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The Hong Kong BaoTou Tailors and Fabric Shops for CMT Thread

PekingRoadHK

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Which sifu has a style that resembles Anthology/Prologue? And second, do any of these speak english?

none, nothing close. #1,801 explained baotou background. baotou are tailors behind tailor shops, they are uncles, they don't know fashion. they follow orders to make garments. you can check their end products in their workshops. A few got FB and IG to show their products.

I tried before. Hey, make me a Tom Ford suit, make me a Tom Ford leather jacket. No, it doesn't work.

From my understanding, all baotou in Mirador don't speak English. You need someone to make translation for you.
 
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PekingRoadHK

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I asked Ng sifu to post his work of full canvas in his FB, and the following has been described by Ng sifu. He said there are many different suit canvas, and the following 2 suit canvas (left and right) are very common used by tailors in HK. We see the canvas on left side and the other canvas on the right side. Both are full canvas as we see the canvas from top all the way to the bottom.

Left one (full canvas):
top to mid level is a heavy weight canvas, the good part is it stands better.
mid level to the bottom, it is ordinary canvas.

In case of half canvas, the canvas is from top to the red line level (almost to the mid level), there is no canvas under the half canvas. The replacement is a fused part under the half canvas.

Right one (full canvas):
top to mid level is a light weight canvas, the good part is the light weight.
mid level to the bottom, it is ordinary canvas.

what kind of suit canvas to pick for the suit and overcoat?
all sifu are experienced to pick the right full canvas, it depends on the fabric and the suit / overcoat.

View attachment 1857822

A suit with full canvas is a full canvas suit. In some cases, a fused layer might be added in a full canvas suit. The following is an example, this is a full canvas suit made by Ng sifu. This is a double breasted suit of 1/4 lined (between half-lined and unlined), there is no lining on both side. In this case, Ng sifu decided to add a fused layer to hold the inner pockets, this will increase the durability of the suit. This is not rare.

View attachment 1857846

This post is about canvas for suits.

This #1,626 is work of Ng sifu, this is a China canvas. Many baotou and many mid-priced tailor shops are making suits with same grade of China canvas.

What does it mean for the same grade of canvas in this post? #1,626 provided examples. There are different canvas for different fabrics for different reasons. Summer fabrics require light weight canvas, overcoat fabrics require different canvas. They are same grade of canvas, different characters for different fabrics.

----------------
This one is an ordinary grade British canvas. Wong SY sifu is making suits with this grade of British canvas. ie. suits made in Shenzhen with British canvas:

FullCanvas.British3.JPG


-----------------
This is a high grade British canvas. Many top grade bespoke tailor shops in HK are making suits with same grade of British canvas. There are a few retired sifu working at home, they were in-house tailors of most famous HK bespoke tailor shops. They go Mirador once a week to pick up orders, they are now making suits in their HK homes with same bespoke workmanship and same grade of British canvas. Baotou in Mirador take care of cutting and fitting for their customers. This is for suits "made in HK" with high grade British canvas:

FullCanvas.British2.JPG
FullCanvas.British1.JPG


This is a milanese buttonhole made by a HK sifu, with high grade British canvas, a jacket made in HK:

suit.4.JPG


These retired sifu are now making suits with same workmanship as they were working in HK famous bespoke tailor shops. They have been working with a few baotou in Mirador. I need to find the right baotou (cutter) to work with these retired sifu.

----------------

This one is a fused fabric from Italy:

Fused.Italian.JPG
 
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PekingRoadHK

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I have been a bit silent given work and family time meant no time for Mirador lately. I managed to visit Wong SY today, and he didn’t say the jacket it’s not his product. What he said is the person who made the buttonholes for the jackets he showed you, is the same one that made mine BUT due to the fabric of my jackets being lighter, the result is different, and cannot really be amended.

Anyway, I won’t commit any more of my time on this jacket - it is what it is and will move on.

I received a call from Wong SY sifu this morning, he asked me to answer you. He said yes, it was made by him. He checked his things this morning, he is keeping your jacket, it will be fixed in a few days. It's blue color, and your photo shows grey, that's how he was confused.

