Mustafa

Expert Tailor

I wonder how many times I’ve walked past Woolcrest Fabrics, located in a gap between buildings at 6 Well Street, without having had the slightest idea what treasures are to be found in this industrial brick warehouse.

Stacked from floor to ceiling, the infinite variety of colours and finishes of the fabrics can appear a bit overwhelming at first. But keep going and you will discover that everything is excellent value for money. There aren’t just fabrics to be discovered. With a clientele as vibrant as the merchandise, Woolcrest is one of the places that best represents the very essence of our neighbourhood. There is an African family animatedly discussing a selection of traditionally patterned fabrics, fashion students dressed in wonderfully outlandish clothes hunting for interesting materials for their latest projects, and women of diverse cultural backgrounds quietly browsing the oriental section of the warehouse.

And then I found Mustafa the tailor, the jewel in the crown. He sells fabrics once a week in exchange for a modest room right behind the warehouse. Mustafa is an affable, diligent and hardworking craftsman and very proud of his tailoring skills, and with good reason. He performs complicated alterations, expertly copies much-loved pieces of clothing, sews curtains and upholsters sofas and chairs. Indeed, his service goes beyond the perfect making of the items but he also takes a lot of trouble finding the right fabric or leather if it can’t be found at Woolcrest.

Born in Bulgaria, Mustafa emigrated to Bursa in Turkey with his family, where he spent most of his youth and began his training as a tailor. Since then he has lived in many places and worked in many professions. He was a gold merchant in Istanbul, a chef in Hannover and worked various jobs in Vienna before he came to London almost seven years ago. With no knowledge of English, he began working in a fish and chips shop. From the occasional tailoring he did in his spare time he quickly built a client base which eventually allowed him to give up his restaurant job.

Mustafa is extremely happy, now that he is able to live entirely from his craft. “From all the different jobs I’ve done, this is by far my favorite”, he says.

Musti can be reached at 07948 222045 or ask for him at Woolcrest on Saturdays between 9 a.m and 3 p.m.