Custom Made Suits -- where to look?
 

Hey Folks,

First of all, I've spent the last few days researching and reading post. Here's what I've gleaned:

1) 'Milage Runs' and a fine custom suit don't mix. You need to spend several days at the location.
Along with this -- be careful -- I don't want to travel half way around the world to end up with a "good deal" that looks like Men's Warehouse ( not that there is anything wrong with that.)

2) BKK will probably be cheaper than HKG -- but the quality won't be as good.

3) Even in HKG - with good deals, you won't get Sevile Row quality.

So here are my questions.

1) Is it possible to find Sevile Row quality on HKG --(or BKK, for that matter). Or at least very close?

2) Who would you reccomend?

Thanks for the ideas.

Cheers for now,
Frank

You might try getting recommendations for BKK. I went to a place called "tony's" (i'm looking for the card, if I find it, I'll post). They were able to turn around custom made suits in 48 hours or less. the cut is great, love the suit. but i'm writing because you might want to consider this option: bringing your own material. It'll cost more, ultimately, but the suit will last longer. and given how little you'll be spending...

Take my own material? Ok, this may sound dumb, but where would I buy my material? Are there good sources there in BKK?

curious.
thanks,
FM

How cheap is cheap suits in BKK?

to both questions:

1. material: this would be perhaps more effort than its worth, but you can visit a fabric store and look for fine wool. or speak to a tailor in your town/city and find out where he buys his material for custom suits. it's possible, i'm sure, to also buy it over the web. i have italian friends who took their own (italian) wool to bkk because they (rightfully) thought they could guarantee its quality.

2. cheap - well, it was a year and half ago already and the dollar keeps dropping. but for me - i'm a woman - it was about $150 for a suit with blazer, pants, and skirt. i also bought several button down shirts.

guys, another good option - that may save even more time - is bringing the tailors in bkk a suit/pants/shirt you like already, that fits you well and have them copy it.

In HKG ask the concierge at the Peninsula. He'll direct you to some very good shops and for a small surcharge you'll get a suit with three trials in three days.

If you set yourself a too tight budget, don't expect the moon but you'll get Brioni quality at half the price.

In BKK, same procedure but at the Mandarin Oriental

Good luck

I went to Sam's Tailor in HKG (Kowloon) Got an incredible suit for around $300.

Not sure what your budget is, but if you look on this guy's wall he's made suits for quite a few celebs, politicians, royalty, etc.

I have a Custom Suit, and several "off the rack" suits. I like the Custom one the best by far, but really, it's just a suit - not worth all the hullaballoo.

Just my perspective.

Another vote for Sam's, although I've typically paid closer to $450-500 for my suits there. The workmanship was excellent and the suits have stood up to a lot of wear. They look & feel better than anything off-the-peg.

And I'd disagree with Mikey -- bespoke suits are leagues apart from their off-the-peg counterparts.

A third vote for Sam's in Kowloon. First found it through another recommendation about eight years ago and he's provided several excellent quality suits and shirts - large choice of materials and workmanship has been excellent as noted.

I recommend Raja's on Sukummvit in BKK. They are about three blocks walk from the Westin Sukummvit or Sheraton. Walk out of the Westin and turn right and you'll run into them down the way.

I have pieces both from their fabric and from fabrics I brought with me. Both are wearing well. The key (I think) is knowing something about fabrics and picking as you go. The pieces I had made from the fabrics I either brought or handpicked have done well. Pieces I have ordered by mail or had a friend pick up (where I knew he didn't know much about fabric) haven't pleased me as much.

As far as buying fabrics in the states, I recommend Britex Fabrics on Union Square in SFO. There are also several good shops in NYC in the Garment District but I don't know them by name... ask a good tailor for recommendations there.

Perhaps you could try purchasing fabric from a quality suit brand store, such as Ermenegildo Zegna. I have seen men's fabric stores that stock Zegna fabric.

Perhaps a call to a Zegna store might help, for numbers look on zegna.com.

By the way, I have no affiliation with Zegna, I just like some of their suits :D

That's why the world is so great - lot's of different perpectives. Maybe I feel the way I do because I am a software geek and don't wear suits except when at client sites.

Though it's probably not in the spirit of FT, you could try another alternative and have the HK tailor come to you.

'Raja fashions' from HK travel around the world taking fittings and sending the measurements back to their store in HK. They make up the suit and mail it out to you. They were in NYC last month and I ordered a suit with a second pair of pants and am looking forward to seeing how it matches up to the Saville Row quality they often compare themselves to.

Sapman96,

What? Not travel? How rude.

seriously, I do thing it's a good idea about them coming to you. One of the things I'm considering is finding a tailor that does come to the US from time to time.

As to the cloth -- I am totally clueless about picking out material. They would smirk at my cloth picking abilities.

FM