The Hong Kong Tailors Thread

[shirtingfantasy]

SuitSupply has a store in Singapore. Why owen need to come to HK store .

As you know, I am always trying to help people fulfil their wishes

Sometimes buying sprees happen only during overseas holidays.

But, seriously, he should go to SuitSupply SG first - if there is nothing that can fit his purposes, he can then consider the other options here (although I still firmly believe one would be hard-pressed to find a suit of equal quality at the same price - unless one is more about the so-called "bespoke" experience and not really about the final product).

For my own wedding I planned my own suit months in advance, so I got a 3-pc suit made by a local "bao tao" operation via a middleman. It took weeks, not days.

For my groomsman's wedding which I attended reciprocally as groomsman (and suit advisor, in a way) I was given two weeks. I quoted from a number of my tailor friends, and realized his budget of HKD 2-3k and time frame of two weeks wouldn't work at all. So I gave up and asked everyone to go to SuitSupply in the end.

 

[Hifilover]

5~6 days to bespoke 4 well fit suits for 4 gentlemen at such budget is rather difficult . After first visit , tailors may not stock enough fabric. He needs time to get fabric , prepare fitting for 4 persons , make 4 suits and alteration (if necessary) .

 

[shirtingfantasy]

5~6 days to bespoke 4 well fit suits for 4 gentlemen at such budget is rather difficult . After first visit , tailors may not stock enough fabric. He needs time to get fabric , prepare fitting for 4 persons , make 4 suits and alteration (if necessary) .

Exactly. I only know of TST makers using fully synthetic fabric stock utilizing fully fused construction method who can accomplish this.

In that case, fitting can happen even on the same day, and delivery 48 hours later. Price per suit would be around HKD 2000 (depending on how well you negotiate with the tourist-oriented TST tailor).

But HKD 2000 for a suit one wouldn't want to wear even for a second time does sound a bit expensive, at least to me. Then maybe it's our bias again: who said suits have to look decent on the inside, and who said suits must withstand the test of time (and dry-cleaning)?

For the record, I once had a VBC classic flannel suit made for my sister (as a birthday gift of some sort; she wanted a masculine suit to look stylish) by a TST tailor. I arranged it as per CMT, which the tailor kindly agreed. So in the end it was like HKD 1200 for fabric and HKD 1600 for the making. Finishing-wise, one gets what he pays for (not the best in the world, obviously). Fit and overall look, it was fine.

 

[Hifilover]

Have you tried Peter Lee /Baron ? Do you think he can do for Owen ?

 

[Owen-11]

As you know, I am always trying to help people fulfil their wishes

Sometimes buying sprees happen only during overseas holidays.

But, seriously, he should go to SuitSupply SG first - if there is nothing that can fit his purposes, he can then consider the other options here (although I still firmly believe one would be hard-pressed to find a suit of equal quality at the same price - unless one is more about the so-called "bespoke" experience and not really about the final product).

For my own wedding I planned my own suit months in advance, so I got a 3-pc suit made by a local "bao tao" operation via a middleman. It took weeks, not days.

For my groomsman's wedding which I attended reciprocally as groomsman (and suit advisor, in a way) I was given two weeks. I quoted from a number of my tailor friends, and realized his budget of HKD 2-3k and time frame of two weeks wouldn't work at all. So I gave up and asked everyone to go to SuitSupply in the end.

Thanks. We are all in HK for my bachelor party. 2 guys from SG, 2 from Oz. I'll check out Suit Supply in Singapore first. I chatted to people at William Cheng over email and they said it wouldn't be an issue doing Wed-Mon turn-around, but I'll double check. I was keen for a bigger operation that would have a good amount of fabric in stock.

 

[Hifilover]

William Cheng & Son is not a bad choice .

 

[The J]

@Owen-11 I think around that price there are pretty decent tailors in Sg. Have you checked Kayjen Dylan out? They're a MTO/MTM branch and a part from Dylan&Son, I'm sure they've got you covered. A rushed job is always going to be flawed, somehow.

Edit: A few more from Sg. InPersonam and Seamless Bespoke.

 

[shirtingfantasy]

@Owen-11 I think around that price there are pretty decent tailors in Sg. Have you checked Kayjen Dylan out? They're a MTO/MTM branch and a part from Dylan&Son, I'm sure they've got you covered. A rushed job is always going to be flawed, somehow.

