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Having a suit made in India?

SansNom

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Hi all. I'm new to the forum (though I've read threads for a while). I'm planning to be in India soon and I want to have a suit made while there. I have read through the boards and seen a few threads on having stuff made in Mumbai but I will be in Chennai and Hyderabad so I'm

1. Looking for tailors in Hyderabad or Chennai that are tip top (Raymond's is the one I know).

I've also read that while the tailoring is excellent the material/cloth is where you get ripped off so I'm wondering:

2. Where can I buy high quality cloth in advance of my trip or (if it can be done) high quality cloth in India? I'm looking to have a quality gray suit made that will last me a while and work for my interviews etc. for professional school and jobs.

Lastly, I know very little about suit-making/suit-quality and so I'd like to learn more so I can be an informed consumer...the things I know are like length of the jacket and how to discern jacket fit, but I'd like to know more about how much cloth I need, how to tell high quality tailoring, indications of quality (e.g. working sleeve buttonholes). Direction to such things or your advice would be great. Thanks in advance!
 

koolhistorian

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Good fabric can be obtained trough e-bay, there is a good shop called British Fabrics.
Fit and the rest - look at bmulford and his suits or Matt Fan or iatmatt on the waywrn thread;
quality - working button holes on sleeves are not a real sign - the fit and construction are- go for at least 3 fittings, one basted, one with collar and sleeves, one final. In the first fitting you should be able to see the canvas, at least the lapels had to be basted by hand.
Good luck and do not forget to leave some money for a quality shirt, a quality tie and good shoes - in fact those are the visible things!
 

globetrotter

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Zenny

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contact-img.jpg
The guy shows no cuff and appears to have both buttons fastened.....
 

SansNom

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Thanks for all the thoughts globetrotter, that's definitely helpful.

I'm still trying to figure out how much cloth I'd need, and also if there's a way I can get cloth sooner rather than later (I'm leaving in ~10 days) so that's a concern.

Also it looks like I will be in Hyderabad for a greater portion of my trip, and given the multiple fittings, it may make more sense to get my suit made there, rather than in Chennai.
 

globetrotter

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Originally Posted by SansNom
Thanks for all the thoughts globetrotter, that's definitely helpful.

I'm still trying to figure out how much cloth I'd need, and also if there's a way I can get cloth sooner rather than later (I'm leaving in ~10 days) so that's a concern.

Also it looks like I will be in Hyderabad for a greater portion of my trip, and given the multiple fittings, it may make more sense to get my suit made there, rather than in Chennai.


honestly I'd try to get to one of the 3 top tailors in india if you can - hyderabad isn't that far from channai. but good luck in any event.
 

superbikepics

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SansNom,

I did a two week trip to Hyderabad in Sept of this year. I tried out the recommended Raymonds in Sekunderabad (the other side of Hyderabad) but it was a no-go. The head tailor couldn't or wouldn't do any of the key things I was looking for - lapel roll, working buttonholes, inside pocket placement on the jacket to name a few. I ended up, quite by luck, finding Mebaz (the men's store, adjacent to the women's Mebaz). From what I can tell, it's a subsidiary of Meena Bazaar, which is a bit of a fashion house in Hyderabad. Anyway, I picked up a bespoke suit there and did three fittings. There are some changes I would make, having worn the suit a few times since then, and when I head back, will probably do an order of 3-4 with them. However, should I have the fortune of a Delhi stopover, well then, I will have to pay a visit to Sachin Vaish of Vaish Tailors near Rivoli Cinemas, where I picked up four bespoke the year prior. No comparison between Vaish and Mebaz. Completely different quality and experience, and price. Vaish was 3-4 times more expensive, and worth it.

Hope that helps.

Regards,

Ryan
 

SansNom

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Originally Posted by globetrotter
honestly I'd try to get to one of the 3 top tailors in india if you can - hyderabad isn't that far from channai. but good luck in any event.

This is good advice and I'd definitely have a suit made in Chennai since I am starting my trip there, but I don't see being in Chennai for three fittings being possible as I'm flying into Chennai and out of Hyderabad and making two additional trips into Chennai for fittings would be difficult.

Originally Posted by superbikepics
SansNom,

I ended up, quite by luck, finding Mebaz (the men's store, adjacent to the women's Mebaz). From what I can tell, it's a subsidiary of Meena Bazaar, which is a bit of a fashion house in Hyderabad. Anyway, I picked up a bespoke suit there and did three fittings. There are some changes I would make, having worn the suit a few times since then, and when I head back, will probably do an order of 3-4 with them.


My experience with Raymond's was a disappointment as well. I think I will try your suggestion on Mebaz since its most likely that I will be in Hyderabad for the majority of my trip, so three fittings are doable.

I had a couple of followup questions though:

I called Syed Bawkher, and they said they don't do outside cloth during this season as it's their high season and additionally, that they wouldn't do three fittings (they would let me pick cloth, then come back later to fit it, then a final fitting but no collar/sleeve fitting). Should I be concerned about these caveats? On the other hand though, it does make it doable for me to get a suit made there if I don't have a middle fitting I have to attend.

