“We visited the stores on weekends and school holidays, and we’d see my dad doing pretty much everything, from sales, handling the window displays, merchandising. He was very passionate about it, giving detailed instructions on exactly what he wanted to do. One of my earlier memories is visiting the Wisma Lim Foo Yong branch and him taking us out for lunch after,” recalls Vijay.

Though the brothers admittedly run things differently from how their father did, there’s no denying that the elder Binwani’s solid work ethic rubbed off on his sons. Under their leadership today, Binwani’s Group is a thriving business that deals in textiles, bespoke tailoring, and luxury men’s and women’s fashion brands brought in exclusively by Binwani’s to Malaysia from abroad, including Liberty London and Brazil's largest fashion brand, Dudalina. While Ravin handles business operations, Vijay’s role is more strategic on moving the business forward and managing finances. Several years back, the brothers also launched Lustro, a premium menswear label catering to the tastes of the modern gentleman.

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“The business started almost a century ago with fabrics. But textiles weren’t necessarily the only part of it. There is the Binwani’s brand, and then there is Binwani’s Group,” explains Vijay. “Over the years, we’ve added various businesses. While the thought of keeping such a long-standing brand running is daunting, at the back of our heads, we always knew we had to diversify. We do consulting, we do custom manufacturing for B2B clients, and we also have a company that deals in electronics and back-up power supply, all under the Binwani’s Group.”

Despite the enormous responsibilities on their shoulders, Ravin and Vijay have found a balance that works for them both, running the family business side-by-side and managing separate portfolios and passion projects that they love simultaneously. Vijay, for instance, founded BLV Group, an international consulting brand focusing on men’s fashion and grooming. Ravin is the CEO of Craft Spirits, which offers Swedish gin-maker Stockholms Branneri’s hand-crafted artisanal dry gin in Malaysia.

Despite the occasional disagreement or difference of opinion, Ravin believes one of the greatest benefits of running a business alongside your sibling is the built-in trust and assurance that someone always has your back in the worst of times. For Vijay, it’s the legacy of tenacity and resilience demonstrated by their father in the lowest points of his career.

“There was a time I remember in the early 80s when one of our stores in Ampang Park burnt down, and we did not have enough insurance to cover everything,” Vijay says. “We were really young then. That was a hard hit for my dad. Yet he strived. Worked his way up. He saw so many ups and downs in the business. But even in this dire situation, he never lost hope. And eventually, he made it very successful, in spite of such a setback.”

Looking ahead, Ravin and Vijay have clear ideas about the business legacy they want to leave behind.

“I suppose what we want to leave behind is that we were always true and genuine. That we didn’t overplay our strengths or say things about a product that weren’t the truth, which happens a lot in this industry,” Ravin shares. “We know what we’re selling, where it comes from, and the quality it gives, and we won’t tell our customers that a particular fabric is something when it’s not. We’ve been in the industry long enough that we’re able to tell what real silk feels like with the touch of our hands, and what wool, cotton or polyester feels like, even with eyes closed.”

Vijay’s thoughts mirror Ravin’s sentiments about staying true to one’s self and customers, concluding with seldom-heard yet important advice for second- and third-generation business owners.

“Stay true to what you do, and do it only if you love it. If you have no passion for it, don’t do it,” he says frankly. “We were lucky when we were offered to run the business, which was already established when we moved in. Yes, a family business gives you an edge in that you learn from the founders’ experience, and that’s invaluable.

“But there comes the point where we are now considering bringing in professional outside help too, because you don’t want to limit the capability of the company only to inside the family. There are times when you have to look outside as well.”

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