# Tailoring - Hong Kong, Shenzhen or Shanghai



## amrad (Jun 25, 2006)

I'm going to be spending 4 days in HK, 1 week near Shenzhen then 5 days in Shanghai.

I want to have a suit, a couple of trousers and some shirts tailored.

Any tailor advice? I've heard buy the fabric in HK then have it made in Shenzhen? 
Was hoping to pay around £150 for the suit and £20 per shirt is this unrealistic? I don't want anything incredible, just decent quality that fits a lot better than OTR stuff.
Thanks


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## ziggy (Jun 5, 2006)

I'm planning a similar trip that will include HK and Shanghai. Would be interested in suggestions for MTM suits and shirts - I had assumed HK would be easier for someone who doesn't speak Chinese.


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## JLibourel (Jun 13, 2004)

All I know about the HK tailoring scene is based on my relationship with W.W. Chan and having assiduously followed threads on HK tailoring in these fora. My sense is that you will almost certainly NOT be getting "decent" garments at these prices. Some have said your best bet for a budget-priced suit in HK is Jantzen, and I think these are little under $500 (USD).

...but perhaps others with first-hand HK experience can steer you to someone who can satisfy you at the price points you mention. I do not know how great the savings would be getting your tailoring done in Shenzen or Shanghai.


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## chobochobo (May 5, 2006)

Prices at Janzten are about 400-500usd for a good suit, I've no idea with Mr Chan. Prices in Shenzhen (and presumably Shanghai) are much better because I know some locals go there, but the quality is average. This of course may be less of a concern since the improved fit is the major benefit, and in the end, quality wise should be on a par with most high street RTW brands since a lot of them are made in China now ;-)

As others have said, communication may be more of a problem but Shenzhen and Shanghai are pretty cosmopolitan nowadays, after sales service, if it's an issue, would be better in Hong Kong.


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## chobochobo (May 5, 2006)

*Shirts*

you can get good shirts from Janzten at those prices, whilst the exchange rate is still favourable for sterling....


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## Gong Tao Jai (Jul 7, 2005)

Shenzhen will be the worst. I looked at tailoring in Zhongshan (close to Shenzhen) earlier this year, and the quality was very poor. This topic comes up from time to time, and noone has ever identified a good tailor in China aside from WW Chan in Shanghai. 

I would get my tailoring done in HK, and would not go for anything cheaper than Jantzen. I would stay away from any tailor that does not have a very strong recommendation from someone you trust WHO IS VERY SERIOUS ABOUT CLOTHES. Recommendations from novices are not worth much. 

The only way to get decent stuff at the prices you are talking about is to be like our member [email protected] live in a foreign country, cultivate long term relationships with tailors there, and provide your own fabric.


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## ziggy (Jun 5, 2006)

For high quality, tailored suits and shirts in HK, do you have some recommendations and expected price ranges? I.e., disregard the price targets in some earlier e-mails in the thread.


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## txag02 (Jun 19, 2006)

i have bought shirts from www.davidfashions.com and his suits run about $500 US if I am not mistaken. Its best to give him a call, his website is being remade at the moment. His old site is here:


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## JLibourel (Jun 13, 2004)

ziggy said:


> For high quality, tailored suits and shirts in HK, do you have some recommendations and expected price ranges? I.e., disregard the price targets in some earlier e-mails in the thread.


The "Big Three" of Hong Kong tailoring firms are W.W. Chan (familiar to many on these fora because of their US tours), Ah Man Hing Cheong and H. Baroman. Some have said that Baroman is the absolute tops for pure workmanship, but slow, expensive and stylistically stodgy. I have been extremely satisfied with my long distance relationship with Chan. Less well known HK tailors who have received very favorable mention are Gordon Yao and William Yu. Hemrajani Brothers are well known because of their US presence and tours. Their work has gotten mixed reviews in forumland, but much of it is favorable. Andy seems to be very happy with a suit they made for him. For pure value in shirts and suits, Jantzen seems to be the hands-down winner. I get the sense from recent discussions that they are much more likely to give satisfaction when you are dealing directly with them in HK rather than at long distance.