You meet him yesterday afternoon, it seems he forgot everything at night. He brings back his memory in the morning. Now, we see "uncle memory".
 
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Warrant_Buffet

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Which sifu has a style that resembles Anthology/Prologue? And second, do any of these speak english?
I bet most don't speak English well. Try Google translate and make a written list of questions before you go.

Closest you'll find is Wong probably. Not sure if he does the work. I don't even know if he cuts but he does send the measurements along with remarks about your body (hunched back love handle uneven shoulders yada yada) to Wenjun (文君洋服) in Shenzhen, owned by some Mr. Chen. You can look up their profile online, Google or wechat probably.

They handle handmade details, examples of which include bar tacks and buttonholes. Think they baste the goods too for fitting.

AFAIR they help(ed?) Proligue make their stuff
 

PekingRoadHK

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This post is about Mirador tailors don't understand fashion. They are uncles and they are skilled tailors, they follow our requests to make our garments. Don't make unrealistic expectations, they are not fashion designers.

This one is made by the retired Tang sifu, he was working in Mirador before, he made this Safari jacket in his home in Fanling (HK) in 2022.
Leather cost: Italian sheep leather from Daiwa leather, I paid around HK$1.4k by HK consumption voucher scheme (Octopus).
Workmanship: include fitting, lining, buttons, HK$1k cash.
Total: leather fabric + workmanship = HK$2.4k

Of course, this is not a Tom Ford, this is an ordinary Safari jacket of Italian sheep leather made by a leather jacket tailor in HK:
1) Leather character differences made big difference: sheep leather and cow hide;
2) Fitting is different: loose fit and tight fit;
3) I prefer bigger lapel;
4) I prefer different proportion of pocket position, etc. I need to make changes in the fitting process;
5) leather jacket tailors in HK and TF tailor, they are totally different, price is different.
My overseas relatives said it's so good, they took it. I will make another leather jacket in 2023 when I have found the right leathers.


Tom Ford:

Tom Ford Safari Jacket.jpg



Tom Ford Safari Jacket..jpg
 
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philwongnz

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Maybe actually get a Tom Ford and get him to copy it? I send my Tom Ford suits to my MK tailor in HK and had some semi good results for 1.5k HKD for 3 piece it wasn't bad.
 

Warrant_Buffet

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Maybe actually get a Tom Ford and get him to copy it? I send my Tom Ford suits to my MK tailor in HK and had some semi good results for 1.5k HKD for 3 piece it wasn't bad.
Depends on what level of likeness you expect and in what aspects I assume? Then again, it's a philosophical discussion so the sifus might just stick with what they've always done...

What about that Tom Ford-ish suit did you like best?
 

philwongnz

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Depends on what level of likeness you expect and in what aspects I assume? Then again, it's a philosophical discussion so the sifus might just stick with what they've always done...

What about that Tom Ford-ish suit did you like best?
I personally prefer windsor with the full width trousers. The level of detail a lot of tailors had copied reasonably well now but can't get a lot of the finer ones like the curved trouser pockets and the chest padding correct without buckling the roll of the lapel.
 

PekingRoadHK

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This post is about printing personal label in my jackets.

There are a few small shops in 4/F making labels for tailors. As a walk-in retail consumer, they charge me HK$5/label. They charge tailors HK$4/label. Then, I asked my baotou to add my personal labels to all my suit jackets and leather jackets.

This is an example of printing personal label:

PrintLabel1.jpg


For background color, I can choose either black or white.
For the printing words, I can choose yellow, white or pink.

