Lim Teck Yang (BAcc 2015 and BBM 2015) and Travis Ng (BBM 2016) may not have been in the same graduating class in SMU, but they bonded over their mutual passion for custom menswear. In November 2018, they opened Collaro Classic Menswear, a direct-to-consumer menswear brand that offers customised clothes to men of all shapes and sizes.
Operating on a made-to-order model, they advocated the "buy less, buy better" approach. The Founders have since completed two incubation programmes, the “SMU Business Innovations Generator” and “The Bridge Fashion Incubator”.
With visionary foresight and the realisation that the business infrastructure could be further improved on, they started to strategise and lay the foundation for Collaro to become an international brand.
From August 2019 to February 2020, they focused on refining their business model, engaging experts such as SMU alumnus Eugene Oei (BBM 2014), who officially joined the company to work on the front- and back-end pillars of Collaro’s technology infrastructure.
All was proceeding smoothly until April 2020 when the COVID-19 Circuit Breaker in Singapore kicked in. The lockdown brought with it an exceptionally difficult period filled with uncertainty and unprecedented challenges. It sparked a crisis as Collaro was operating on a physical appointment basis, but their web-store platform was not ready to be launched. With no online presence and no physical appointments, their revenue took a dive.
But it was at this time that Collaro’s team of 5 took exceptional steps to resolve matters. Their staff stepped up and contributed in many different ways, going above and beyond their usual scope of work. Eugene, in particular, worked twice as hard and even voluntarily offered to have a reduction in his salary, if matters called for such action. The Founders were immensely touched: “We were beyond words… the team was ever willing to lend a helping hand in times of need, and it really exhibited Eugene’s and the team’s passion for Collaro”. Thankfully, because Teck Yang and Travis had strategically planned for a buffer in the early days of their business, Collaro did not have to resort to a pay cut for its employees.
The team was rewarded in June 2020, when Collaro launched their web-store. Thanks to the solid technology infrastructure and teamwork, the revenue quickly bounced back in a few months, and they have since shipped their products to 30 countries, including the United States and Canada. “Honestly, 2020 was an incredibly challenging year for the company,” Travis admitted.
“It was thanks to the team’s tremendous support and hard work that we were able to pull through the tough times.”
The spirit of gratefulness didn’t stop there. During the circuit breaker period – knowing that some communities were more affected by the pandemic, Teck Yang and Travis contributed to an initiative, Project Belanja, supported by a non-profit organisation called ‘It’s Raining Raincoats’. Funds raised in this initiative are used exclusively to cater meals for migrant workers identified by the non-profit organisation.
Perhaps one of the reasons why Collaro has progressed in spite of the COVID-19 pandemic and the corresponding restrictive measures that have been put in place, is the fact that its Founders have not forgotten those who have contributed and played a part in helping them successfully establish an online and offline channel that supports local and global orders. As Teck Yang and Travis look forward to 2021 and embark on the next phase of the company’s growth, they will always remember that it was the staff that stepped up to keep the business moving.
For more information on Collaro Classic Menswear, please visit: https://collaro.co/