Chan suits start in the $800 to $900 range (USD). I am not sure if Ah Man Hing Cheong is any more expensive. I think H. Baroman is considerably more costly. Jantzen prices have been discussed above.


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## luk-cha (Apr 29, 2006)

amrad said:


> I'm going to be spending 4 days in HK, 1 week near Shenzhen then 5 days in Shanghai.
> 
> I want to have a suit, a couple of trousers and some shirts tailored.
> 
> ...


i have bought a lot of suit both in HK and more recently in shenzhen as bosh of the HK tailor make their suit in sz i cant see what the issue is also there is no need to buy fabric in hk as you can get just as good stuff in sz, as for shang hai i have never bought anything from there so i would not make a comment just make sure you have lots of pic to explain how you want your suit to look as for shirt when you are in sz, pm me and i will get them made for you for 20 quid and if you want i can show you where to get suits done too! i wont change for translation fee!!!


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## luk-cha (Apr 29, 2006)

Gong Tao Jai said:


> Shenzhen will be the worst. I looked at tailoring in Zhongshan (close to Shenzhen) earlier this year, and the quality was very poor. This topic comes up from time to time, and noone has ever identified a good tailor in China aside from WW Chan in Shanghai.
> 
> I would get my tailoring done in HK, and would not go for anything cheaper than Jantzen. I would stay away from any tailor that does not have a very strong recommendation from someone you trust WHO IS VERY SERIOUS ABOUT CLOTHES. Recommendations from novices are not worth much.
> 
> The only way to get decent stuff at the prices you are talking about is to be like our member [email protected] live in a foreign country, cultivate long term relationships with tailors there, and provide your own fabric.


i feel sorry for as Zhong Shan is the same distance as london to manchester which on chinese road is about an 3hour drive as for clothing and suit making all the top high street brands now make one thing or another in china, it is just about knowing where to go and being able to speak chinese to explain what you want and how to do it they will general tell if they can or can not!

also zhong san in not famous for clothing such as wen zhou, dong guan and shanghai and some of the little clothes make that you find on the road side are, i agree not very good - also not a lot of the 5* hotel have tailors in there how good they are depend on what you think!


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## GBR (Aug 10, 2005)

amrad said:


> I'm going to be spending 4 days in HK, 1 week near Shenzhen then 5 days in Shanghai.
> 
> Was hoping to pay around £150 for the suit and £20 per shirt is this unrealistic? I don't want anything incredible, just decent quality that fits a lot better than OTR stuff.
> Thanks


You will not get a suit of any quality in HK for that sort of money. you can get a suit of sorts though - just don't stand in the rain it or expect to look good when you have worn it a few times.

there is some good advice on HK tailors below which I would endorse.


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## timekeeping (Apr 24, 2005)

I'd say Shanghai is your best bet. To start, you have more time for fittings and the prices are generally lower in Shanghai. 

May I suggest you try Sam's Tailor in Shanghai? It is right next to and run by the same people as the WW Chan outpost in Shanghai (the Mao Ming Road store). I believe they share the same workshop at the moment (but Sam's will have a different workshop later on). 

Prices-wise, I think Sam's Shanghai will be over your budget by maybe 25% but with some package deals, you get an extra pair of trousers and 3 shirts which makes it more bearable. I think it will be worth it because you can get good cloth while drawing on the skills and advice of highly experienced cutters who can guide you if you are unsure and speaks excellent English.

In Shnghai, Sam's is cheaper than the famous WW Chan because it uses a fused construction rather than fully cavnased - everything else is the same.

Mind you, Sam's in HK is totally different animal and the reviews are not always positive. In HK, those 24/48 hour suits at low low prices, they will disintegrate in 24/48 hrs of wearing. They are also likely run by Indian tailors with work done in Shenzhen workshops. 

Shenzhen is going to be cheap and fast but not good. Communications is likely to be an issue as well.

Edited for spelling.


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## amrad (Jun 25, 2006)

Time isn't actually that much of an issue in HK as I can do the fittings then get the suit sent on to Shenzhen or even return to get it. So is it not a good idea to go looking for a suit with £150? 

