Nathon Kong

Nathon Kong was born in Thailand, grew up in India, and moved to Quebec in 2003. After earning a degree in microbiology and working in industry, in 2014 he refocussed his career on fashion and created his namesake brand of bespoke suits.

Kong launched his tailoring business operating out of a solar-powered truck, to cater to the needs of busy clients who appreciated a mobile service.

From the outset, he employed an integrated 3D body scanner to take complete measurements of his clients. The concept was recognized as highly innovative at the time, and earned him several entrepreneurship awards.

He currently uses the same equipment in his studio in Montreal’s Belgo building. Kong schedules appointments with each client to select the fabric and discuss design features. He sources high-end Italian fabrics, and has his suits made up in an offshore factory.

Since 2017, a signature feature of his suits has been linings in brightly coloured prints designed by Montreal artists and printed in very limited runs.

Some have been created by artists from Les Impatients, a group that supports individuals with mental problems through artistic expression. A portion of the profits from each suit is returned to the artist. Kong sees this facet of his process as a form of social engagement.

In  2019, Nathon Kong’s work was featured in the Montreal Couture exhibition at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts.