Kenny Loh

Kenny Loh shares with us the most important lessons he has learned from his father Robert Loh including the virtues of being patient and honest.

 

Succeeding at succession in the family business doesn't always come naturally to a child. It can be an accidental encounter, which then lead the said child to achieve greatness and success.

That is the story of Kenny Loh, who joined Lord's Tailor -- a family-owned tailoring company founded by his father Robert Loh -- as the creative director.

Applauded as the go-to tailor for Malaysian elites including Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, Dato' Jimmy Choo and Dato' Siti Nurhaliza; meeting their expectations can sometimes be a daunting task, but so far, Kenny Loh has proven that he is up for the job at hand.

For the most part, he credits his father Robert. In anticipation of Father's Day, Kenny sits down with us to talk about the many things he has learned from his father.


(L-R: Dato' Jimmy Choo, Dato' Lee Chong Wei, Kenny Loh and Robert Loh)

How was your father like when you were growing up?
My father has never been a talkative person. He has quite a serious personality and is very focused in what he does. My father started his business when I was a child.

So naturally, he was always busy at work but he did try his best to spend some quality time with us at least once a week.

He is usually the quiet observer but when he decides to voice his thoughts, they are always very useful advices and wise words.

How has your father changed over the years?
Like I said before, he is very serious man but over the years, whenever he attends events and soirees, he tries his best to socialise with the guests.

My dad does like to tell jokes but it is always the same few that he repeats quite often. He is not a very humourous person but he tries his best. So after a while, we just play along. (Laughs)

What is your favourite memory of time spent with your father?
What we enjoy doing together most is during Chinese New Year, when the two of us cook up a storm for the reunion dinner. It has been our thing for almost a decade now.

Growing up with a father who is a tailor, how did that influence your decision in joining the family business?
As a child, I never had the aspirations to be a tailor. It was quite an accidental encounter for me. It happened when I graduated from art college and was about to join the advertising industry (I studied graphic design).

But at the time, the store was quite short-handed and I decided to help out for a while. It was then that my passion for Lord's Tailor sparked and I never looked back since.

What is the most important lesson he has taught you about being a businessman and a tailor?
I can say that he has taught me everything I know as a tailor. I am quite fortunate to have him as my mentor. Though, it can be quite daunting for me because he is a perfectionist and it is not easy to get him to praise your work.

That has taught me to always try my best to reach perfection in every garment that we create.

In my father's words, "We must never short-change our customers. Be honest and always offer the best we can for what we are paid for."

What did he teach you about being a father?
My father came from a very poor background and he had worked his way from the very bottom to where he is now. He always makes sure we know that "money never comes easy to anyone" and you have to work hard to deserve some luxury in life.

The current generation is very fortunate to have what they have including my children but I make sure they learn all the virtues and values that I have learned from my father, which includes patience, honesty and integrity.

What does being a father mean to you?
It is part and parcel of life. It is a wonderful thing to be a parent and to be able to teach them what we know and value.

What would you like to say to your father?
Dad, I wouldn’t be where I am today without you. You have instilled many virtues and values to me that I treasure to this very day.

 

 

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