Jantzen shirts sound like a good idea for me, less than £20 each. Should I call before I go and make an appointment? Also are Ricky's prices the same there as advertised online?

Thanks


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## chobochobo (May 5, 2006)

I believe that Janzten shop prices are the same as online prices, no shipping of course. No appointment is necessary; they're busy all the time, better if you go during the week avoiding lunchtime and early evening. 

If you could increase your suit budget to 200 pounds I think you could just about get a nice suit at Janzten, when I was there the quote was 4500HKD for a suit with premium material (cashmere 200) which isn't too far off 235 pounds at current exchange rates.

Disclaimer: I've only been to Janzten twice - once to order shirts and once to pick up shirts. I've seen the suits in progress and finished and they look pretty good.


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## amrad (Jun 25, 2006)

Thanks for the tips about Janzten, 4500HKD works out at £315 on xe.com, still too much for my budget. I spent £300 on a Boss suit discounted a few months ago, had I known I was going to HK I wouldn't have.

Also, do Janzten tailor dinner shirts?


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## chobochobo (May 5, 2006)

I have a nice tuxedo/dinner jacket shirt from Janzten. Costs a bit more, 400hkd ish, if I remember correctly.

The 4500 HKD suit was with premium material - I don't know how much standard material would cost.


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## cheukert (May 13, 2006)

How about cheap fully canvassed jackets/blazers? Still Jantzen or do you can recommend another tailor in HK or Shenzen?


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## chobochobo (May 5, 2006)

*Outside the 'big three'*

I think Janzten is the one that gets most 'mentions'. The cost-quality ratio is skewed a bit more to the value side that the big three. There are many other tailors in HK, but it'd be difficult to find others that others on the messageboards have had (generally positive) experiences with. There is a chain called Kwun Kee, but I believe they're average at best.

I'm not the best to ask about tailors as I've never had a tailored suit and just have two Janzten shirts as my quotient of tailored clothing.


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## mumbojumbo (May 13, 2006)

cheukert said:


> How about cheap fully canvassed jackets/blazers? Still Jantzen or do you can recommend another tailor in HK or Shenzen?


 Keep in mind: there is no free lunch, even in hk. And i wasn't that impressed by the cost-value-ratio of my jantzen shirt.


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## acidicboy (Feb 17, 2006)

i saw ah man hin cheong's shop in front of ascot chang in hongkong. very very impressive. the displayed suits seems very well made. they have a very wide selection of suit and shirt fabrics. if you can judge the quality by the appearance of the shop and the proprietors, a m h cheong gets my vote.


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## AZTEC (May 11, 2005)

*HK TAILORS*

1. W.W.Chan (Nathan Rd, TST Kowloon) 
2.TAKLY (9 Queens rd central). 
3. William Yu (mody rd, TST, Kowloon)
4. Ah Man Hing Cheong (princes bldg, central)
5. BAROMAN (9 Queens rd central)


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## AZTEC (May 11, 2005)

*HK TAILORS*

Forget BAROMAN. They sold the business a few years ago and their days of glory are well and truly over. Expensive yes, but of the 5 below, the least capable of getting the fit right.

Based on suits I have had made this year, I would rank my experience with Hong Kong tailors as follows:

1. W.W.Chan (Nathan Rd, TST Kowloon) 
2.TAKLY (9 Queens rd central). 
3. William Yu (mody rd, TST, Kowloon)
4. Ah Man Hing Cheong (princes bldg, central)
5. BAROMAN (9 Queens rd central)

I have not tried Gordon Yao. Note that TAKLY is actually a specialist shirtmaker but their shanghainese freelance tailor is excellent).

