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shirtingfantasy

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Is it possible to disclose the name of the tailor? I am very interested!

Ascot Chang, the shirtmaker of Hong Kong

Do note that the price list is for the popular “CMT” (cut, make, and trim) option advocated in this thread, in which the customer brings in his own fabric.
 

sadkfjaskfaj

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Dang sorry to hear that you had such a terrible experience there. I kind of feel like most tailors who have no long-term vision won't "offer" to fix something that is their fault because, well it's cost to them and their goal is simply to pay rent and put food on their tables. It's short-term thinking for themselves.

Anyway I've had a bunch of these experiences where tailor shops (salesmen... don't even want to call them tailors but I've had tailors tell me to my face before that nothing is wrong with my suit or something can't be fixed... only for me to bring to an alterations specialist to get it fixed...) Honestly I'm not the one to stir **** up in people's shops (must be that Japanese environment I've been in too long) but man with what you went through I would have thrown a **** fit inside.

Yeah it sucked. When he told me that he wouldn't be able expedite my order, I did a raise a bit of a fuss, telling him that he got so many things wrong that the least he could do was to expedite my order - he replied "I just can't do it unfortunately". Ridiculous.
 

Memo

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Very impressed by the marketing efforts of the new breed of HK tailors (Anthology, Refinery, Gaudery, etc). They've successfully harnessed social media/partenrships with important blogs (eg Permanent Style), and created a vibe of "cool" (whiskey bars etc), and managed to charge very expensive prices for a very young operation

(Prologue is basically MTM and charges $9k as a starting price???? Anthology starts from $10K???? That's almost WW Chan prices). Which is insane considering that they're like 3 years old.

I commissioned a suit from the Anthology before and thought the cut/style is distinctive and the workmanship is pretty good. That said, I feel that the shop doesn’t give the same “bang for the buck” in comparison with WW Chan (who offers even better quality products, in my view).

The younger tailoring houses do well because they target at the right audience i.e. the Londoners who are used to paying high prices for their suits. I can see why the marketing efforts are well received following review by Mr Crompton.
 

TVGD

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Can we see prices dropping due to the ongoing situation or is it business as usual (mainly talking about suits, but I'm interested in shirts as well) ?
 

dragon8

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I saw Ascot Chang on their tour in San Francisco and their prices remained the same
 

dukenukem4ever

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Can we see prices dropping due to the ongoing situation or is it business as usual (mainly talking about suits, but I'm interested in shirts as well) ?

I don't think they'll lower prices on their suits but I have walked by some tailor shops and have seen them put on promotions like a free shirt or some other freebie.
 

sadkfjaskfaj

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Went to Allan Tom. Fabrics are very nice and prices are great (VBC Super 110s half canvassed for $3.4K).

The proprietor is nice and likes to chat about suits (he's knowledgable), but I wasn't satisfied with the service.

The experience is not great. Go if you have time to waste, but I don't like having my time wasted.

1. Showed up for a fitting on the date specified. Proprietor said "Oh, looks like the sifu forgot to send the suit back today. Let me check and call you back". Never called me back, I had to chase him up by phone. Had to get visibly annoyed before he even offered an apology. I was furious at this since he basically wasted my time (I got off work early just to make it to that fitting), and he broke his promise (he said he would call me back but he did not call me back). Also ********* up and should've apologized in the very first instance.

2. Got the pants made with side adjusters with buttons instead of a pulley system even though I expressly told him to make it with a pulley system. No apology was offered ("Oh, I must've forgotten to write it down"). I could've told him to re-make the pants but I told him to nicely just forget about it since he'd have to eat the cost of remaking the pants. Again, I'm annoyed that ********* up and didn't apologize.

3. Told him to do jetted pockets instead of flaps. Came back in the 2nd fitting with flap pockets. Told him to fix it. Came back in the 3rd fitting with flap pockets still. Remains to be seen whether he'll actually remember for the 4th fitting to do jetted pockets.

