Osman Silk House

A Passion for Fashion

Osman Silk House has been operating for almost 90 years and has made a name for itself as a textile business that supplies branded fabrics in Arab Street. Mr Mohamed Anis Osmanbhoy is the third-generation owner and runs his grandfather’s business with a burning passion.

“It’s in our blood!”, Mr Mohamed Anis Osmanbhoy exclaims these words with pride, when asked about how his family started selling textiles. Mr Anis is the third-generation owner of Osman Silk House and is passionate about keeping his grandfather’s legacy alive. His shop is filled with fabrics of varied colours and patterns—some lean against the wall in long rolls, while others are folded in a stacked pile on the spotless tiled floor. Mr Anis navigates the space of his store with ease, his fingers brushing lightly against the fabrics as he gives a mini educational tour. “You see all these, they just arrived this morning from Italy,” he shares excitedly as his hands sweep over a pile of fabrics. He explains the origins of each fabric without skipping a beat. He goes on to unfurl one of the fabrics, clasping the material with practised hands. “Feel this, this is Egyptian cotton, this is different. Yes, very fine. The fineness in the yarn, finishing, quality, and softness, play a part in the grade of the fabric.” Mr Anis is in his element, displaying his extensive knowledge about the fabric industry, garnered from years of running his family business.

Being in operation for nearly 90 years, Osman Silk House is one of the oldest textile businesses residing in Arab Street today. It was established by Mr Anis’ grandfather in 1935, and originally started out in the district of Kulim in Kedah, Malaysia. A fun fact is that his grandfather was friends with Tunku Abdul Rahman, the first Prime Minister of Malaysia, who also lived in Kulim. In 1939, his grandfather moved to Alor Setar, and subsequently migrated to Singapore in the mid-1940s. He settled in Kampong Gelam, setting up a main branch in Singapore. Although the shop has moved several times, it has remained in Arab Street ever since the mid-1940s.

Osman Silk House used to cater to the wholesale market, meaning that fabrics were sold to retailers in bulk quantities. When trends shifted to favour more expensive fabrics, Osman Silk House adapted accordingly, and transitioned to a retail business. The shop now supplies exclusive, branded fabrics, such as the esteemed Liberty Fabrics from London, United Kingdom, the famous Kasa Robia which originated from Austria, a voile fabric made from cotton that has been popular since the 1960s, and Irish Linen originating from Ireland. “We concentrate more on silk, linens, cotton, prints, embroideries from Europe as the quality and finishing is finer than other countries,” Mr Anis says. Osman Silk House continues to be sensitive to market trends, aiming to cater to the customers’ diverse needs.

Much has changed for Osman Silk House since its inception. Mr Anis is nostalgic about the period when Arab Street was a rich and colourful district full of textile businesses. “Those days, business was very vibrant, very lively, with longer working hours,” he says. In the 1950s and 1960s, the business would start as early as six in the morning, before the staff even had their breakfast. Mr Anis recalls the bustling days of Beach Road before land reclamation – the area had been full of boats docking and heading off to sea. “People used to come in the early morning from the southern islands for shopping.” There was never an idle day for Osman Silk House, with customers constantly coming in and out to browse through the prolific catalogue of patterned fabrics.

The history of traditional textiles has undeniably been woven into the fabric of Arab Street, and Osman Silk House is a testament to its rich heritage today. Alongside Osman Silk House are established textile businesses like VK Abdul Samad & Co., Basharahil Bros Batik, and Aik Bee Textile Co., just to name a few. Mr Anis welcomes the variety of textile businesses, saying, “To us, the more fabric shops here, the better we are. Not that we don’t want, but we want more! Because when there’s more shops, there’s more choices, then more people will come in.” He maintains good relations with his fellow shop owners and does not see them as business competitors. The sense of community in the neighbourhood is something that he appreciates very much.

Mr Anis loves what he does and endeavours to sustain his business. His trade is unique; not everyone can dedicate themselves to textiles in the same way that he does. “You need to have a passion for fashion,” he says. “It’s not like selling ready-made—anybody can sell ready-made but not textiles. You need to sell your feelings, to excite the customers. Or else they get bored and walk away.” Without a doubt, Mr Anis’ burning passion runs in his veins—a fire that keeps Osman Silk House going.

Interviewed by Nurfalah Sha’aban and Dewi Imelda Wadhwa on 23 May 2022.