Hong Kong Tailor Report from A Suitable Wardrobe

Drake,

There are tailors in HK that can be flexible. Chan is one of the least flexible. You are lucky Chan fits your needs. When you grow out of this short, tight and padded phase, you will have to shop for a new tailor.

The suit I had made after that had very little padding in the shoulders and was even tighter.

Maybe when I'm like 90 or something I can look into the drape look.

Originally Posted by kolecho

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Drake,

There are tailors in HK that can be flexible. Chan is one of the least flexible. You are lucky Chan fits your needs. When you grow out of this short, tight and padded phase, you will have to shop for a new tailor.

I just ask H. Boroman this afternoon, they quote me the price for CMT is HK$5,500.
Same as A-Man.

Originally Posted by drake

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The suit I had made after that had very little padding in the shoulders and was even tighter.

Maybe when I'm like 90 or something I can look into the drape look.

Growing out of short, tight and padded suits does not necessarily mean you need drape.

Originally Posted by Connemara

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I had considered Chan as an option in the past, but now that they've ended their CMT service, I wouldn't employ their services.

Time to save for Rubinacci!
Where do you source your fabric?

Originally Posted by drake

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I'd say around $1,500 for good English fabrics. Less for cheaper fabrics (VBC) and more for Italian fabrics.

Strange. I'm paying $1,500 for a three-piece in the H&S Crispaire (it's about $1,200 for a two-piece), and I'd like to think that represents a "good English fabric."

I just went to WW Chan shop after work.
It has a lot of books of H&S in any weight, from8/9oz to 13oz+.
lot of Loro Piana, lot of Zenga, lot of Scabal.
The price is around Retronotmetro said.

US1,300 for super120s Scabal. Something like that.
VBC at around 1,000.

So I think Will need to take some action to clarify

My experience with Chan is, on the whole, positive. I've ordered 3 suits and a number of shirts from them. I just ordered some additional shirts and will probably order another suit on their next tour.

As to the shirts, my first shirt fit perfectly and so has every subsequent shirt. Prices range from $101 to $127 and don't seem to have risen in the past year and a half. Fabrics are limited but fine.

As to the suits, my experience is a bit more mixed. The first I ordered was a plain navy VBC. It arrived both a bit baggier and with more padding than I wanted. I wore it to the next tour visit, told Patrick what I wanted changed and posted it back to HK.

At the same time, I ordered a second suit, a charcoal grey herringbone H&S Target 120. I was very clear with Patrick about what I wanted. The now altered first suit and the new second suit arrived a few months later. The first suit was now much better though not quite perfect. I had final alterations done locally and the suit is fine. The second suit, the charcoal herringbone, came back as requested except with still with too much padding in the shoulders. This seemed very odd as the first suit, which was altered at the time the second was being made, came back with minimal padding as I had requested. Again, I met with Patrick at the next tour and then sent this second suit back. It was returned to me with the excess padding removed and the silhouette very close to the ideal I had in mind when ordering.

On this same visit, I ordered my third suit, a mid-grey nailhead, again H&S 120. Again, I was very clear about silhouette and fit. This suit arrived together with my altered second suit. The pants were too long (on each of the suits, the pants have been made for a full break which is more than I want). I had them shortened locally. Otherwise, the suit was perfect.

None of the suits I've ordered have been short, tight or padded (when finished). In each case, I chose a fairly middle of the road silhouette, fairly full pleated pants, lean jacket with substantial but not extreme waist suppression and minimal shoulder padding. Each now fits and looks as I envisioned though not without additional alterations, either by Chan or locally as explained above. In this regard, the ordering process with Chan has not been perfect. But I think they represent a good, if not stellar, value. I do not find them to be inflexible but they do need to be pushed on eliminating padding and shortening pants lengths. Their prices are not cheap. My first suit was around $1100 for a 9 oz. VBC 110. The second was around $1650 for the H&S Target fabric. The third rose to $2000 with the addition of a vest. From what I remember of the books I saw on my first visit, I don't believe prices have climbed beyond what might be expected by the increased cost of British fabrics.

