HK Tailors: A-Man Hing Cheong and WW Chan

[itsstillmatt]

Originally Posted by Kent Wang

Can you cite some examples?

BTW, I love that pink tie.


Agree. Very cool!

 

[whoopee]

Originally Posted by iammatt

It is just a problem that if the cloth hugs the body, then the amount of cloth in the upper back needs to be more perfect. If you wore your suits like most people (which I would not advise), the touch of extra cloth would not be seen.

I really do like the silhouette that you developed with chan a bit better. There is less break around the middle and the overall look is slightly cleaner. Are those patch pockets?

I have that problem a lot. The last couple Chan's I have are the only ones that fit decently to not have it.

Those are patch pockets. The bit of drape and smoother transition into the hips in the Chan make it prettier to my eyes, too.

 

[itsstillmatt]

Originally Posted by whoopee

I have that problem a lot. The last couple Chan's I have are the only ones that fit decently to not have it.

Those are patch pockets. The bit of drape and smoother transition into the hips in the Chan make it prettier to my eyes, too.


I love patch pockets on suits. I think it is a really good choice.

 

[whnay.]

Whoopee thanks for sharing your HK suiting adventures. I used to be skeptical of Chan and his popularity on this board but your DB and now one-button SB have won me over. Any chance you know when the next time he is visiting the states?

 

[whoopee]

Patrick told me they're prepping for a July trip. If it's confirmed the details will be on the web. I hope it works out for you. I strongly suggest you choose a good fabric to avoid disappointment. They have a few books, but can get Holland & Sherry cloth for which they haven't books (request swatches from the London retail shop or visit a local tailor). H&S are the best you can get from them, IMO. Of course you can source your own, too.

 

[Get Smart]

your Chan suit reminds me a bit of the one BrianSD wanted to order from him (altho his wanted thinner lapels and flap pockets if I recall correct)....but both Chan and the other guy do look very handsome. I like the overly suppressed waist, as it seems to suit your frame very appropriately. Also agree on the very cool tie.

Out of curiosity, what are your jacket/trouser sizes? how tall are you?

 

[GBR]

Originally Posted by whoopee

GBR the Chan suit is the first bespoke I have with two ticket pockets because I requested it this time. I didn't ask A-Man, and it's not standard in my experience.


Very useful in my view.

The dark lining doesn't help with the photography. The lining is the same I have in my Kilgours. I don't like it as much either but am not sure it's cheap. The trimming of the Chan suit stands out because of the lining. I also think it's a little better but for reasons that can only be seen up close and in person./QUOTE]

The whole seems the better fit and the attention to the inside detail which is less seen seems to reflect the fit which seems cleaner all round. Whilst Kilgours may use the lining it still does not look right. The lebals in the AMan are tacky as well.

Originally Posted by whoopee

It's a mid-high rise. Not as high as brace trousers. I do intend to discuss the side buckles with Patrick. They are the one thing that bothers me, and I'm sure some of his other clients too.

The only thing which is not right - the fit of the whole is far cleaner that the AMan without the obvious features such as over the shoulders at the back which the cutter should have seen and corrected without being asked. Smacks of a little 'tourist' focus despite the obvious expertise which you brought to the consultation.

Originally Posted by whoopee

Please do post your experiences.

Yes I will

 

[JLibourel]

What a great post! That kind of thing really represents these fora at their very best. I have wondered for quite a while how Chan and A-Man stacked up, and this makes it much more clear. Aside from Chan, A-Man and H. Baroman, I've heard good things in these fora about Gordon Yao and William Yu (I think that's his name). Who are some of the other HK tailors, if any, who rank up near the top of the pecking order?

 

[Concordia]

Great post. I also, nearly 10 years ago now, visited both shops on a whirlwind tour of HK. AMHC's silhouette for me was much as you described although the tips of the shoulders were a little more rounded and, for reasons best known to the cutters, the waist at tad less suppressed.

Sort of middle-market Poole.

The other impressions I carry was the impeccable courtesy of Chan's staff in their upstairs shop, as compared to my sales guy's demeanor at AMHC. I wore into the shop what was at that time my best ordinary suit-- a Dege product that I wore to job interviews every chance I could. The A-Man cutter grabbed the lapel, wrinkled his nose and said "Not so good. We can do better."

 

[whoopee]

Get Smart, I don't know my proper jacket size. I'm 6 ft, have a 37-38 chest, 30-31 waist, and a disproportionately large overarm.

GBR, there are issues with the AMHC, but it's not at all bad for a first suit. I have no doubt that they'll endeavor to fix it when I bring it back (I had to leave the country and hadn't the time to return it) and would improve on the next one if i went back. The labels aren't at all special on both, and I think I'm going to have them (and the fabric label) placed inside pockets. I believe you've mentioned that is your preference.

