Singapore for shopping

OK - I did a search there was not much insights or even anything that current.

FYI - I must have committed a sartorial sin as I am being relocated to Singapore for 1 - 2 years before Hong Kong or Shanghai.

Does anyone have any experience (good or bad) with the local tailoring establishments.

Ideally I would be looking for the likes of Jantzen for shirts & WW Chan for suits.. Yes I am thinking very seriously to go back to my classic Italian tailoring roots for fear of loosing my Phat Guido handle on SF.

Here's the bonus, if I can find the right establishment with said guidance I could help fellow SFers with purchases etc.

Or should I just save my $$ & go to HK or just stick with my current GA FITs?

THE HEAT & THE HUMIDITY (& the la la la at the end of each sentence by the locals) WILL BE THE TEST FOR PHAT GUIDO.

PG

I went to Singapore earlier this year, there's a few nice shops that sell Italian clothing but I don't think they have much in tailors. So Hong Kong would be the way to go there.

Guido,

Having lived in Singapore for 2.5 years and tried out some of the local alternatives, I must say that the results are quite dissapointing in comparison with what I hear from say Hong Kong.

The historical judgement on the forums seem to have been that the two brothers of Anson Tailors (Joe, and whatever the other guy is called) are top of the crops, locally for traditional bespoke suits. They have two different shops. I have tried them and was not very pleased. They make a very structured suit with soso attention to detail. If you are looking for a real traditional suit I would strongly encourage you to go to Hong Kong.

For lower end tailoring however, in a more youthful fashion forward cut, there are some good options. Oxford tailor at Raffles Place is an establishment with a young couple making modern looking shirts, suits and jackets (very limited padding, high armholes, very fitted). The quality is not great but the price is rock bottom. Getting things, en massse, such as courderoy jackets in weird colors, that you'll probably end up wearing just a couple of times anyway, or black sea island shirts or other semi-weird stuff that is ill suited for "traditional" tailors, is absolutely the way to go. I had a suit, a jacket and a shirt made there all of which I am happy with considering the price. Not great quality but a nice way to expand your wardrobe with odd items for a reasonable price.

By the way I am very much looking forward to see what you can make out of the climate satorially. It does indeed pose some challenges. Looking forward to be inspired.

Flights to HK from Singapore are inexpensive in proportion to a few suits from Chan. I would factor that into the cost and save yourself the trouble.

Oh and good luck with the 'Singlish' and weather. A sweaty cabbie on the Orchard Road once quipped: "only tree kindah wether ah singapore lah, hotta hotta hottest!"

I was in Singapore earlier this year and was disappointed with my tailored shirt purchases. I tried a couple of different places -- both on Orchard Rd. The quality was not even close to what I get in HK. Mode et Creation was recommended on the AAAC forums. Shirts were 80-120, depending on cloth, but the buttons were plastic, the seams were single stitched, and the final fabric just doesn't feel nice. My fault for not being more specific, but I didn't have to with WW Chan.

At least the shirt fits

Having gone through advises here when I joined the forum, and going around Singapore I must say you're headed to a black hole in terms of tailored clothing. I had tried a couple of tailors for shirts, and I too was heavily disappointed, and I think I didn't even bother wearing some of them. Count the fact that they're even pricier than Jantzen, I say skip this option altogether. I'd sooner order from Ricky, or in my case mytailor.com, based on measurements on record and have it sent.

OTR choices are also quite slim. When Lane Crawford closed years ago, it brought along most of the fashion houses people here like. It is quite ironic for me that Singapore touts itself a shopping destination yet going through all the malls in Orchard, Marina, etc, they do not differ in choices with nearby cities like Bangkok, KL, Jakarta and Manila. Hell, at least Jakarta has a Corneliani and Canali boutique, and KL has P.Lal selling Crockett & Jones. Singapore has none of those.

The only bright side, imho, are watches. Not comparable to HK, but stores in Singapore like Hour Glass and Cortina have an impressive inventory, and you could also find resellers with good prices like Visiotime.

Screw Singapore, come to Hong Kong...the sales are amazing

I'd disagree with some of what's been said above.

The problem with the tailors locally is that the famous ones are famous because the local political elite shop there and over here, we live on the coattails of our politicians. Only issue being that they're rather monochromatic - oxford button downs in a french blue with the staidest possible grey suit and a red tie. Ties - always red. Nothing fancy. Singaporean tailors are therefore utterly devoid of imagination for the most part. Don't come expecting to get fitted out from head to toe and learn something in the process. That's partly because the tailoring is very rarely done on premises - most often it's outsourced to some sweatshop in Malaysia. And mostly because, tailoring deemed an unglam vocation and unfortunately attracts very few talented individuals.

However, if you know your stuff and don't mind more than a trip or two down, I think you can walk away with a good deal.

CYC (2 outlets, 1 in Republic Plaza and another in Raffles Hotel): I'd avoid CYC - a politician's favourite, shirts in 120s ply Egyptian cotton will set you back $120-150. They will include the usual touches - contrast collars, MOP buttons, embroidery etc but the actual tailoring is done in Malaysia and the money essentially lines the pockets of the bright owner who's cashing in on blur tourists and the odd local who idolises the Minister Mentor. Wool/cashmere pants $150+ and jackets $600+. 120s wool panks $200 and jackets $800.