Edit: A few more from Sg. InPersonam and Seamless Bespoke.

Agreed. Unless the HK friends absolutely cannot go to SG for measurement and fitting, otherwise making with SG tailors could actually be better. Honestly I don't think their product is inferior to maybe 50% of the HK tailors at these price points and above.

 

[Hifilover]

Have you tried SG tailors before?

 

[Owen-11]

Have you tried SG tailors before?

I have used Joe’s in Singapore. Usually very good for shirts if willing to spend SGD150 or more per shirt. I didn’t like their entry level suit pants. I don’t buy suits often, it’s not required to wear in Singapore. I left it too late to get a tuxedo last year for a wedding. They needed 2-4weeks and cost or around SGD1,300 when I asked at Rossi. I ended up going with Long Hugo Boss off the rack in the States. Jacket a little short but fine overall for me.

 

[PekingRoadHK]

I seriously think you could have a better garment for the same price buying off-the-rack from SuitSupply (given the time constraints and budget) and use their almost miraculous alteration service. They have a big shop in Central, and salespersons work on a commission basis so are rather eager to serve.

If one doesn't have really atypical body shape, SuitSupply offers okay fit. If you have very atypical body shape, you need a skilled tailor with careful fitting (who don't usually have a turnaround time of five to six days).

In terms of material and craftsmanship, SuitSupply is on par with the best value "bao tao" you can find. Think about it: even if you source VBC Super 110s from a local stockist and hand to a "bao tao" style maker who charges you HKD 1000 for making a half-canvassed suit, the total cost would easily be HKD 2500+. SuitSupply suits start at HKD 2999 - even if you add the necessary alteration charges, it merely becomes HKD 3300-ish. The price difference is not that big, and you are reminded that "bao tao" style makers do not always offer genuine Bemberg lining and horn buttons...

From my understanding, this is the basic standard in Mirador:
Guangdong workmanship: fused, China lining and plastic buttons
Shanghai workmanship: half canvas and full canvas, Bemberg lining and horn buttons
Different workmanship for different price!

If I use your requirements, CMT: half canvassed suit, Bemberg lining and horn buttons, VBC (S110, 3.3yard): around HK$2.6k

This is my full canvassed suit made by a Mirador BaoTou (Shanghai workmanship), with Bemberg lining and horn buttons. I like this Scabal New Deluxe, it costs me less than HK$4.8k:

 

[shirtingfantasy]

From my understanding, this is the basic standard in Mirador:
Guangdong workmanship: fused, China lining and plastic buttons
Shanghai workmanship: half canvas and full canvas, Bemberg lining and horn buttons
Different workmanship for different price!

If I use your requirements, CMT: half canvassed suit, Bemberg lining and horn buttons, VBC (S110, 3.3yard): around HK$2.6k

This is my full canvassed suit made by a Mirador BaoTou (Shanghai workmanship), with Bemberg lining and horn buttons. I like this Scabal New Deluxe, it costs me less than HK$4.8k:

View attachment 1078616

I agree with what you say in general. My limited experience at Mirador is more or less as what you have described (maybe I paid a few hundreds more, due to the inability to bargain or lack of in-depth knowledge).

The determining factor in the equation is mostly time. I have a friend who is a menswear enthusiast rich enough to "hire" his own Sifu (he once had a "co-operation" with a legendary cutter in the Sham Shui Po district; yet this guy is extremely demanding and arguably not the most generous person in the world. He once commanded his Sifu to make a 3-pc suit for him, fully-canvassed Shanghai work with all the top quality trimmings for HKD 1200. His fabric for that suit was a beautiful last length Harrisons (or Lesser, I don't exactly remember) from the now-defunct ClothToSuit website, costing less than HKD 1000 in total. Time to him is nothing (as he basically doesn't need to work to earn a living like we peasants), and he could go to Mirador to "visit" the Sifu every day to make sure his suit is made properly despite the super-budget price.

If our SG friend is willing and able to do the same, I am sure he can squeeze the same value from Mirador Sifus/ baotaos.

 

[PekingRoadHK]

I agree with what you say in general. My limited experience at Mirador is more or less as what you have described (maybe I paid a few hundreds more, due to the inability to bargain or lack of in-depth knowledge).