I'm not really sure to what "...over the shoulders at the back..." refers.

JLib, I've only seen quick posts of praise for Yao, Yu, and a couple others. My hop is that this thread encourages those with experience with them to write fuller descriptions.

Concordia, the staff at AMHC are certainly proud. They feel they know what they're doing. The owner said that very few people these days, especially from Asia, can appreciate his tailors' work. And they won't move to Shanghai. Always has been, always will be a HK firm.

 

[GBR]

Originally Posted by whoopee

GBR, The labels aren't at all special on both, and I think I'm going to have them (and the fabric label) placed inside pockets. I believe you've mentioned that is your preference.

You are correct - I cetainly insist upon this only having my name embroidered directly onto the lining.

Originally Posted by whoopee

JLib, I've only seen quick posts of praise for Yao, Yu, and a couple others. My hop is that this thread encourages those with experience with them to write fuller descriptions.

Yao is extremely good - up with Chan but in a much smaller way of business. When next I visit I will pitch a Chan against a Yao made to the same specification.

 

[Matt]

Originally Posted by dah328

Great post. I was planning to create a wiki page with some blurbs on different tailors from around the world. Would you mind if this one were used for part of the A-Man and Chan entries?

Both suits look great. You're obviously a fan of above-average waist suppression, but it works for you. The shoulders on the Chan jacket appear to be slightly roped as opposed to the A-Man jacket. Did you specify that or was it a house default? Also, the front quarters on your Chan jacket are much more open than mine, and I even had to convince Patrick to open mine up to where they are now. While I agree that Patrick is very accomodating, he does balk at certain stylistic choices.

dan
Dan - let me know if you need anything from here on this. Ive now used four tailors in Vietnam ranging from super-popular hotel guys to one man guys with no shop that come to your office (got one of them copying a suit for me now actually)

 

[brescd01]

First of all, this has to be one of the most wonderful threads I have ever read, really fascinating. Can you elaborate on your Vietnam experience, costs, etc?

Also, the initial pictures of the A-man and Chan suits make you look incredibly handsome. I am thinking, there is NO way you can look THAT good.

 

[dah328]

Thanks, Matt. I'll work on putting together an outline and overview for that page and maybe you can fill in the details on the Vietnam guys.

dan

 

[Matt]

Originally Posted by brescd01

First of all, this has to be one of the most wonderful threads I have ever read, really fascinating. Can you elaborate on your Vietnam experience, costs, etc?

Also, the initial pictures of the A-man and Chan suits make you look incredibly handsome. I am thinking, there is NO way you can look THAT good.
hi David, havent seen you over here in a while. Prices in Vietnam range from 500000 dong ($35) for tailoring to 1.3 million ($80). Top end are tailors including Dung (pron Yoong) and Cao Minh. I tried Cao Minh and received crap in return, fit was good but issues with patterns around the darts made it unwearable. Had to argue with them to get canvassing. Dung is as good as it gets, and certainly I am very happy with what I have purchased from there. 2 suits now, 5 or 6 shirts. 2 fittings is standard with Dung (1 fitting seems standard with the other guys), however he does 3 fittings when you buy the more expensive cloth from them. Service there is just OK, his wife pretty snappy to new customers, turns people off, but in the end people walk away happy with their suits and shes a lot friendlier second time around. Dung speaks no English, so his wife (Minh) translates. To my knowledge he is the only guy in town who canvases by default. Fabric can be an issue here, Dung imports his own. Other tailors rely on the market stuff which tends to be blends from China. Ive also used a young guy called Chuong - I chronicaled that here and at AAAC a while ago, unfortunately he really butchered some very nice cloth I got on eBay. Big issues with the shoulders that he could never solve, pants all weird. At the moment I have a Dung suit being copied by a local guy called Phuoc. Older guy, speaks no English. Had one of my staff explain what I want. $35 fully canvassed. Using cloth I bought from the market at about $20 a meter. English, but lower end. Looks OK, feels OK, see how it comes out. Will be about $105 all told, so cant complain too much... Have seen work by an assortment of tailors, none particularly impressed me. Cao Vinh (directly opposite Cao Minh wiht a near identical logo) gets a bit of the expat trade, nothing impressed me. A friend went to a local tourist tailor and got a suit churned out in 48 hours that looked like crap, he asked for it to be canvassed on my instruction - and they put two interlinings in. Fused it first and stitched canvas over the top (!!) Hoi An is the famous tailortown in central Vietnam, but all Ive ever seen is backpackers in ill fitting suits, but Im sure lurking up there somewhere is someone decent. There is also a guy called Son in Da Lat that a forum member went to and received an excellent suit apparently. I never saw it, but he was very happy. Untested by me at this point, but I will give him a try one day. Cost about 800000 i think - so $50 Dan - sure, PM me when youre ready, happy to help