4. On 2nd fitting, jacket had some shoulder issues. Told him I need to get the tuxedo by a certain date, he said he'd get the shoulder issues fixed by the 3rd fitting so I could wear it. The shoulder issues were not fixed by the 3rd fitting (they did try and fix it but there was still a bit of a problem) and it's getting fixed by him again. This would be fine, I don't expect that complicated shoulder issues are fixed on the first try, except that...

4. Told him to prioritze my order and to try and get it to me in a few days (wanted to get it on the weekend so that I wouldn't have to get off work early to get the tuxedo), given that ********* up so many times (pockets, side tabs, not getting the jacket for a fitting on the date he said it'd be ready). He would have 2 working days to get the sifu to fix it. He said not possible, sorry, too many other orders in the queue. Dude, come on, if you **** up so many times, the least you could do is to prioritize my order.

Again, I have to reiterate that I don't hate the guy. He's a nice guy and he obviously likes suits. But it pisses me off that he gets things wrong and doesn't apologize for getting things wrong, and that he doesn't do stuff he says he'll do (he says he'll call you and doesn't call you). Also pisses me off that he doesn't know that if he ***** up, he should try and make it up to you (ie prioritzing your order).

I'm sticking with Lee Baron from now on.

I'm considering asking for my money back.

Has anyone else demanded their money back after a **** tailoring job? After repeated broken promises, extended timelines, and straight-up forgetfulness/incompetence?
 

sadkfjaskfaj

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Went to Allan Tom. Fabrics are very nice and prices are great (VBC Super 110s half canvassed for $3.4K).


The experience is not great. Go if you have time to waste, but I don't like having my time wasted.

1. Showed up for a fitting on the date specified. Proprietor said "Oh, looks like the sifu forgot to send the suit back today. Let me check and call you back". Never called me back, I had to chase him up by phone. Had to get visibly annoyed before he even offered an apology. I was furious at this since he basically wasted my time (I got off work early just to make it to that fitting), and he broke his promise (he said he would call me back but he did not call me back). Also ********* up and should've apologized in the very first instance.

2. Got the pants made with side adjusters with buttons instead of a pulley system even though I expressly told him to make it with a pulley system. No apology was offered ("Oh, I must've forgotten to write it down"). I could've told him to re-make the pants but I told him to nicely just forget about it since he'd have to eat the cost of remaking the pants. Again, I'm annoyed that ********* up and didn't apologize.

3. Told him to do jetted pockets instead of flaps. Came back in the 2nd fitting with flap pockets. Told him to fix it. Came back in the 3rd fitting with flap pockets still. Remains to be seen whether he'll actually remember for the 4th fitting to do jetted pockets.

4. On 2nd fitting, jacket had some shoulder issues. Told him I need to get the tuxedo by a certain date, he said he'd get the shoulder issues fixed by the 3rd fitting so I could wear it. The shoulder issues were not fixed by the 3rd fitting (they did try and fix it but there was still a bit of a problem) and it's getting fixed by him again. This would be fine, I don't expect that complicated shoulder issues are fixed on the first try, except that...

4. Told him to prioritze my order and to try and get it to me in a few days (wanted to get it on the weekend so that I wouldn't have to get off work early to get the tuxedo), given that ********* up so many times (pockets, side tabs, not getting the jacket for a fitting on the date he said it'd be ready). He would have 2 working days to get the sifu to fix it. He said not possible, sorry, too many other orders in the queue. Dude, come on, if you **** up so many times, the least you could do is to prioritize my order.

Again, I have to reiterate that I don't hate the guy. He's a nice guy and he obviously likes suits. But it pisses me off that he gets things wrong and doesn't apologize for getting things wrong, and that he doesn't do stuff he says he'll do (he says he'll call you and doesn't call you). Also pisses me off that he doesn't know that if he ***** up, he should try and make it up to you (ie prioritzing your order).

I'm sticking with Lee Baron from now on.

