From being born in Syria and enduring the atrocities of the civil war, to working as a child in Turkey to help support his family and eventually immigrating to Canada, few could have predicted that Ala Alhaj Obid would one day have his own business.
At just 21, he opened his alteration and tailoring shop, D&F Tailoring Experts, at 543 Herald St. in downtown Victoria on July 31.
This marks the culmination of years of hard work and a chance for him to pour his talent into every garment he is entrusted to alter, repair, or create.
From Aleppo to Istanbul
Born in Syria, Obid recalled a childhood shaped by the civil war between the Assad regime and rebel forces, where constant air raids became part of daily life.
香蕉视频直播淚t was horrible香蕉视频直播� the planes would come and just bomb houses,香蕉视频直播� he recalled somberly, offering no further detail.
Hoping to give their family a better future, Obid香蕉视频直播檚 parents left their small town just outside of Aleppo and moved north to neighbouring Turkey with their five young children.
After a long journey, the family arrived in Istanbul in 2016. Obid was 12.
Now out of harm香蕉视频直播檚 way, life was far from playtime for the young boy. As the eldest son, he was expected to help sustain the family and ensure his younger siblings could attend school.
Although the legal age for full-time employment in Turkey is 18-years-old, Obid said child labour was a common practice for Syrian migrants. One of the few options available to the young boy was work in the textile industry. With little choice, he began with the most basic tasks, including sorting fabric, cutting material, repairing sewing machines and fetching supplies.
An autodidact and fast-learner, Obid learned Turkish on the fly and developed a knack for tailoring.
香蕉视频直播淒uring the breaks, I just sat at the machines and started exploring,香蕉视频直播� he said.
What began as a necessity for survival eventually became a passion. In his spare time, he spent countless hours making clothes for his younger siblings and sharpening his tailoring skills.
香蕉视频直播淚 would come at night at home (and sew) after my 12-hour shift,香蕉视频直播� he said. 香蕉视频直播淚 had no school and the job was the only thing I had,香蕉视频直播� he said.
Starting with basic tasks, the boy香蕉视频直播檚 talent quickly grew, and by the age of 13, he was designing clothes on his own.
His skills eventually earned him a position as a sewing machine operator working alongside people more than twice his age, something he described as 香蕉视频直播渁n unusual thing to see.香蕉视频直播�
And his talent wouldn't go unnoticed for long.
At 17, while working for Turkish fast-fashion giant Koton, he was tasked with the position of manager, leading a team of eight.
Yet, despite rapidly carving out his place up the ranks, the young man said that life in Turkey, though safer than Syria, was far from ideal.
香蕉视频直播淢y younger (siblings) were not in the best schools,香蕉视频直播� he said, adding that racism towards refugees was a common thing in Turkey.
It was while Obid香蕉视频直播檚 mother was renewing the family香蕉视频直播檚 temporary Turkish IDs that an organization assisting Syrian migrants with finding a new home country reached out to her.
After a lengthy correspondence and a round of interviews, the family was selected for immigration.
香蕉视频直播淲e knew it was for (leaving) but we didn't know where,香蕉视频直播� he said. 香蕉视频直播淲e were expecting Europe or something, but not Canada.香蕉视频直播�
When he heard the news, the young man was elated. From a young age, Obid explained spending time scrolling the internet and exploring YouTube, eager to learn more about Canada, a country that fascinated him.
香蕉视频直播淐anada had chosen us, and it was a very, very happy day,香蕉视频直播� he said.
In the land of the Maple Leaf
On Sept. 16, 2021, the family of seven landed in Victoria.
While turning a new page and starting from scratch is difficult, Obid was up to the challenge.
Within the first month, he enrolled in English classes at Camosun College and while his family searched for housing amid the COVID pandemic, he returned to sewing.
After using services offered by the Victoria Immigrant and Refugee Centre, a staff member heard about Obid and introduced him to the manager of Stitch It, a clothing alteration shop at Victoria香蕉视频直播檚 Mayfair Mall.
After a brief introduction, the newcomer landed a job.
香蕉视频直播淚 could see the smile on her face and I knew she would hire me,香蕉视频直播� he said. 香蕉视频直播淚 was happy that she just put me in a trusted position and I just did what she gave me. That was without speaking to me a word, no interview, nothing other than just greetings.香蕉视频直播�
The following day, Obid started what would become a three-year stay at the shop.
During that time, while attending school, working, and making ends meet as an Uber driver, an idea began to flourish in the young man香蕉视频直播檚 mind. 香蕉视频直播淲hat if he owned his own business?香蕉视频直播� he asked himself.
After countless trials and tribulations, working out the details of starting his own business, raising the funds, and obtaining his business license from the City of Victoria, the young entrepreneur finally opened his shop on July 31.
Working seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Obid welcomes anyone needing clothing alterations, taking on any job and working with any material.
香蕉视频直播淲hen somebody comes in, I'm expecting to put a smile on their face,香蕉视频直播� he said. 香蕉视频直播淚 am somebody who is obsessed about pleasing customers because I care about every stitch and where they fall, because they (become part of) a story.香蕉视频直播�
For more information about D&F Tailoring Experts, visit
