This namecard of the Fatman Singapore Gents' Wear Company features the second last shop address of the well-known tailor shop before it shifted to another shop space in Whampoa in 2014. The initial idea then was to close the shop permanently, but a customer of Fatman recommended another shop space in Whampoa at the same block which led the business to continue its operations till early 2018.Fatman Singapore Gents’ Wear Company was one of the local tailor shops that specialised in the making of men’s Western suits as early as the 1950s. Its branding of a fat gentleman in a Western suit which is unique and familiar to many, implied that the tailors at Fatman understood the male body, and could tailor clothes to fit all body types, as shown on the back of this card.The founder of Fatman, Mr Choo Foo Wah, was born in Zhongshan county, Guangdong, China, in 1930. He left for Singapore with his uncle in 1946 and worked as an apprentice to a local tailor (specialising in making Western suits). In 1955, he set up his own business, Singapore Tailor, at Desker Road (1955–1957). Later the business was renamed Fatman Singapore Gents’ Wear Company, with its main shop in Jalan Besar (1957–2009), later Whampoa area (2009–2018), as well as branches along Victoria Street (1975–1981) and in the Orchard Road area (1981–1994). In the 1960s, with Western culture making greater inroads into the local fashion consciousness, there was an increasing popularity for made-to-measure clothing which led to a demand for tailors who could replicate coveted Western designs. Between the 1970s and the 1980s, Fatman was one of the most renowned tailor shops in Singapore, ordering fabrics from London to satiate the growing demands of customers, who also appreciated Fatman's fine workmanship.
