Our Team
Our team brings a wealth of experience and craftsmanship to the table. We all agree on one thing: timeless style and good fit. Beyond that our tailors have a wide range of experience levels and interests.
Mia Wu
Current Owner / Senior Tailor
Born and raised in Taiwan, Mia’s mother taught her how to sew on a Singer foot pedal sewing machine. After moving to Vancouver and training in fashion design, illustration, and pattern-making, she apprenticed at Modernize Tailors with Bill Wong and learned from several members of the Wong family. After Bill Wong’s passing, with the encouragement of mentors Beveril Barnes and Park Wong, she devoted her career to carrying on the legacy of Modernize Tailors.
Kristof
Junior Tailor / Art Director
Kristof was born and raised in Montreal up until he moved to Vancouver Bc at the age of 16 with his parents. He started drawing at the age of five and his art soon translated into fashion designs he would create later in his career.
Park Wong
Master Jacket Maker (Retired)
Park moved to Vancouver from China at the age of 18 and learned tailoring techniques at Modernize. Alongside his relatives, he developed his craftsmanship and began specializing in jacket making. He built a reputation as the best jacket specialist in town, tailoring pieces for celebrities including Arnold Schwarzenegger. After 63 years serving the family business, Park retired and continues to mentor owner Mia Wu and the next generation of apprentices at Modernize Tailors.
In Memoriam
The Modernize Tailors legacy owes its history to the Wong family. We pay homage to our founder, Wong Kung Lai, and his two sons Bill and Jack who continued the business until their passings.
Bill Wong
Master Tailor
Bill was the oldest of ten children of Modernize Tailor’s founder Wong Kun Lai, and he spent nearly his entire life learning the art of tailoring at the family shop. His formative years were spent learning how to tailor, and he mastered his craft as the city’s fashion underwent massive changes through the Great Depression, Second World War, a budding local film industry, and mass-produced fashion. Throughout all these shifts, Bill and his brother and business partner Park developed Modernize Tailors to be a business synonymous with craftsmanship and customer service. Bill passed away in 2017 at the age of 95.
Jack Wong
Master Tailor
Jack was the second oldest son in the Wong family, and his childhood was spent weaving in and out of the tailor shop, just like Bill. The two were inseparable, with Jack initially specializing in layout and cutting while Bill handled ironing and pressing. Eventually, they both became masters of their craft, with their clients ranging from Hollywood stars to loggers visiting from along the coast. Jack passed away in 2013.