Não obstante a voragem dos tempos, a mudança de hábitos e o preço das rendas existem pequenos negócios locais que ainda vão resistindo. Outros pura e simplesmente sucumbiram...
Domingos Cheong é alfaiate desde 1963. Foi por essa altura que abriu a alfaiataria com o seu nome na então zona nobre da cidade, frente à Estátua de Jorge Álvares junto ao Palácio do Governo e ao tribunal. Na época a avenida chama-se Dr. Oliveira Salazar hoje é a Dr. Mário Soares. Mudaram-se os tempos mas o aspecto da loja manteve-se praticamente inalterado e mal se entra evidencia-se o cheiro dos tecidos.
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| Foto de Ou Niar-le na Macao Magazine |
O Senhor Domingos como era conhecido era a comunidade portuguesa (uma parte importante da clientela) estudou no colégio D. Bosco. Aos 16 anos começou a interessar-se pela arte da costura e foi durante três anos aprendiz de um alfaiate italiano. Para trás ficaram os difíceis anos da guerra do Pacífico.
Entre os clientes que passaram pelas mãos do Sr. Domingos (actualmente octogenário) contam-se personalidades como Adriano Moreira (então Ministro do Ultramar), os antigos presidente da república portuguesa, Mário Soares e Jorge Sampaio, e os governadores, Nobre de Carvalho, Almeida e Costa, Pinto Machado e Rocha Vieira.
Outra das alfaiatarias com tradição no território é a do Sr. António Manuel Brito Lai que abriu ao público no início de 1964. Situada no nº 25 da Rua Nossa Senhora do Amparo, no seu letreiro pode ler-se: "U Seng (António Manuel) Iong Fok (roupa para estrangeiros).
Tal como acontecia com a loja do Sr. Domingos, os principais clientes do Sr. António Manuel eram os portugueses, em especial os militares. Com a transferência de soberania os clientes portugueses diminuíram mas surgiram outros, nomeadamente chineses do continente com forte poder de compra.
António Manuel Brito Lai (com 83 anos em 2014) tirou o curso de alfaiate no Colégio de D. Bosco, secção chinesa, Instituto Salesiano. Ao jornalista Hélder Fernando explicou (JTM Maio 2014) que “também aprendíamos ofícios muito úteis. No meu caso aprendi a ser alfaiate e gostei desde o início, foi um padre italiano que me ensinou”. Na loja são abundantes as fotografias que recordam várias décadas de negócio. “Os primeiros clientes eram quase todos tropa e polícias, queriam calça, casaco, camisa, aprendi a fazer tudo”, recordou, acrescentando que "os soldados ganhavam pouco, quando a malta não pagava, não fazia mal, eu falava com o sargento e ele descontava no salário dos soldados que não tinham pago.”António Manuel confessa ainda que gostou muito de trabalhar com os portugueses e ainda hoje quando regressam a Macau o visitam. “Muitos amigos antigos já não estão em Macau, mas quando vêm de visita, telefonam e vamos conviver recordando os velhos tempos”
Um outro António, de apelido Cambeta, foi um dos primeiros clientes. Diz que "embora com uma idade bem avançada, o meu amigo António Lai continua jovial, sempre muito atencioso, e tem imenso prazer em falar o português".
António Manuel e António Cambeta em 2014. Foto AC.
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| António Manuel. Foto JTM |
Hardship and war
Cheong was born in Macao in 1933, the eldest of four children. His father was a businessman who died when Cheong was in his teens. He studied at the Salesians of Don Bosco Catholic school. At the age of 16, Cheong made his first suit and became an apprentice to an Italian teacher; he studied under him for three years.It was a time of war and hardship: a full stomach, a roof over your head and survival were the priority. After the Japanese occupation of Hong Kong in December 1941, Macao’s population tripled to 450,000 – a record level. While many found a place in schools, public buildings and private homes, thousands had to live on the streets and in parks and public spaces.
As a resident, Cheong and his family had enough to eat. But thousands starved to death. “Every morning we saw the bodies lying on the pavement. Everyone was looking for food.”
After the war, most of the refugees returned to the mainland or Hong Kong or went overseas. The city returned to calm and peace. For a young man like Cheong, job opportunities were few and the pay was low. It was worlds away from the Macao of 2013.
