innis_francis@yahoo.com
In the business of men’s fashion and in keeping up with the trends and evolution, one tailor feels that men are swiftly turning away from custom-made clothing, which is somewhat forcing the craft into oblivion, if not a sudden death.
Don Mascall is destined to make tailoring a lucrative means, as he reinvents the wheels to ensure that the craft has staying power to remain a cut above the rest.
That special cut is Mascall’s much sought after by customers and, in retrospect, to his parent’s path for him to what his destiny now looks like. Tailoring today gives him a fighting chance for longevity in the business.
He said his parents pushed him and he obtained his CXC/GCE passes. He was also enlisted as a prison officer but that was short-lived, as he found his niche in tailoring.
Originally from Moruga, Mascall attended the Cowen Hamilton Secondary School where he studied Science, and at the age of 16, like most teenagers, he struggled with the question, “Where do I go from here?”
Growing up, Mascall said he watched his mother produce kitchen curtains, and was fascinated by her skills. He would help her and he absorbed every little detail until he hungered for more.
At age 30, Mascall then had a vested interest in designing men’s clothing; he now works out of a shop in El Socorro, San Juan.
He has clients from all walks of life, locally and regionally.
Today, with a degree in human resource management, he said: “Tailoring was never on the cards for me. After obtaining my CXC/GCE passes I would always wonder what to do. I saw that the government then was offering a course in pants and shirt construction. It was a six-week programme, and I wanted to know how to sew, so I did that. This followed with an eight-week YTEPP tailoring course, and this was for me to become more solid in garment construction.”
Mascall’s innate ability to work with his hands guided him to enrol at John Donaldson Technical Institute where he graduated following a three-year programme as a certified tailor.
After graduating with a certificate in tailoring, he dominated the merit list for his skilful attributes in jacket, waistcoats, and skirt designs.
But as the market became saturated with tailors, Mascall did not hesitate to enlist at Andrew Ramroop’s Saville Row Academy, in London, for one year as he projected. He is known as a renowned Bespoke tailor.
Bespoke tailoring is a more advanced type of workmanship for each client.
According to Mascall, two people can have the same measurements, suitability and fitting would not be the same, hence the bespoke aspect of tailoring. Today, Mascall, without regret, thanks his parents for the “push” in academics, but he gives himself a pat on the back for seeing his dream come through.
“Tailoring, like most other trades, is dying. I would like to see mentorship programmes taking place. There is always a need for a dressmaker, hairdresser, make-up artist and upholstery. Young people must be patient and must be willing to learn; some of them are too fast pace.
“I believe if people are interested in what they want, they must be willing to begin from the foundation,” Mascall said.
He said Bespoke designs can range between $10,000 and $20,000—but the designer’s name would stand for the signature designs. He said much of the Bespoke and basic garments he produces are heavily infused with basic and advanced experience in sewing.
Mascall said he is working out the logistics to design a tailoring programme for a free beginners class in Moruga.
He said he has an aspiration to assist youths from that region for two reasons; home is where the heart is and youths there still have a keen interest in learning the art of garment construction.