Oxford Tailor in Raffles Place: Locals like the place. Owners are youngish as pointed out by another poster. I've not shopped here before.

Try Hwa Seng Textiles. If you can live with the label - "Hwa Seng" admittedly doesn't have an especially glam ring to it but William the owner has been supplying premium shirtings for a long long while and his tailor's in the same shop. Admittedly he's a Chinese national who doesn't speak anything other than the vernacular, but all the same, he's in house. Cost is about the same as CYC, but the material's decidedly better and he really does have a large range from which one can pick. Also, they're quite up on fashion and he can do some rather amazing things with jackets and the like. More importantly, they often get large overseas orders and have odd sized materials leftover. If you're the right size/fit, a jacket/pants made from this will save you a bucket.

I'd avoid the usual range of Sindhi and Chinese tailors that line Orchard Rd, Syed Alwi Rd and most of the larger shopping centres. These are tourist traps and are best avoided at all costs.

You can forget about shopping for shoes - our selection's abysmal. Better off going to Plal's across the Causeway.

D

I don't get it. I believe you mentioned you had recently changed your entire professional wardrobe for GA Black Label suits and coats (going so far as to buy multiples of some items for fear they wouldn't make them again), which seem to fit you and your style quite well. It seems you've also invested time and $ to get a good fit, collar... from Jantzen shirts. Why do you want to throw it all away and change once again? I don't want to appear condescending but it just sounds like you're creating another sartorial project to occupy your time.

Originally Posted by acidicboy

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The only bright side, imho, are watches. Not comparable to HK, but stores in Singapore like Hour Glass and Cortina have an impressive inventory, and you could also find resellers with good prices like Visiotime.
- So my colleagues & everyone keep telling me..

Originally Posted by benjamin831

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Screw Singapore, come to Hong Kong...the sales are amazing

- that was my plan (&still is my plan)

Originally Posted by EL72

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I don't get it. I believe you mentioned you had recently changed your entire professional wardrobe for GA Black Label suits and coats (going so far as to buy multiples of some items for fear they wouldn't make them again), which seem to fit you and your style quite well. It seems you've also invested time and $ to get a good fit, collar... from Jantzen shirts. Why do you want to throw it all away and change once again?

I don't want to appear condescending but it just sounds like you're creating another sartorial project to occupy your time.
- true, true, thank you & sort off
- I went the GA route as there was not much choice or option here in Sydney (Australia) & by chance the my connection with GA her helped, but if I was in a situation where I could go back I would
- as it is being in Asia will give provide me access to great tailoring with great prices as well as access to more GA at even better prices, so I am now just weighing up my options
- also like you I am an avid follower of this thread & I love seeing the Italian look by the regular posters (who know who they are)

BTW, don't forget to get GST refunds on your purchases.

Originally Posted by akoult

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cashing in on blur tourists and the odd local.....

PG - you better start getting a grip on the SG Slang

Seriously though, I think this is a no brainer. Jantzen is close & has your pattern perfected. You will need to spend a few visits with Chan to get it perfect, but once it is, it will remain so.

Add to that the VIP privs most of us (im sure) have at Lane Crawford, and a few good corp rates at hotels and I think shopping is taking care of.

I'm a bit confused too. Why don't you just rehabilitate your "archived" Caruso suits etc if you want to go back to that style.

I have tried Prestigious Men's Tailor House in Shaw Centre. The workmanship is excellent. I have not tried Chan so I can't compare. However, so far I am very happy with Prestigious service and during peak period, I have to wait for a couple of months for my suits to be done. Normally there will be 2 to 3 fittings. Anyhow, I have been getting pants and suits from them after trying a few other establishments in Singapore. If you need the contact, let me know. Some other tailors I have tried before: Raffles Tailor. The tailor seems to be more focused on telling me how many awards he won and magazines he appeared in. His workmanship seems below average to me. Oxford Tailor. As RickBlaine has mentioned, the shop seems to cater for youngsters who want fashionable suits. I prefer English-style and more conservative suits. Mode et Creation. I will avoid it too. If I remember correctly, they made (could be still making) suits for Singapore Airlines crew members in large quantity. I normally do not trust the quality of shop that makes large quantity of suits for any company. Personality Tailor. A tailor shop in Peninsula Plaza (I do not know if it is still there) which I have tried before. I understand that the tailor there doesn't really do the tailoring. He only do sales and probably take measurements. The tailoring work is sub-contracted to Batam or Malaysia, if I am not wrong. Quality wise is really bad in my opinion. Yes, there isn't any good shoes store in Singapore. Only recently I have bought C&J shoes from PLAL and G&G. No choice. Perhaps someone can start a business by bringing in good shoes to Singapore.

Originally Posted by spectre

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I'm a bit confused too. Why don't you just rehabilitate your "archived" Caruso suits etc if you want to go back to that style.

I only have 2 Caruso suits left & the fabric is too heavy for the SIN heat & humidity - the rest I donated..

My plan was to use these as the base for the tailors since they will need as much direction as possible.