(Prologue is basically MTM and charges $9k as a starting price???? Anthology starts from $10K???? That's almost WW Chan prices). Which is insane considering that they're like 3 years old.
[/QUOTE]

Update: Asked for money back from Allan Tom after he missed yet another deadline. Proprietor refused (despite sign saying “satisfaction guaranteed or your money back”), pushed me out of his store (literally assault as I was already walking out), and threatened me (“be careful, I have your phone number”).

An incredibly absurd experience. Posting here so that his shenanigans will be hopefully immortalized for anyone searching for Allan Tom on the internet.

ALLAN TOM IS ****, avoid avoid avoid. Actually they’re so hilariously bad you should go just to experience how bad it is.

Raised issue with credit card company. Hopefully refund incoming.
 
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dukenukem4ever

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Update: Asked for money back from Allan Tom after he missed yet another deadline. Proprietor refused (despite sign saying “satisfaction guaranteed or your money back”), pushed me out of his store (literally assault as I was already walking out), and threatened me (“be careful, I have your phone number”).

An incredibly absurd experience. Posting here so that his shenanigans will be hopefully immortalized for anyone searching for Allan Tom on the internet.

ALLAN TOM IS ****, avoid avoid avoid. Actually they’re so hilariously bad you should go just to experience how bad it is.

Raised issue with credit card company. Hopefully refund incoming.

You should definitely initiate a chargeback, the balls on that guy to put up such a sign to "guarantee or money back" LOL...

You could report his business here:

 

sadkfjaskfaj

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You should definitely initiate a chargeback, the balls on that guy to put up such a sign to "guarantee or money back" LOL...

You could report his business here:


Thanks for the link.

Yup, chargeback initiated on credit card. Honestly one of the most absurd experiences I've ever had. Proprietor threatening and assaulting you because you want your money back after he ***** up multiple times and misses multiple deadlines LMAO bruh.
 

Lol1000

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What are current shirt prices in HK?

I used to go to AMHC, Davids and also YWY, but haven't ordered any shirts in the last 5 years. Does someone have some recent prices please? I am thinking about mail-ordering some previous ones.

The reason I didn't go is simple: I have a stack of appr. 25 shirts and they are still in good shape. I think the first batch was from AMHC, pretty good stuff. The higher priced Davids shirts have all worn out on the critical areas, collars, cuffs. I won't recommend them or go there ever again. They were more expensive than AMHC and also more than YWY, but the first ones to wear out.

Happy NY folks!
 

Memo

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What are current shirt prices in HK?

I used to go to AMHC, Davids and also YWY, but haven't ordered any shirts in the last 5 years. Does someone have some recent prices please? I am thinking about mail-ordering some previous ones.

The reason I didn't go is simple: I have a stack of appr. 25 shirts and they are still in good shape. I think the first batch was from AMHC, pretty good stuff. The higher priced Davids shirts have all worn out on the critical areas, collars, cuffs. I won't recommend them or go there ever again. They were more expensive than AMHC and also more than YWY, but the first ones to wear out.

Happy NY folks!
It might have been due to the finer shirting used in Davids shirts and therefore the shirts worn out quicker?
I am heading to HK today but would be interested to know about the current prices too!
 

shirtingfantasy

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What are current shirt prices in HK?

I used to go to AMHC, Davids and also YWY, but haven't ordered any shirts in the last 5 years. Does someone have some recent prices please? I am thinking about mail-ordering some previous ones.

The reason I didn't go is simple: I have a stack of appr. 25 shirts and they are still in good shape. I think the first batch was from AMHC, pretty good stuff. The higher priced Davids shirts have all worn out on the critical areas, collars, cuffs. I won't recommend them or go there ever again. They were more expensive than AMHC and also more than YWY, but the first ones to wear out.

Happy NY folks!

Shirt prices, like suit prices, depend a lot on fabric - not so much on "construction", however.