This is another example of black color as background:

PrintLabel2.jpg
 

glaucomadoc1

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Hello All,

Been following this thread for days ...and would like to try the Baotou route having too many shirts and several suits by tailor shops with mixed results done over 30 years of going to HK 2-3x year except for the pandemic.
My long time tailor in TST is now asking for 1000HKD per shirt which I find excessive. Can anyone please help me with a few things... (yes I have engaged the services of a translator as recommended by all)

1. What is the reasonable time frame for a CMT 2 piece suit to be made assuming I can make it to fittings daily (or even twice daily) as most tailor shops require? If the tailor shops rely mostly on Baotou as Peking Road described and can turn around in several days with 2-3 fittings, can the masters in Mirador do that as well for a private individual such as myself? Thinking of Wong SY sifu or Luo Hui aka Shanghai tailor on B5 3/F (feel free to recommend anyone since I'll be looking them up anyway on IG or FB hsould they have one so I can get a sense of their style)

I just need a simple but well made 2 piece suit, peaked lapels, slanted pockets full canvas plain front trousers, no cuffs, no belt loops just side adjusters. (I have the fabric and linings already on hand to bring)

2. What is the usual turnaround for simple shirts, daily wear, no pockets hopefully easy iron cotton for the office but with french cuffs by Wong MH sifu 16/F A7 ? Does he have fabrics on site?

Thanks in advance for your time everyone. Appreciate all contributions and promise to post actual pics
 

PekingRoadHK

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@glaucomadoc1

#1,861 and #1,865 tell the price difference between tailor shops and baotou. Baotou are tailors behind tailor shops. To answer your question of #1,885, baotou can do the same things as tailor shops.

1) Suit
In most cases, suit baotou offer 1 fitting only. There is a logistics cost between HK Mirador and Shenzhen, they charge extra if you require more than 1 fitting.

Depending on the workload of different baotou in different seasons / months, around 1 month is usual (1/2 week for 1 fitting and 2/3 weeks for Shenzhen workshop job completion). During high reasons, 2/3 months is possible. If you want a rush work, say 2 days for fitting and 1 week for Shenzhen completion, this is possible, and the end result is unknown for a rush job. Talk to your baotou when you place your order, time frame is depending. Whatever reason you don't like one baotou, go to another baotou. There are too many to choose from.

My top list, look at their products, both can do good job:
https://www.instagram.com/ngsifu/, https://www.facebook.com/Ng.sifu.Tailor

https://www.instagram.com/wongsy.tailor/, https://www.facebook.com/WongSYsifuTailor/

2) Shirts
Wong MH is always busy, talk to him for his time frame. During high reason, I have waited for over 1 month for a shirt (made in HK Mirador). He carries limited choice of shirt fabrics. https://www.instagram.com/wongmanhoi1025/
For other shirt baotou in Mirador, between 4 days and 7 days is normal. There is logistics time between HK and Shenzhen. Most baotou don't carry shirt fabric. Made in HK Mirador is possible, time frame is also depending.
 
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glaucomadoc1

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Thank you @PekingRoadHK

I was just wondering how the most tailor shops who rely on Baotou as you outlined at the start of this thread ( no back room cutters and tailors) make a quick turnaround for visitors if they outsource to Shenzen or elsewhere making the wait longer... I normally order a shirt to try for example and if I like it after day 2 or 3 then I order 3-6 more shirts in different colors (not style) before I leave HK...
 

glaucomadoc1

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appreciate your advice regarding talking to Wong MH regarding time frame. I assume that applies to all if not most of them
 

PekingRoadHK

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@glaucomadoc1

No matter suit baotou or shirt baotou, time frame is depending when they (and their workshops) are busy at that point of time. A baotou might be very busy this week, and not too busy next week. Talk to them when you place an order.

Wong MH is famous making good shirts, I am not sure his time frame in this low season. He might not have low season. Tell your baotou when you will be leaving HK. Make sure he will promise to meet your time frame when you place your order. A promise is a promise.

This is my experience. I talked to another shirt baotou offering low price, it seems he is always drunk in daytime. I am not telling his name, I suggest to try another one.
 
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glaucomadoc1

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@glaucomadoc1

No matter suit baotou or shirt baotou, time frame is depending when they (and their workshops) are busy at that point of time. A baotou might be very busy this week, and not too busy next week. Talk to them when you place an order.

Wong MH is famous making good shirts, I am not sure his time frame in this low season. He might not have low season. Tell your baotou when you will be leaving HK. Make sure he will promise to meet your time frame when you place your order. A promise is a promise.

This is my experience. I talked to another shirt baotou offering low price, it seems he is always drunk in daytime. I am not telling his name, I suggest to try another one.
 

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