage Board (NHB) in March, celebrates Singapore enterprises that preserve heritage, strengthen community bonds and sustain their legacy.
These homegrown brands have weathered decades of change while keeping local traditions and craftsmanship alive. They were selected from more than 80 applicants.
Singaporean bespoke tailoring brand CYC Company has stood the test of time for 90 years, having dressed generations of customers – including founding prime minister Lee Kuan Yew.
Acting Minister for Culture, Community and Youth David Neo said the scheme’s pilot phase focuses on heritage businesses in the central area, but there are plans to expand recognition to more firms over time.
He said the initiative marks the start of broader efforts to support heritage businesses, which “play an important role in building our sense of identity as a nation”.
“What’s most important is for Singaporeans to continue to support our heritage businesses,” he added.
“With everyone’s support, future generations can continue to experience the diversity and richness of our cultural heritage through these businesses.”
The selected firms, which must be registered in Singapore and have been in operation here for at least 30 years, will receive branding support to boost their visibility and business consultancy services to aid their transformation efforts.
They will get a heritage status plaque that can be displayed on their shopfronts, as well as materials for use on social media and websites. They will also participate in heritage-focused programmes.
Some of the businesses awarded include Old Chang Kee, Basheer Graphic Books, STYLEMART Bridal Collection, Muthu's Curry, Halijah Travels, Teck Soon Medical Hall, and Swee Choon Tim Sum Restaurant.
For CYC, which is known for its custom suits and formal shirts, the recognition is seen as an opportunity to share its story more widely, said its general manager Bernice Chia.
“There are a lot of younger consumers and new residents in Singapore who might not be aware of CYC's legacy and our longstanding role in Singapore's tailoring industry,” she added.
She noted that with hybrid work arrangements and more casual dressing at workplaces – even in more traditionally formal settings like banks – demand for formal tailoring has declined.
Younger consumers are also now turning to different tailors for specific needs instead of one for their entire wardrobe, said Ms Chia.
Even with the scheme’s support, organisers stressed that local patronage remains crucial for these businesses to thrive.
“These businesses have shown a very successful balance between keeping tradition, as well as evolving and innovating to meet the needs of contemporary audiences and to stay relevant to customers of today,” said Ms Melissa Tan, director of heritage policy and research at NHB.
“We wanted to show the different types of heritage businesses that we have in Singapore. Some are larger and more successful, some are more niche, but all of them are homegrown.”
The statutory board will conduct regular checks to ensure participating businesses continue to meet the scheme’s eligibility criteria.
The next cycle for application will be in at least a year's time, said Ms Tan.
One of the SG Heritage businesses, Shashlik Restaurant located in Far East Shopping Centre, hopes the scheme will help preserve its legacy and keep its stories alive.
While the old-school Russian-Hainanese eatery has maintained pre-COVID-19 customer numbers, it continues to face challenges.
These include manpower shortages and rising operational costs, which have increased by as much as 50 per cent over the past three years, said the restaurant’s co-owner Alan Tan.
Mr Tan noted that people are spending less and becoming more cautious amid the current economic climate.
“Heritage businesses are often humble. We don't shout loud, and therefore our stories can be forgotten. In this trend-driven market, heritage can be easily drowned out by the new and the flashy,” he added.
“So I think what we need is stronger storytelling. We need education and we also need platforms like this scheme, which I believe will help us and give us the support and help to put heritage in the spotlight again.”
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The clothing firm has evolved with the times since it was founded in 1935, embracing e-commerce and conducting its own research to stay in step with changing customer preferences and styles.
It was among the first batch of 42 longstanding businesses – from traditional eateries to craft shops – recognised under the SG Heritage Business Scheme on Thursday (Oct 9).
The new initiative, introduced by the National Heritage Board (NHB) in March, celebrates Singapore enterprises that preserve heritage, strengthen community bonds and sustain their legacy.
These homegrown brands have weathered decades of change while keeping local traditions and craftsmanship alive. They were selected from more than 80 applicants.
Singaporean bespoke tailoring brand CYC Company has stood the test of time for 90 years, having dressed generations of customers – including founding prime minister Lee Kuan Yew.
BACKBONE OF SINGAPORE’S CULTURAL LANDSCAPE
Acting Minister for Culture, Community and Youth David Neo said the scheme’s pilot phase focuses on heritage businesses in the central area, but there are plans to expand recognition to more firms over time.
He said the initiative marks the start of broader efforts to support heritage businesses, which “play an important role in building our sense of identity as a nation”.
“What’s most important is for Singaporeans to continue to support our heritage businesses,” he added.
“With everyone’s support, future generations can continue to experience the diversity and richness of our cultural heritage through these businesses.”
The selected firms, which must be registered in Singapore and have been in operation here for at least 30 years, will receive branding support to boost their visibility and business consultancy services to aid their transformation efforts.
They will get a heritage status plaque that can be displayed on their shopfronts, as well as materials for use on social media and websites. They will also participate in heritage-focused programmes.
Some of the businesses awarded include Old Chang Kee, Basheer Graphic Books, STYLEMART Bridal Collection, Muthu's Curry, Halijah Travels, Teck Soon Medical Hall, and Swee Choon Tim Sum Restaurant.
For CYC, which is known for its custom suits and formal shirts, the recognition is seen as an opportunity to share its story more widely, said its general manager Bernice Chia.
“There are a lot of younger consumers and new residents in Singapore who might not be aware of CYC's legacy and our longstanding role in Singapore's tailoring industry,” she added.
She noted that with hybrid work arrangements and more casual dressing at workplaces – even in more traditionally formal settings like banks – demand for formal tailoring has declined.
Younger consumers are also now turning to different tailors for specific needs instead of one for their entire wardrobe, said Ms Chia.
Even with the scheme’s support, organisers stressed that local patronage remains crucial for these businesses to thrive.
KEEPING STORIES ALIVE
“These businesses have shown a very successful balance between keeping tradition, as well as evolving and innovating to meet the needs of contemporary audiences and to stay relevant to customers of today,” said Ms Melissa Tan, director of heritage policy and research at NHB.
“We wanted to show the different types of heritage businesses that we have in Singapore. Some are larger and more successful, some are more niche, but all of them are homegrown.”
The statutory board will conduct regular checks to ensure participating businesses continue to meet the scheme’s eligibility criteria.
The next cycle for application will be in at least a year's time, said Ms Tan.
One of the SG Heritage businesses, Shashlik Restaurant located in Far East Shopping Centre, hopes the scheme will help preserve its legacy and keep its stories alive.
While the old-school Russian-Hainanese eatery has maintained pre-COVID-19 customer numbers, it continues to face challenges.
These include manpower shortages and rising operational costs, which have increased by as much as 50 per cent over the past three years, said the restaurant’s co-owner Alan Tan.
Mr Tan noted that people are spending less and becoming more cautious amid the current economic climate.
“Heritage businesses are often humble. We don't shout loud, and therefore our stories can be forgotten. In this trend-driven market, heritage can be easily drowned out by the new and the flashy,” he added.
“So I think what we need is stronger storytelling. We need education and we also need platforms like this scheme, which I believe will help us and give us the support and help to put heritage in the spotlight again.”
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