There is a shop in Brunswick, in Melbourne’s inner-north, that doesn’t look like much at first glance but is home to one of the city’s unsung legends.
Since 1989, Vietnamese-born tailor Nam Huynh has been fitting generations with denim jeans made to last.
And in the 36 years he has been in business, he’s never taken a day off.
“I don’t take days off because I love the job,” he said.
“Every morning I wake up at seven, go to the shop, and work until 4:30 or 5:30, six days a week.
“On Sunday, I work in the warehouse. That means I work seven days a week. If you don’t love the job, you can’t work like that.”
Nam has always loved fashion, “it’s in my blood”.
“If you want to do anything, you have to love it. If you love it, you can work nonstop. You don’t feel tired, you always have energy.”
He was 14 when his sister taught him to sew.
“In 1975, when the communists took over South Vietnam, life became very hard for everyone,” he said. “Everyone had to work to survive. Even when I was 14, I had to work. The good thing is my sister taught me everything.
“My family didn’t want me to join the Communist Army. They forced me to escape from Vietnam on a fishing boat. It took about three days to get to Malaysia, and I stayed there about eight months. Then the Australian government let me come to Australia in 1981.”
Nam faced the challenge of a new country and a new language with the energy that has brought him success.
“Sewing was my skill, so that was the only job I could do. I worked six days a week. At that time, jobs were everywhere, so I worked as much as I could to save money for my own business,” he said.
When Nam arrived in Australia, his English was limited. “[So] I learned from my staff. They talked to me every day. They were like my English teachers as well.”
By 1989, Nam had saved enough to buy some sewing machines and set up Dejour.
“At first, it was a big struggle. No one knew me, only local people passing by my shop. I didn’t have money to advertise. Anyone who wanted jeans, I helped them, fixed them, did everything just to make them happy,” he said.
“The reason I picked that shop was because the rent was cheap, so I could survive for a long time.
“At first, I didn’t have enough customers — just locals in Brunswick. But through word of mouth and friends, my customer base grew every year. Ten years later, I had many customers.”
Initially, Nam did all the work himself. He needed 10 machines to make the jeans. As the business grew, he managed to put on extra staff.
One of the things Nam is proudest of is offering free alterations.
“I know jeans can’t fit everyone perfectly. That’s why I provide free alterations to make customers happy,” he said.
Over the 36 years he has been in business, Nam has seen many changes but he believes it’s best to stick to what you’re best at.
“Even now, when the economy is tough, I’m still happy because I can do my job for my customers,” Nam said.
“A lot of shop owners have closed, but I survive because this is my passion. Even if the income isn’t much, I still want to work.
“Many people say my life is boring because it’s just work and sleep. But I don’t feel that way. I’m happy doing what I love.”
As for the future?
“I will keep working until I can’t work anymore. Maybe when I’m very old and can’t walk. Until then, I’ll keep sewing jeans for my customers.”