This is timely, as I was about to report on recent shirt expeditions.

I've used Ash Samtani for more than 15 years, both in their HK shop and on their twice-yearly visits to Boston. While mostly pleased, I do believe their quality has slipped a bit in recent years.

Last winter I went to David's for some shirts. David's is definitely high-end and specialize in shirts; they've got one shop in the Mandarin and another on Kimberley Rd in Kowloon. The shirts at David's cost an average of $100 each, compared to about $65 each at Ash Samtani.

After 6 months, I find that David's shirts are superior. The fit is finer (not surprising, as David's insisted on two very careful fittings; AS needed only 1), the features are better (such as the pleat in the back), and the button stitching is more secure. The Ash Samtani shirts are still very good, but David's are clearly better. Is it worth $25-30 more per shirt? That will vary for each individual.