The other question I had was if I'm looking for a suit that I can wear to most occasions (bkgd being that I'm a recent college grad, so young and wanting a suit for grad school interviews / job interviews) what cloth and style would you recommend? I was thinking something lightweight, wool, and like a dark grey - this way it would be appropriate to the clime (I'm from the South) and appropriate for most occasions.

I'm also (obviously I would hope, given the recent grad thing) on a budget, so recommendations on nice, durable, quality cloth / brands to seek that would allow me to stay within 5/600 (including the $160 for tailoring that seems to be the Syed Bawkher std) range would be great.

Thanks for all the help so far! I know I'm asking a lot of questions I just want to make sure I get a great suit when I come back.
 

CharlesCA

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I have been living in Hyderabad for the last 2 months (work) and I have purchased shirts at Reid and Taylor at both City Center (near Hyderabad Center) and Jubilee Hills. City Center has less selection of material but I think they have a better tailor. Mebaz in Banjara Hills has a good selection of material for shirts and suits, and it seems more professional than R&T. Raymond (right next door to Mebaz) seems like the best place to go for a suit. I can't offer much advise about quality as I am very new to this right now.

Only advise I can offer is bring in pictures and/or examples of what ever you wish to have done. Their English is horrible and they will say "yes" to whatever you say even when they don't have a clue what you are talking about. Speak slowly, clearly, and watch what they write down on paper.

Stitching prices (approx, give or take a few dollars)
Shirts - Rs 200/- (~ $4 USD) (Mebaz, R&T, Raymond)
Trousers - Rs 300/- (~ $6 USD) (R&T)
2 piece suits - Rs 2500/- (~ $50 USD) (R&T)
3 piece suits - Rs 3500/- (~ $75 USD) (R&T)

Time
R&T takes 4 days for a shirt (no fitting), 4 days for a suit (one fitting)
Mebaz takes 9 days for a shirt (one fitting)
Raymond takes about 7-10 days for a shirt (no fitting), ~8 days for a suit (one fitting IIRC)

Also, if you have time, check out John Lee shoes on Abids road (near King Koti). They are inexpensive hand made shoes (Rs 1500/- to 2000/- ~$30-$40 USD).
 

SansNom

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Thanks for all the suggestions and responses!

I'm in India now and given that my time in Chennai is limited, I will likely utilize the Hyderabad option. I'll probably go to Raymond or Mebaz given that they have recommenders on this board.

Also the suggestion on John Lee shoes is a great one; handmade shoes? $40? Count me in!

I'll let you guys know how it all turns out.
 

AlanC

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My last dealings with Mebaz on shirts was awful. I ended up getting rid of all of them. A friend of mine has had some suits made there, but no one at SF would be happy with them at all. If it at all possible take someone with you who speaks Telugu (in Hyderabad).

Maybe I'll try a couple of shirts at R&T at City Center next time. It would be very useful if the two of you update your findings and experiences as you go along. This question comes up every 6 mos or so.

Could you tell us more about the John Lee shoes? Any pics?
 

Mblova

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Will you be going to Delhi? I got a Suit tailored in delhi, from probably the best tailors. They are the only tailors in delhi that do Canvassed suits. Let me know.
 

lizmasc

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Some people are kind of etchy when buying through a different language, different country. It looks cheaper to us the outsiders, in this case I think you got it covered because you're going to a good tailor but I wonder how other people may be ripped off when they don't do their homework
frown.gif
smiley2.gif
 

SansNom

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Hi guys, I think I will check out Mebaz in Banjara for my suit. Armed with information, I hope I can convince the tailor to do what I want. I do speak Telugu and I'll take my cousin, the native Hyderabad resident, to clarify anything I can't. Unfortunately, I'm constrained to HYD for this part of my trip; I was in Delhi and Chennai previously, but only for about 2 days in each so having clothes made was not possible. In the next few days I also hope to check out John Lee, the prospect of handmade shoes at such low prices is exciting, and I definitely need some new dress shoes. Any suggestions on sites I can use to illustrate the discussion (i.e. explanation of bespoke touches, a la working buttonholes, rolled hand-stitched lapel, etc.) or pictures of these things? I thought of the nice pics on Syed Bawkher's site but that seems like it might be insulting
smile.gif
I'll keep you all updated as to how it turns out. Any more advice is also appreciated!
 

siddhant

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Many people have talked about "Vaish at Ravoli" in Delhi. I have used them a couple of times and have found that while they are on the expensive side for tailored clothing in India, their service and quality is extremely good. However, you should be willing to be patient - if you want a really good end result be patient and have at least three fittings. (I needed five to be fully satisfied) However, they will work with you till you are fully satisfied. Hopefully the second order will be quicker - I Just ordered my second suit from there and will post the result.

I also really like their shirts and while they are quite steep ranging from INR 2500- INR 5000 (USD 50 - 110) the finishing and fit is excellent.
If you are visiting from abroad, they will try and expedite your order and trials, but be warned in India all tailors are extremely busy from October to February due to the "Wedding season"
 

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