WELCOME Magazine 16 - Turistička zajednica grada Dubrovnika

The Tailor Tomislav Ivušić
materijalima. Pomogao mu je tada
Zavod za obnovu, danas pomaže
Grad Dubrovnik mjesečnom subvencijom
jer je gospar Ivušić na listi
starih tradicijskih obrta.
- Šezdesetih godina, kada sam se osamostalio
bilo je 18 obrtnika unutar
zidina, danas rijetki hoće u krojače.
Zadnjega naučnika imao sam davne
1968. godine, to vam dovoljno govori.
Mladi hoće lakši život. Ne znam
tko će me zamijeniti, ljudima neće
imati tko raditi popravke. Ali ja ću -
spremno dodaje - šivati sve dok se
budem mogao popeti uz ovaj skalin
na ulazu u butigu - priča jedan od
posljednjih dubrovačkih krojača koji
posljednjih godina postaje sve većom
turističkom atrakcijom, osobito za japanske
turiste koji ga prepoznaju iz
emisija koje se emitiraju na njihovim
TV postajama.
- Zamislite to, ko da je Japan
u Mlinima, a ne na drugom kraju
svijeta – s čuđenjem kazuje „meštar
od odijela“.
Eto još jednog dokaza da je svijet
globalno selo, razlog više da čuvamo
tradiciju, zbog koje uostalom i jesmo
prepoznatljivi i posebni u svijetu.
The tailor’s shop of Mr. Tomislav
Ivušić, situated in the street
Ulica od puča 5, is reminiscent of the
time when the gentry walked in the
streets of Dubrovnik wearing hats
and tailor-made clothes. Mr. Ivušić is
one of the last tailors of Dubrovnik.
-Perhaps man is born with
it, because when still a child while
my peers used to play, I went to the
dressmaker lady in the neighbourhood
in order to sew. She had a
sewing machine and let me help her
while sewing. She needed nerves of
steel for that, because I definitely
would not have them nowadays –
remembers Mr. Ivušić talking about
his beginnings.
Although one cannot hear the characteristic
sound of stitching, because
foot pedals have been replaced by
the electric motor, the old Pfaff and
Singer sewing machines still do a fine
job today.
The sewing master and his
machines are almost of the same age.
Approaching his eightieth birthday
Tomislav Ivušić still works on a daily
basis from 7.30 to 12,00 am.
- I have worked in this shop
for 50 years now. Having completed
my training I began to work in a
tailor’s cooperative venture. Later I
went to work for a master tailor from
whom I learned my trade well. When
he fell ill, I was in charge of his business.
At that time craftsmen usually
worked on the upper floors. When
the law changed in 1947, we moved
to the ground floor.
In the room of 16 square
metres everything is reminiscent of
times gone by – two sewing machines,
a tailor’s dummy, bench,
small wash-basin and a huge fitting
room where clients could comfortably
try their clothes on.
- After World War II people
had all their clothes made because
there were neither ready-made
clothes nor places where you could
buy them. There were also no shops
where you could buy materials.
You were not able to buy fabrics, so
clothes were made of blankets or
coverlets which arrived from abroad
in the aid packages. That is the reason
why one had to wait for months
for a suit, says Mr. Tomislav, claiming
that it took four days for a young
tailor to make a suit.
Our conversation is interrupted
occasionally by customers’ arrivals.
Mr. Tomislav jokes and talks for a
while with each of them, because the
virtues of a true tailor include politeness
and moderation.
- When do you need these
trousers to be ready? - he asks a
lady who brought in a brand new
pair of linen trousers bought at a
very convenient price, which need
to be shortened. As soon as possible,
because I have nothing else to wear
– replies the lady. A typical female
answer, which would have caused
others to mock, leaves Mr. Ivušić
completely calm.
With the appearance of ready-made
clothes on the market the demand
for tailored clothes was reduced, so
work gradually decreased. This trend
continued till the Croatian War of
Independence – explains Mr. Ivušić.
- Thus I closed the tailor’s business,
and now do alterations only. However,
I’m up to my ears in work, more
than I can manage. Probably because
women also wear trousers, and men
would never request the kind of
alterations women do – he adds with
a smile. Today many people with
disproportional figures who have difficulty
in finding ready-made clothes
come to him, but he makes clothes
no longer. Tourists visit him every
day asking him to do alterations, but
the problem is that they ask for the
service immediately. Yet Mr. Tomislav
treats all the clients equally, and
gives no-one priority treatment.
He remembers both good and bad
30 Dob r o d o š l i u Du b r o v n i k