I am wearing my second Chan suit today. In my opinion, it is very nice, far better than I could ever do with off the rack clothes, even after substantial alteration by talented tailor. I've also been able to make choices of fabric, style and details that I couldn't with any rtw or even mtm. I do wish Chan had not eliminated CMT, as I had thought of ordering some Minnis fabric, but the selection of fabrics available on the tour is more than adequate ranging from VBCs through H&S Target and Crispaire through Harrison's and Scabal.

Originally Posted by Fishball

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I just went to WW Chan shop after work.
It has a lot of books of H&S in any weight, from8/9oz to 13oz+.
lot of Loro Piana, lot of Zenga, lot of Scabal.
The price is around Retronotmetro said.

US1,300 for super120s Scabal. Something like that.
VBC at around 1,000.

So I think Will need to take some action to clarify

There are CrispAire books at the shop but, as of ten days ago, they did not have the cloth in stock and said they needed four days to get it. That timing didn't work for the writer, who was on a schedule.

He may have been misquoted on the suit but says "That didn't work to Chan's advantage as I'd have bought on the spot if they'd quoted $1400 USD."

Of course, then there'd have been less of a story.

That $2,300 figure sounded way out line to me as well. I strongly suspected on reading that piece that there had been some sort of miscommunication.

My own experience with Chan has been very satisfactory. The one suit I bought from them (an LP 120 on special), my first order, could have used a bit more waist suppression and the sleeves could have been a tad shorter, but it was nonetheless an attractive, good-fitting garment.

Subsequently, I have purchased eight jackets from them and been extremely satisfied. I hope to get somewhere between four and six more before I retire in a couple of years. But, then, I may not be as demanding as some of the gentlemen here.

Getting back to the piece on a Suitable Wardrobe, it was interesting that H. Baroman was so reasonable, comparatively speaking. I had always heard that they were a good deal more expensive than Chan and Ah-Man.

I would question whether Chan gets "a few hundred orders" from each U.S. tour. They have 11 days scheduled for meeting customers. Let's say they meet 20 customers per day day (a very optimistic figure, since new customers need an hour for measuring), that gives us a maximum of 220 orders for tailored menswear. I suppose some men will order multiple garments, but there may also be some no-shows or no-buys (or men who simply order shirts, as I did once) to offset that.

Originally Posted by JLibourel

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I would question whether Chan gets "a few hundred orders" from each U.S. tour. They have 11 days scheduled for meeting customers. Let's say they meet 20 customers per day day (a very optimistic figure, since new customers need an hour for measuring), that gives us a maximum of 220 orders for tailored menswear. I suppose some men will order multiple garments, but there may also be some no-shows or no-buys (or men who simply order shirts, as I did once) to offset that.

I checked my order numbers I determined that between July 2006 to July 2007 there was 479 orders. Between March 2006 to July 2006 there was 168 orders. Between July 2005 to July 2006 there was 344 orders. So it seems that they probably get around 150 to 200 orders which probably includes shirts and suits orders.

Max

Originally Posted by drake

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LK, havn't you ever wanted anything normal?

I hope to create something like this:

Originally Posted by LabelKing

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I hope to create something like this:

In white buckskin it would be perfect for you.

Originally Posted by Will

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In white buckskin it would be perfect for you.

I like the prospect of that coat in a white buckskin. Alternatively, a houndstooth might be nice.

when working with HK tailor you can get a very mixed return, you need to coach them and really push them and make sure you and they understand what you are getting!

most will try to please and give you what you are looking for other are so set in their ways will not but all expect you not to know anything about tailoring and some hate to be told what you want and how you want you suit to be made!

i would say that the HK tailor that travel less are more than likely to be the better tailors, as they dont need to go oversea's to get the business as they have enough local biz to meet their needs

most local clients do not know what fresco and like are and very rarely will they ask for it so for chan not to have crisparie in stock does not supprise me. this is why you will find alot of the super 140 and above in store. i have had it on very good advice not to atempt a suit in hk above s120 as the tailors dont have the skill to work with such a delicate fabric.

if you are charge above 6-7000 HKD for VBC then you are beeing over charge as this fabric is very cheap from HK wholesalers and is not worth any more IMHO

finding a good tailor in HK sometimes like finding a good resaurant not alway easy but once you have found it you will have a friend for life!