The Hong Kong Tailors Thread

[y2knp]

I juz got my viktor&rolf from an online store. I am wondering if I can bring it to the best spoke tailor for alterations. I know Harvey Nichole's carries V&R in Hong Kong, should I bring my suit to HN or find a more experienced tailor for alterations? Can anyone give me a hint?

 

[Wongtouski]



Hello everybody,

I am an exchange student at the Chinese University of Hong Kong and I am thinking about having a suit tailored in HK. I have read many posts but could not find anything about Rashmi Custom Tailors ( http://www.rashmi.com/home/ ). When googeling this tailor he is often mentioned (e.g. http://gohongkong.about.com/od/shoppinginhk/tp/Hong-Kong-Tailors.htm) , but I could not find any reviews. I have send them a mail allready and the reply was very friendly, not pushy at all.

Does somebody have experiences with this tailor? Have you heard about him?

Thanks for sharing your experiences!

I am assuming that you're young right?If you're still in your early 20s I am also assuming your body shape is proportional. That being said I would simply go off the rack first and just go to a tailor. Tailors from my experiences take a few tries until they get it right, unless you're going to an expensive one, but they'll cost you at least 10k a suit. That being said tailors wise people here go to Lee Baron a lot. I go there myself but I don't think I've ever made a suit from them, I had them copy suits and they were fine. There's also IL SARTO in central, they boast a more "Italian" styling and what not, but that could be just a gimmick because the place was started by a younger guy. From what I see on the website it's not very Italian, but they may be more malleable in terms of doing what you would like them to do.

I think though to just get your feet wet I would try places like Zara/H&M/G2000, I know these places will not have the best fabrics, but it's good just to see what sort of details they have in their suiting, and what sort of cut they exhibit. Don't assume tailors in HK know what you want even though you tell them, you really need to know the specifics then really insist on things. I'm nowhere near the expert as some other members here, but this I can be positive about.

 

[RogerC]

In that sense, could anyone who has experience with both Lee Baron and Gordon Yao shed some light on the quality difference between both? In other words, what does the extra expense for Yao bring?

 

[alco]

A little off topic but would you know of a place in Hong Kong that sells suit buttons? Need to change some of my OTR suit buttons and doubt if tailors would sell just their buttons to me.

 

[chobochobo]

There's some little shops on the western side of central, the little huts along hilly bits that sell them.

 

[Svenn]



In that sense, could anyone who has experience with both Lee Baron and Gordon Yao shed some light on the quality difference between both? In other words, what does the extra expense for Yao bring?

No experience with Baron, but I've only had one Yao, and while the suit was nice, there were some pretty unforgivable fitting flaws that made me not want to go back.... I see some of the same flaws in pics people post here.

I just got a suit fitted by Chan in HK last week, so long as it arrives in the post the same as it was during the fittings, it will be the most well-fitting suit I own; even better than my Steed. Zero fitting flaws, no apparent ripples anywhere... I know a lot of guys here are more concerned about stitching and subtle details, but for me fit is everything. Their business really seems to be booming, and I sincerely hope the quality doesn't go down. I could easily see that happening though... some of the younger guys seem a lot more apathetic than Patrick (who isn't always around), and I don't see how they won't have to hire more inexperienced cutters and tailors to keep up with demand.

 

[bamboo]

Hi. Svenn. Congratulation on your Chan garment. I have just one suit and one pants from Yao and nothing from Chan. Would you mind telling what you see fitting flows from Yao?

 

[bamboo]

A little off topic but would you know of a place in Hong Kong that sells suit buttons? Need to change some of my OTR suit buttons and doubt if tailors would sell just their buttons to me.

How about Sham Shui Po? There is a street full of those shops. Predominantly lady's things, but worth checking.

 

[Svenn]



Hi. Svenn. Congratulation on your Chan garment.  I have just one suit and one pants from Yao and nothing from Chan.  Would you mind telling what you see fitting flows from Yao?  

Lower back, sleeve pitch, front-back-balance (fronts droop down too far), messy lower trousers. FYI Chan's lower trousers weren't that great either, but I'm just gonna fuse some canvas on them to stiffen them up and get a straighter drape.

 

[TheTukker]



Lower back, sleeve pitch, front-back-balance (fronts droop down too far), messy lower trousers. FYI Chan's lower trousers weren't that great either, but I'm just gonna fuse some canvas on them to stiffen them up and get a straighter drape.

Is this that suit in heavy navy cloth (Dugdale?) that you have posted pics of previously? If so, are you sure you are not a bit too harsh? Don't get me wrong, I like Chan/Patrick a lot, but that Yao suit of yours looked pretty good too.

 

[Svenn]

^Yea that one, but I've noticed these same problems in other pics... I don't think I'm too harsh, the guys at C&T ripped that suit apart and said I should have returned it. Even if the fabric was somewhat unusual, I really wasn't too pleased with Yao's 'it looks good enough' attitude when I wanted something fixed. Not saying he's at all a bad tailor, but if we're talking about 'the best'... I'm sure if someone worked with Yao over a few suits they could get good results.

 

[TheTukker]



^Yea that one, but I've noticed these same problems in other pics... I don't think I'm too harsh, the guys at C&T ripped that suit apart and said I should have returned it. Even if the fabric was somewhat unusual, I really wasn't too pleased with Yao's 'it looks good enough' attitude when I wanted something fixed. Not saying he's at all a bad tailor, but if we're talking about 'the best'... I'm sure if someone worked with Yao over a few suits they could get good results.

Understood. Interesting how this seems to be one of those times when pics work the other way around: you tend to see more instances where SF criticizes pics for fit (or other elements) while here you seem to have gotten plenty of SF praise on that garment, but you seem to be less happy with it. Just goes to show that pictures really do only tell half (or less) of the story.

 

[bamboo]

Quote:
Hi. Svenn. Thanks. A lot to learn about fitting. I will examine my garment with this in mind.

 

[alco]



There's some little shops on the western side of central, the little huts along hilly bits that sell them.

Thanks for the quick response. Can you be more specific where that place is? Still new to Hong Kong.

 

[chobochobo]

I don't wander around that area much, but noticed the shops as I was walking up. Going along Queens Road central from the Landmark to where H&M used to be direction, a bit past the old H&M there's a stairway going up on the left. Somewhere on the right. Hope that helps