1. Workshop-direct or small establishments (e.g. those randomly soliciting business in TST or Central)
- Making only (fully machine-made): HKD 180 (USD 23) to HKD 400 (USD 50)
- Indicative shirt prices: Chinese cotton - HKD 250-300 (USD 32-38), often "HKD 1000 for 3 shirts", Thomas Mason entry-level fabric (e.g. silverline) HKD 800

2. Young establishments appealing to the young (e.g. Fascino Bespoke, The Anthology etc)
- Making only: often not offered
- Indicative shirt prices: Chinese cotton - HKD 400-800, Thomas Mason entry-level fabric HKD 700-1200

3. Well-regarded establishments (e.g. AMHC, WW Chan, Ascot Chang)
- Making only: HKD 1100 up for Ascot Chang, not offered for many others especially to first-time customers
- Indicative shirt prices: Chinese cotton - HKD 1000 (USD 128), Thomas Mason entry-level fabric HKD 1800-2500 (USD 231-360)

Notes:
1. David's shirts have formally closed down (see https://shirtingfantasy.blogspot.com/2019/03/b-c-master-bi-mr-tommy-chow-bespoke.html). Notwithstanding, I agree with @Memo that cuffs and collar wearing off faster could be due to finer fabric used. One mostly cannot blame the maker about these as they don't make weave the fabric themselves, and sourcing options for particular price points are quite limited (i.e. they usually don't have truly unique fabric options).

2. Thomas Mason fabric can be purchased by the customer directly at their local agent (see https://www.albinigroup.com/en/contacts/). If you choose their 100/2 or 120/2 fabric, you can be assured of good performance. Other fabric options are available, although it depends on how the customer is willing to navigate the city (see http://suitcmt.blogspot.com/ by @PekingRoadHK ).

3. Purchase decision should not be based on price alone, even for apparently the same fabric. The service offered by a small workshop and that offered by an established shop with fitting shirts, email communication, mail order etc can be very different. Also, one is advised against comparing trunk-show prices to ordinary prices as the trunk-show pricing must have included additional costs.
 
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Lol1000

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Thanks for that. So it seems it went up a bit. I think I paid 850 for Egyptian cotton at AMHC and 1500 for Alumo, the rest was somewhere in the range of 1200. In my memory Ascot Chang was actually quite expensive compared to AMHC or Davids, so I didn´t go there. I also preferred the experience at their shops compared to the glitzy modern AC setup. Does anybody know from first-hand experience what is the price-range at AMHC these days for their shirts?

Tbh, I never used TM for a shirt, they always had really nice other ones. Only Alumo peaked my interest, as they really great patterns. Until today, the colours of Alumo do not seem to have changed much.

Well and with Davids, it doesnt really surprise me. In my memory I didnot really go for anything super soft or special, standard stuff and nothing fancy, but still they all came off. From AMHC I have only one such worn-out shirt, but that is even older than the Davids shirts.
 

shirtingfantasy

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Thanks for that. So it seems it went up a bit. I think I paid 850 for Egyptian cotton at AMHC and 1500 for Alumo, the rest was somewhere in the range of 1200. In my memory Ascot Chang was actually quite expensive compared to AMHC or Davids, so I didn´t go there. I also preferred the experience at their shops compared to the glitzy modern AC setup. Does anybody know from first-hand experience what is the price-range at AMHC these days for their shirts?

Tbh, I never used TM for a shirt, they always had really nice other ones. Only Alumo peaked my interest, as they really great patterns. Until today, the colours of Alumo do not seem to have changed much.

Well and with Davids, it doesnt really surprise me. In my memory I didnot really go for anything super soft or special, standard stuff and nothing fancy, but still they all came off. From AMHC I have only one such worn-out shirt, but that is even older than the Davids shirts.

Alumo patterns are too classic for me, so I mostly have their solid colour stuff. Their Soyella 170/2, from Giza 45 cotton, is gold.

The other suspicion I had, obviously, was that DS gave you some “house fabric” - which could be 1-ply China cotton. If your shirts are ready to be discarded, you may untwist the yarns from the cloth to find out whether they are 1-ply stuff. Regardless of the actual case, we are beating the dead horse now. ?

I don’t have first hand experience with AMHC - as some local gurus think they are too “tourist-oriented” - and I went straight to AC when I started. Maybe I can pass by AMHC laterThis week and ask for you.
 

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