The determining factor in the equation is mostly time. I have a friend who is a menswear enthusiast rich enough to "hire" his own Sifu (he once had a "co-operation" with a legendary cutter in the Sham Shui Po district; yet this guy is extremely demanding and arguably not the most generous person in the world. He once commanded his Sifu to make a 3-pc suit for him, fully-canvassed Shanghai work with all the top quality trimmings for HKD 1200. His fabric for that suit was a beautiful last length Harrisons (or Lesser, I don't exactly remember) from the now-defunct ClothToSuit website, costing less than HKD 1000 in total. Time to him is nothing (as he basically doesn't need to work to earn a living like we peasants), and he could go to Mirador to "visit" the Sifu every day to make sure his suit is made properly despite the super-budget price.

If our SG friend is willing and able to do the same, I am sure he can squeeze the same value from Mirador Sifus/ baotaos.

You are presenting similar problem of all those unknowns. The best quality for HK$1.2k? Is that HK$1.2k CMT price, Shanghai workmanship, for a full canvassed suit? Can I go there and have a full canvassed suit made, Shanghai workmanship, for HK$1.2k CMT? What is the address and full contact of the said tailors in Sham Shui Po district? Sham Shui Po district has around 400,000 population, and the area is 9.48km2. no info, it only tells they don't exist! This is one of the reasons why I made the BaoTou thread and a BaoTou blog (with all info that I can summarize for all suit and shirt tailors in Mirador). Make it happens to prove it's real:
suit tailors
1) name, address and contacts in Mirador,
2) standard price for Shanghai / Guangdong workmanship, etc. no need bargain.
shirt tailors
1) name, address and contacts in Mirador,
2) standard price for Shanghai / Guangdong workmanship, etc. no need bargain.

You want to say tailors in Sham Shui Po are better than tailors in Mirador, do the same things as my BaoTou blog with photo of end product in BaoTou thread. see my new Winter jacket in BaoTou thread: #455
https://www.styleforum.net/threads/...nd-fabric-shops-for-cmt-thread.542082/page-31

I made all the things open, everyone sees the direct contacts and open info, standard price and no need to bargain, no middlemen take advantages of the situation. Consumers make the choice where to go. We, consumers don't see the info and direct contacts of whatever tailors / tailor shops / fabric shops for the best lowest price and best quality, it means they never exist at all. You want to say they exist , do the same things as my BaoTou blog and the BaoTou thread.

Make your Sham Shui Po tailors blog:
suit tailors
1) name, address and contacts in Sham Shui Po,
2) price for Shanghai / Guangdong workmanship, etc.
shirt tailors
1) name, address and contacts in Sham Shui Po,
2) price for Shanghai / Guangdong workmanship, etc.

no info? it means they don't exist at all. Where to go for a tailor that charges 3pcs full canvassed suit, Shanghai workmanship, for HK$1.2k in Sham Shui Po? tailors at Sham Shui Po are better than tailors at Mirador? make your Sham Shui Po tailor blog, and show us the info! they exist, better quality and cost less than Mirador? Yes? I go there instead of Mirador. No info, it's bullshit only.

now-defunct web site? talk to the fabric dealers directly or visit web sites that still exist, they might have good bargain sometime if they are willing to offer old stocks once awhile!

Why not say a property at the peak for HK$100k in the 1960s is way better than a property in Sham Shui Po for HK$5million in 2018? But the property at the peak for HK$100k is long gone in 1960's. this is now 2018. show us real things in 2018!

 

[shirtingfantasy]

You are presenting similar problem of all those unknowns. The best quality for HK$1.2k? Is that HK$1.2k CMT price, Shanghai workmanship, for a full canvassed suit? Can I go there and have a full canvassed suit made, Shanghai workmanship, for HK$1.2k CMT? What is the address and full contact of the said tailors in Sham Shui Po district? Sham Shui Po district has around 400,000 population, and the area is 9.48km2. no info, it only tells they don't exist! This is one of the reasons why I made the BaoTou thread and a BaoTou blog (with all info that I can summarize for all suit and shirt tailors in Mirador). Make it happens to prove it's real:
suit tailors
1) name, address and contacts in Mirador,
2) standard price for Shanghai / Guangdong workmanship, etc. no need bargain.
shirt tailors
1) name, address and contacts in Mirador,
2) standard price for Shanghai / Guangdong workmanship, etc. no need bargain.

