Ascot chang - opinions?

I have many AC custom shirts. The company is highly talented at making shirts. The selction of fabrics is well over 2,000. I have had no problems to speak of. Highly recommended.

AC just opened an outlet at Woodbury Common (suburban NYC) and offers RTW at considerable discount. I didn't find anything flashy or exciting but stocked up on the basics--for instance, a lavender spread collar 120s for $35.... Their European or slim cut shirts fit perfectly on my frame... The MTM service is also a bargain compared to most competitors. I would like to try Geneva first, but AC comes in a close second (three shirt minimum from the 57th St. store)

They told me 4 shirts minimum. Prices range from $90 to $450. Work is done in Hong Kong. A search on this forum should reveal satisfied customers.

Could anyone who has ordered from both Ascot Chang and Jantzen comment on differences between the two? While I have not ordered from either, I am curious as to what the 3x plus higher price from Ascot Chang buys you in terms of fabric, construction, etc. Is Ascot Chang more about the name, or are there real advantages in quality?

Ascot Chang offers fabrics in higher yarn numbers - 160s, 170s and 200s, in addition to fabrics of lower yarn numbers. Jantzen offers mostly 100s to 120s, with just a couple 140s.

Thanks. But to compare apples to apples, if one were to choose the same thread count material from each maker, what differences in quality (if any) could one expect? I understand that Jantzen is $38, while this thread indicates that Ascot Chang starts at $90. That's over twice as much.

As for the big price difference - if I were to go "cheap," I would definitely go with Jantzen as the shirts are just over $40, shipping included, with no minimum and pretty much every option under the sun. If I wanted a shirt by one of the best shirtmakers in existence I would probably buy from Geneva, since the shirts start at ~$150 and go to ~$300 with a flexible minimum of 3 or 4.

120' at AC are about $175.00. 140's are about $200.00 I can only speak to the qualtiy and service at AC. The fit is near perfect, with no noticable shrinkage after many washings. The service is enjoyable. AC's come back from the cleaners looking like new, without puckering or creasing due to too much fabric. Patterns match throughout, especially at the shoulder sleeve interface. The fabrics are yummy. I can not image a $40.00 custom shirt. Look at the details. I have had shirts made from nice fabrics that shrunk. (Most cotton shirts shrink .) Then what, rags that don't fit. I have had Sulka shirsts that came back from the cleaners looking terrible because of flaws in construction, which were promptly returned. The devil is in the details.

Actually the construction quality of a Jantzen shirt isn't bad at all. A bit better than H&K, Zegna etc, but not quite Lorenzini. And a LOT better than Sulka's RTW USA made shirts, I was never very impressed with those.

I have mentioned in another post that I am very impressed with the quality of Jantzen's shirts. They are indeed very good shirts regardless of price. If I take away the Jantzen label and put some other fanciful tags on, I can imagine many people who will be more impressed and give it more credit (let's admit it, as objective as we try to be, our opinions can sometimes be swayed by labels and our perception of their imagined quality). I know it's not easy to imagine a custom made shirt for USD 38.00 but you will have to try it to know. Okay, Jantzen's shirts are unlikely to be the best money can buy. Opinions will differ among members of this forum (whom I have no doubt to be among the most informed and savvy consumers in things sartorial) as to who makes the best shirts in the world. I don't have the deep pockets to try some of the great names in shirtmaking but I have made some shirts which cost about USD 100 to USD 125 (which in Asian terms is not little money for a shirt) from another very good tailor/shirtmaker. I would say that Jantzen's shirts are equal in almost every way. In terms of value for money, I personally think Jantzen is great and I think many others on this forum who have tried them would agree.

Ascot Chang is an excellent shirtmaker. Their fabrics are first rate (I particularly like DJ Anderson), their workmanship sound, and their service superb. When their shirts begin to fray, they will happily replace the collars and cuffs--for a price, of course. My only quibble is that their fabrics are not quite as fashionable as those in the best bespoke shirtmakes in Italy. But for standard designs, they seem to me to be pretty hard to beat. I've never had any shirts made by Geneva. I wonder why some consider this company better.

If you're going to buy AC RTW, try it on first. The RTW line runs SLIM. And by slim, I don't mean the shirts taper, but slim in all proportions, eg narrow(ish) shoulders. Last time I was in NY, after a measurement, the salesperson told me they didn't have my size (neck/sleeve), and even if they did, their shirts would not fit my [somewhat average] shoulders.

I highly recommend Ascot Chang.  He has a minimum of 3 shirts, fabrics from the different lines of Thomas Mason, DJA, and others (for linen and cotton/linen).  Prices are reasonable, starting from US$180.  Of course it's cheaper in Hong Kong. While their ready-made shirts are cut quite slim, I find the cuffs to 'over-sized' for my slim wrists. I have to have fitted wrists, as I hate have the sleeves falling down to my palm. As far as I know, the store at Woodbury carries shirts from Hong Kong, not from the New York store. The NY store carries suitings from Saint Andrews, while the HK store carries Brioni. This is the only store along Fifth Avenue where I could get along speaking my native tongue.

The factory that made Sulka's rtw in the USA just closed. It was a decent garment in my opinion. The factory made some RTW sport shirts for me. They look great. AC makes a very nice shirt. My only poblem is that they fuse the collar bands. I have seen shirts with serious shrinkage problems when sent to a bad commercial laundry. I can't figure out how Jantzen can make money at $38 per shirt using the fabrics that they do. Are there up charges for those fancy details listed on the website. The price of labor in HK has risen over the last 10 years. I know that AC makes a great deal of their work in Mainland china where labor is cheaper. The cost of fabric as well. I assume that Jantzen gets geat deals on closeout fabrics from the RTW factories. Not including the fabric. Can someone tell me how the two companies shirts differ? Damn. My labor cost in NYC is higher then their retail price including a decent fabric. No wonder no one wants to manufacture in this country anymore