Expect to pay between HK$10,000 ~15,000 depending on the material. Example: two H&S fresco mohair suits from wwchan cost me HK$10,000 each; a barberis mohair from william yu cost me HK$8,500 and a Loro Piana 4 seasons wool from TAKLY cost me HK$13,500. [US$1 = HK$7.78]

AZTEC


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## acidicboy (Feb 17, 2006)

AZTEC said:


> Forget BAROMAN. They sold the business a few years ago and their days of glory are well and truly over. Expensive yes, but of the 5 below, the least capable of getting the fit right.
> 
> Based on suits I have had made this year, I would rank my experience with Hong Kong tailors as follows:
> 
> ...


impressive, aztec. can you post some pix of the suits you had made?


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## creat3cp (Apr 2, 2006)

I am interested to view some of your MTM suit as well..anyone?


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## GBR (Aug 10, 2005)

AZTEC said:


> 1. W.W.Chan (Nathan Rd, TST Kowloon)
> 2.TAKLY (9 Queens rd central).
> 3. William Yu (mody rd, TST, Kowloon)
> 4. Ah Man Hing Cheong (princes bldg, central)
> ...


I have used Gordon Yao (Royal Garden Hotel Mody Road) for a number of years and would put him alongside Chan.


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## soxfax (Feb 15, 2007)

*The Big 3*

When I was at WW Chan's, the explained to me that the difference between them (and the other two of the "big 3) are that they have their own tailors. They said that all the others use a common tailoring factory in Shenzen, and that's why the quality is low? Which of these others like TALKY use their own tailors? How do you contact these others?


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## NZNorm (May 9, 2005)

I've been to Hong Kong twice in the past 6 months and had a wonderful suit made at WW Chan for HK$7500. I had a blazer made at Sam's with Holland & Sherry buttons for US$300 which was nicely made. No comparison to Chan, but not the tourist trap that some have described. Jantzen is a wild place. It's the size of a closet and always busy. I had a dozen shirts made there and the quality is very good for the price - HK$300 each. I saw Andy last night in his Hemrajani suit and it looked great; the fabric was very nice. If you stay away from the touts on Nathan Road, I'm sure you can find something decent in your price range.


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## reubencahn (Mar 28, 2006)

FWIW, I stopped in HK on my way back from Indonesia a couple of years ago. I had not yet found this forum and the only recommendation for a tailor I could find was Sam's. I ordered two suits and eight shirts. Results were horrible. Fit and craftsmanship were mediocre. And everything seemed cut in a way to use the absolute minimum fabric. The shirts were too short in length and the jacket had no material in the seams to let out when I increased my workout routine slightly. And, of course, the jackets are fused. I paid only about $1000 USD but I would far rather have had one good suit from Chan. I never wear any of the items I bought from Sam's.


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## english_gent (Dec 28, 2006)

chobochobo said:


> I believe that Janzten shop prices are the same as online prices, no shipping of course. No appointment is necessary; they're busy all the time, better if you go during the week avoiding lunchtime and early evening.
> 
> If you could increase your suit budget to 200 pounds I think you could just about get a nice suit at Janzten, when I was there the quote was 4500HKD for a suit with premium material (cashmere 200) which isn't too far off 235 pounds at current exchange rates.
> 
> Disclaimer: I've only been to Janzten twice - once to order shirts and once to pick up shirts. I've seen the suits in progress and finished and they look pretty good.


fused or floating ?


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## cheukert (May 13, 2006)

Jantzen can do fused or full canvassed for the same price. Full cavassed however will take a few more days. I went there for shirts, the fit is ok, a bit short, but the next order probably will be better. It is indeed messy in that shop. I have no experience with their suits, maybe the next time when I'll be in HK


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## jadren0s (Mar 2, 2007)

*Sam's in Shanghai*

I have heard good things about Sam's in Shanghai as well (and very, well, mixed things about Sam's in HK). Does anybody have any experiences of the place?


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## soxfax (Feb 15, 2007)

*TAKLY vs WW Chan: I Have Used Both*

Just came back from HKG and had a chsmere blazer made by TAKLY. Their attention to detail, quality, and srvice is second to none. Their prices for clothing were about the same as Chan. Their prices for shirts were much higher than Chan, for the same fabrics. Chan claims to gave their own tailors. TAKLY says his higher shirt prices are due to more man hours and nicer buttons. Not so sure. But his waulity and service are great.


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