Thanks. I actually like the blog http://suitcmt.blogspot.com/ (SuitCMT) a lot, for the record. And I actively share the page (presumably, your page, if I was not misinformed) with my friends in need of a budget yet quality suit and can spend time in Mirador.

On the other hand, people who cannot believe us just because we did not provide a proof, are bound to be limited by their shallow imaginations and never reach CMT nirvana

You want to say tailors in Sham Shui Po are better than tailors in Mirador, do the same things as my BaoTou blog with photo of end product in BaoTou thread. see my new Winter jacket in BaoTou thread:

#455
https://www.styleforum.net/threads/...nd-fabric-shops-for-cmt-thread.542082/page-31

This was not what I was trying to say. In fact that particular maker was hired by my friend to go to Sham Shui Po to make suits for others, and the maker actually has a cubicle in Mirador.

That tailor was actually mentioned in the list of CMT makers on SuitCMT. It was because of the special relationship between my friend and that tailor that he managed to get that price. I am sorry if the seemingly low price hurt the self-esteem of any - believe me, you won't want to be my friend and have his sort of crooked relationship with Sifus to enjoy that price!

I made all the things open, everyone sees the direct contacts and open info, standard price and no need to bargain, no middlemen take advantages of the situation. Consumers make the choice where to go. We, consumers don't see the info and direct contacts of whatever tailors / tailor shops / fabric shops for the best lowest price and best quality, it means they never exist at all. You want to say they exist , do the same things as my BaoTou blog and the BaoTou thread.

Indeed, as mentioned in the reply above, I sincerely thank SuitCMT for making these things open and public.

I have tailor friends who did not like the blog, and once scolded me for sharing the page with others. But that's topic for another day...

Make your Sham Shui Po tailors blog:
suit tailors
1) name, address and contacts in Sham Shui Po,
2) price for Shanghai / Guangdong workmanship, etc.
shirt tailors
1) name, address and contacts in Sham Shui Po,
2) price for Shanghai / Guangdong workmanship, etc.

This is impossible. My friend's SSP operation became a Wan Chai operation about a year ago, and he eventually dissolved his company I think.

And since his makers are all from Mirador (three to four in total, sequentially one at a time), I guess providing his previous shop addresses doesn't exactly help anyone?

no info? it means they don't exist at all. Where to go for a tailor that charges 3pcs full canvassed suit, Shanghai workmanship, for HK$1.2k in Sham Shui Po? tailors at Sham Shui Po are better than tailors at Mirador? make your Sham Shui Po tailor blog, and show us the info! they exist, better quality and cost less than Mirador? Yes? I go there instead of Mirador. No info, it's bullshit only.

now-defunct web site? talk to the fabric dealers directly or visit web sites that still exist, they might have good bargain sometime if they are willing to offer old stocks once awhile!

Why not say a property at the peak for HK$100k in the 1960s is way better than a property in Sham Shui Po for HK$5million in 2018? But the property at the peak for HK$100k is long gone in 1960's. this is now 2018. show us real things in 2018!

If only the world followed this argument, it would indeed be a perfect place. When I was smaller I used to argue with my teacher in Religious Studies using the same point ("no info? it means they don't exist at all"). But now I tend to think that I was being unfair in using the (generally accurate but logically unsound) statement against them. Sometimes things exist, whether you provide the info to prove they exist or not.

I agree with your point about good deals and fabric dealers. Personally, I like the Italian website TESSin (https://www.tessin.it/) where I get most of my Zegna stuff from (they are easier to work with, if you like, understand and can make use of their Italian flexibility). Their ex-VAT price is close to Hang Kong Woollen, and their last length price is way lower than Hang Kong Woollen. And they deliver to my home.

Incidentally, my friend really likes to talk about Church's dress shoes he purchased for HKD 800 - only before I was born ! I am sure if you meet him in person, you can educate him .

Last but not least, do you know this tailor? Now this is showing the no-longer-existent



[edit: I found that I might not have properly inserted the image earlier today]

(Remembrance is not a bad thing, at least occasionally. Not all things in life need that much of practical utility, I hope.)

 

[Hifilover]

There is a very famous tailor shop in Sham Shui Po name Pak Lam .