Opening the shop
It was in 1963 that Cheong opened his tailor’s shop on the Avenida Doutor Mario Soares, a few metres from what is now the headquarters of the Luso International Bank.
He rented two storeys in a government building. On the ground floor, he displayed the materials and made the fittings; on the second floor, he and his employees made the suits. It was a good location, within walking distance of the Governor’s office and the main commercial area. It was a brave decision. Then, as now, tailor-made suits were a luxury product bought by only a small proportion of the population. He had plenty of competition, in Macao and in Hong Kong. The colony then had a population of only 260,000.
The Sociedade de Turismo e Diversoes de Macau (STDM) had just won the gambling franchise and was about to build the Hotel Lisboa. The number of tourists to the city was limited; no-one could enter from the mainland. “It was very hard at the beginning. There were few people here. We were open every day. There were no Saturdays or Sundays.”
His first big catch was Dr Adriano Moreira, Minister of the Overseas Provinces from 1961–63 under the Estado Novo regime of Antonio de Oliveira Salazar. He went on to become one of the most important Portuguese political figures in the second half of the 20th century.
He was president of the Democratic and Social Centre and represented them in Parliament from 1979. For decades, he was a professor at the Technical University of Lisbon.
The shop has a signed picture of Dr Moreira dated 25 September 1964, when he received his suit. It was a breakthrough for Cheong. Moreira passed his name to other members of the Portuguese leadership and the colonial government.
The first time Cheong made a suit for a governor was in 1966. He made outfits for a total of seven governors, including Nobre de Carvalho (November 1966–November 1974) Vasco de Almeida e Costa (June 1979–May 1986), Pinto Machado (May 1985–July 1987) and Vasco Joaquim Rocha Vieira (April 1991–December 1999). “For their fittings, I went to the Governor’s residence. It was a mark of respect. There would be two–three fittings per suit.”
Another client, in October 1974, was Antonio de Almeida Santos, who worked as a lawyer in Mozambique from 1953 to 1974 and returned to Lisbon to become Minister of Inter-territorial Co-ordination, followed by other ministerial posts. Cheong’s most famous client was Mario Soares, who was Prime Minister of Portugal for a total of four years in the 1970s and 1980s and then President from March 1986 to March 1996. He negotiated the country’s entry into the European Economic Community and is one of the best-known Portuguese leaders across Europe.
A photo of a smiling Soares hangs over the counter in Cheong’s shop.
“These Portuguese clients were very careful. They were not arrogant but kind and humble,” he said. “They were all very polite to us, including Soares. I liked them all.” So Cheong became the first choice not only for the governors and visiting Portuguese politicians and officials but also other members of the colonial administration. He also had many prominent Chinese customers. The best known was Ho Yin, popularly known as the ‘Chinese governor of Macao’ and the city’s most prominent businessman from the end of World War II until his death in December 1983.
“Ho Yin was a good friend. I did many suits for him when he needed them,” he said. “He was very modest and liked to talk to me. He was a peaceful man, who enjoyed good relations with both Chinese and Portuguese.” In recent years, he has had clients from the mainland. Many wealthy people from there come to Macao to enjoy the casinos, the restaurants and the high-quality shopping.
Style of working
Cheong has a work routine common among many Chinese of his generation – working every day, with few holidays. If a client is in town for only a few days, this can mean working around the clock to finish the order in time. Over the last 20 years, however, he has taken some holidays. The material for the suits is imported. The United Kingdom used to be the principal supplier; now it is Italy. Sometimes he visits these countries to see the suppliers. He has four children, of whom two live in Hong Kong and two in Macao. “I did not want them to follow in my footsteps as a tailor. The profession is too hard. I did not consider any of them as a successor. I wanted them to study at university. There is so much more choice now. They are making their own way.” He himself enjoys excellent health, which he attributes to a good diet and a regular lifestyle. He does not smoke, drink or gamble: “I am not free to do it.”
Cheong was born in Macao in 1933, the eldest of four children. His father was a businessman who died when Cheong was in his teens. He studied at the Salesians of Don Bosco Catholic school. At the age of 16, Cheong made his first suit and became an apprentice to an Italian teacher; he studied under him for three years.It was a time of war and hardship: a full stomach, a roof over your head and survival were the priority. After the Japanese occupation of Hong Kong in December 1941, Macao’s population tripled to 450,000 – a record level. While many found a place in schools, public buildings and private homes, thousands had to live on the streets and in parks and public spaces.
