Like a fairy godmother: The mascot maker who brings characters to life

In this series, people from all walks of life offer an inside – often unfiltered – take on their livelihoods and what keeps them going in their jobs. In this instalment, hear from first-generation mascot maker Noorjahan Katu on what it takes to build a costume empire, as told to The Straits Times.

I make sure that the mascots and costumes we create at Mascot Enterprise spark an instant emotional connection. Characters must come alive – that is the most important part of our industry.

I am 58 and have been doing this for 28 years. I have lost count — but we must have produced thousands of mascots by now. To me, a mascot must evoke a sense of wonder. It is about creating a feeling you cannot get any other way.

When mascot talents are inside a costume, comfort is key. In Singapore’s heat, it is akin to being in a sauna wrapped in fur. That is why we are always innovating and exploring new technology to refine our craft. In recent years, we have started building more inflatable mascots, which have air pumped inside for better airflow and ventilation. They not only have built-in fans, but are also much lighter and more comfortable for the performer.

I find the most magical part of being in a costume is becoming the character. It is like method acting. Once you are dressed up and have different makeup on, people no longer recognise you – you can be whoever you want to be.

For our mascots, we also provide performers through what we call our “talent service”. We train them to deliver the exact experience the client wants, so the mascot’s personality comes through perfectly every time.

Mascot performers typically earn a daily rate of up to $200 for three to four performances.

There are guidelines on how characters should move. For instance, mascots cannot kneel down, as they could lose their balance. The No. 1 rule is to protect the magic. We never change in public, because we cannot spoil a child’s imagination by revealing the person inside. That leads to the second rule: Mascots never, ever talk.

It always starts with listening. When clients tell us what they want, I pay close attention because we cannot afford mistakes. We need to understand the feeling they want to create.

Our research and development process focuses on finding more efficient ways to sew and build our costumes and mascots. It can also involve sourcing materials, exploring more sustainable fabric choices and creating animatronics.

Sometimes, it is a challenge when the budget is small. But I still want to give more – to use better materials and make each one perfect. I want to be proud of every single mascot that leaves our workshop.

We work with a variety of materials, from long and short fur to lycra and other fabrics. The final step is detailing, which is what truly brings each character to life.

We have created many mascots familiar to Singapore audiences, including Singa the Lion and the Kindness Cubbies from the Singapore Kindness Movement, Ranger Buddies from Mandai X, yuuki from Yuu Singapore and Brave from Beyond the Label.

What gives me the most satisfaction is achieving the impossible. One memorable project was making about 500 sets of metal wings for the 2010 National Day Parade. It was madness – but beautiful.

We are also licensed to produce regional brand characters, ranging from Transformers, Snoopy and Garfield to My Little Pony.

One project I especially enjoyed was creating costumes for Mattel’s Barbie movie premieres. It gave me an early look at the shows’ designs, which I then brought to life for the performers to wear at the launch events. It felt like having a “special pass”. The satisfaction I get from moments such as these can be overwhelming – and worth every sleepless night.

In 2016, we helped build the Heineken Green Room Sonic Droids (created for a special campaign by the beer maker) – each 2.5m-tall droid had its own special feature, such as a confetti gun or a smoke cannon. It was something I had never imagined doing – but we delivered.

I was a police officer before I took a break from work to care for my children. My brother Ali Khan – a naturally creative person – was doing freelancing event gigs, and I would assist him with his costuming needs. We have always been very close.

As his events business started to grow, I jumped in to help. I even dressed up as a clown to hand out balloons at petrol stations.

Typically, when children see a clown costume with white face paint, they cry. But none of them cried with me.

The most important thing is to flash a big smile first. The trick is to not approach them right away – take a step back and offer the balloon with a smile. Slowly, they will come to you. We have to observe from a distance first, and once they are comfortable, we can move closer. Then it becomes a happy moment. That is exactly how you should be when you are in character.

One day, my brother asked if I wanted to join him in starting a costume rental business, as I could help with sewing. In the early days, we made many of the costumes from home, and demand was high – people were renting them like crazy back then. We eventually started making the costumes ourselves.

We made anything and everything. I have worn all kinds of costumes. Back then, there was no Taobao or Amazon – if you wanted something unusual, you had to fly to China or Bangkok to get it.

So when clients wanted something the next day, we had to customise and produce it within 24 hours. People from all walks of life came to us. I remember a client from South Africa who flew in and asked for a lion mascot. They needed it in two days, so we stitched a “lion” and sent it off within their deadline.

Once, there was a party in Bangkok where people were talking about the costumes they had bought from us. Can you imagine that? People were talking about us overseas. Our costumes travel all over the world. The competition has always been with ourselves, not others – that is why our standard is to be No. 1 all the time.

The industry is quite niche, with fewer than 10 mascot-making businesses in Singapore. We are all friends, and sometimes we join forces during busy periods. We even sell to one another.

My children have been involved in the business since they were young. When my daughter, Hasyna, was about seven, she was already serving customers at our rental shop. Instead of combing the hair of a Barbie doll, she was combing wigs.

In the early days, especially during the Halloween season, people could barely get through the door. No one sat idle – everyone, including the finance team, was helping out. My daughter would be at the cashier, handling the money. The shop was always packed.

I even let my youngest son model our costumes. Wherever I went, my three children went with me.

After my oldest son, Sanee, graduated, he asked if I wanted him to join me. At the time, I told him not yet – to go out, gain experience and learn first. When I was later facing several strategic challenges, my brother suggested that I ask Sanee to come on board.

Now, all of us are here, and my goal is to bring my youngest son into the business too. In the early years, we worked closely with local costume makers and suppliers. Today, Sanee, who is the company’s director of growth, collaborates with partners internationally.

I am very proud of my children and what we have achieved. My proudest achievement is really as a mother – that my brother and I started this company, and today, my children are working in it and growing it even further. I feel proud as a founder, but even prouder as a mum. I hope this heritage of mascot making continues.

We are now strong in the international market. I focus on the making and delivering, while my children work on getting the world to know us. Most recently, I was given just three weeks to create 20 characters for a customer in Saudi Arabia.

I can draw simple sketches, which makes it easy for me to communicate with customers, many of whom become friends. I am a giver, and at times, I have given away beautiful costumes, though my children remind me that this is not the best way to make money. My parents instilled in me the belief that we should never do substandard work, and I have always been very service-oriented.

Because I have experience as a performer, I find it easier to create costumes – I know exactly how it feels to be inside one. That understanding helps me design better costumes that are comfortable for the people wearing them.

We have a factory in Batam, where I spend most of my time overseeing production. I travel frequently between there and Singapore. Our local office has a sewing machine and a fixing area, where we make adjustments to costumes.

What I enjoy most is grooming young talents. I love teaching them specialised skills such as fabric draping, drafting of costume designs and stitching methods. It is very rewarding to watch them learn this niche craft and grow in confidence. Of course, I hope they stay and continue building the company with us – as a family.

My children like to call me the fairy godmother. We do not make wedding gowns, but I am always happy to create them for employees or friends’ weddings. It is special because I get to work with all the glitter and sequins. I also take joy in making costumes for pre-school graduation ceremonies.

When I see the children dressed up and fully in character, that is pure happiness and satisfaction for me.

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