As a resident, Cheong and his family had enough to eat. But thousands starved to death. “Every morning we saw the bodies lying on the pavement. Everyone was looking for food.”
After the war, most of the refugees returned to the mainland or Hong Kong or went overseas. The city returned to calm and peace. For a young man like Cheong, job opportunities were few and the pay was low. It was worlds away from the Macao of 2013.
Opening the shop
It was in 1963 that Cheong opened his tailor’s shop on the Avenida Doutor Mario Soares, a few metres from what is now the headquarters of the Luso International Bank.
He rented two storeys in a government building. On the ground floor, he displayed the materials and made the fittings; on the second floor, he and his employees made the suits. It was a good location, within walking distance of the Governor’s office and the main commercial area. It was a brave decision. Then, as now, tailor-made suits were a luxury product bought by only a small proportion of the population. He had plenty of competition, in Macao and in Hong Kong. The colony then had a population of only 260,000.
The Sociedade de Turismo e Diversoes de Macau (STDM) had just won the gambling franchise and was about to build the Hotel Lisboa. The number of tourists to the city was limited; no-one could enter from the mainland. “It was very hard at the beginning. There were few people here. We were open every day. There were no Saturdays or Sundays.”
His first big catch was Dr Adriano Moreira, Minister of the Overseas Provinces from 1961–63 under the Estado Novo regime of Antonio de Oliveira Salazar. He went on to become one of the most important Portuguese political figures in the second half of the 20th century.
He was president of the Democratic and Social Centre and represented them in Parliament from 1979. For decades, he was a professor at the Technical University of Lisbon.
The shop has a signed picture of Dr Moreira dated 25 September 1964, when he received his suit. It was a breakthrough for Cheong. Moreira passed his name to other members of the Portuguese leadership and the colonial government.
The first time Cheong made a suit for a governor was in 1966. He made outfits for a total of seven governors, including Nobre de Carvalho (November 1966–November 1974) Vasco de Almeida e Costa (June 1979–May 1986), Pinto Machado (May 1985–July 1987) and Vasco Joaquim Rocha Vieira (April 1991–December 1999). “For their fittings, I went to the Governor’s residence. It was a mark of respect. There would be two–three fittings per suit.”
Another client, in October 1974, was Antonio de Almeida Santos, who worked as a lawyer in Mozambique from 1953 to 1974 and returned to Lisbon to become Minister of Inter-territorial Co-ordination, followed by other ministerial posts. Cheong’s most famous client was Mario Soares, who was Prime Minister of Portugal for a total of four years in the 1970s and 1980s and then President from March 1986 to March 1996. He negotiated the country’s entry into the European Economic Community and is one of the best-known Portuguese leaders across Europe.
A photo of a smiling Soares hangs over the counter in Cheong’s shop.
“These Portuguese clients were very careful. They were not arrogant but kind and humble,” he said. “They were all very polite to us, including Soares. I liked them all.” So Cheong became the first choice not only for the governors and visiting Portuguese politicians and officials but also other members of the colonial administration. He also had many prominent Chinese customers. The best known was Ho Yin, popularly known as the ‘Chinese governor of Macao’ and the city’s most prominent businessman from the end of World War II until his death in December 1983.
“Ho Yin was a good friend. I did many suits for him when he needed them,” he said. “He was very modest and liked to talk to me. He was a peaceful man, who enjoyed good relations with both Chinese and Portuguese.” In recent years, he has had clients from the mainland. Many wealthy people from there come to Macao to enjoy the casinos, the restaurants and the high-quality shopping.
Style of working
Cheong has a work routine common among many Chinese of his generation – working every day, with few holidays. If a client is in town for only a few days, this can mean working around the clock to finish the order in time. Over the last 20 years, however, he has taken some holidays. The material for the suits is imported. The United Kingdom used to be the principal supplier; now it is Italy. Sometimes he visits these countries to see the suppliers. He has four children, of whom two live in Hong Kong and two in Macao. “I did not want them to follow in my footsteps as a tailor. The profession is too hard. I did not consider any of them as a successor. I wanted them to study at university. There is so much more choice now. They are making their own way.” He himself enjoys excellent health, which he attributes to a good diet and a regular lifestyle. He does not smoke, drink or gamble: “I am not free to do it.”
In Macao Magazine
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