# Hong Kong Tailors 101 - With Emphasis On Trad



## stillwaters20007 (May 24, 2006)

I'll be in Hong Kong for a week. I've been going through some forum archives, but still would find it helpful if you could give me basic advice on Hong Kong tailors (recommendations). Also, I want a basic Brooks type suit - I guess I can wear one of mine to show them. But I am curious whether there are some tailors who are better at this than others. Lastly, it sounds like there are many different things (non-fit) that I can play around with - like belt loops, pockets, button color. Any recommendations in this regard - keeping in mind my desire for a traditional suit - would be recommended.

Regards,
SW


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## 127.72 MHz (Feb 16, 2007)

I've been four times and had suits and sport coats made three times. There's *so much* to say.

First, since this is your first time, in order to avoid being disappointed, stick with a top few tailor's.

Second, do not purchase a suit or sport coat from anyone who wants to make it in 24 or 36 hours. Make sure you're there long enough for at least two fittings. (three would be much better)

Have fun and for heaven's sake don't forget to eat all the dim sum you can jam down your throat. Dim sum in Hong Kong is the best in the world.


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## Joe Beamish (Mar 21, 2008)

I believe that AldenPyle is knowledgeable of your subject -- you might send him a PM.


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## Youngster (Jun 5, 2008)

I know nothing of Hong Kong tailors, but this is a great chance to get patch pockets on a suit. I've always thought that it would look great. Maybe even a patch breast pocket?


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## GBR (Aug 10, 2005)

Gordon Yao, Y William Yu and Chan are the three best tailors. A-Man not far behind. The remainder satisfy some people but are mainly there to take tourists.


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## GBR (Aug 10, 2005)

Youngster said:


> I know nothing of Hong Kong tailors, but this is a great chance to get patch pockets on a suit. I've always thought that it would look great. Maybe even a patch breast pocket?


On a suit for normal use?


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## Oviatt (Jan 29, 2007)

I have only ever used Sam's and had great results, but you cannot leave any detail unspecified. 

Years ago, I had a chance to work on a project with England's Prince Michael of Kent--known for his sartorial splendor. He was wearing a beautiful jacket in a special tweed pattern called Broadlands--only to be worn by family members of Mountbattens. Who was the tailor? Sam's of Hong Kong!


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## Youngster (Jun 5, 2008)

GBR said:


> On a suit for normal use?


Normal use is very subjective. Out-of-place casual details can make a regular two piece suit very interesting. I like the idea, and I personally would like a suit of that sort one day. Certainly such a suit would not be worn for funerals or important business, but if one already has many "normal" suits, why not take advantage of a custom tailor and have a "fun" suit? Most folk will not even notice the difference.


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## AldenPyle (Oct 8, 2006)

I've basically only had shirts made, so I have little advice on jackets.

There are a bunch of people who get suits in Hong Kong at www.styleforum.com. I guess you would get the best advice there. Basically, my impression is that the value for money proposition for Hong Kong tailors is at the top end tailors mentioned by GBR. Lower end tailors will probably be of no greater quality than similar price RTW suits in the US. I would add to GBR's post by saying that, of the top end (i.e. US $1200+ per suit) only W.W. Chan is likely to be stylistically flexible enough to cut a Brooks Brothers style sack suit. Even there I am not sure I would go without a sack suit that you like for them to copy or at least very clearly communicate what you want.

I gather that Baron Kay and Hemrajani are thought to be a reasonable quality for about 2/3rd of the price of Chan. Not sure that the style flexibility would be there though. Jantzen could probably copy anything you want and do it fast and cheap. Quality might not be there though.


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## GBR (Aug 10, 2005)

Oviatt said:


> I have only ever used Sam's and had great results, but you cannot leave any detail unspecified.
> 
> Years ago, I had a chance to work on a project with England's Prince Michael of Kent--known for his sartorial splendor. He was wearing a beautiful jacket in a special tweed pattern called Broadlands--only to be worn by family members of Mountbattens. Who was the tailor? Sam's of Hong Kong!


Sam specialises in tourists and can be a rip off. He hasa nice line in 'highly visible' customers whose pictures decorate his stall. However this is little more than a publicity stunt and does not imply quality.


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## Oviatt (Jan 29, 2007)

GBR said:


> Sam specialises in tourists and can be a rip off. He hasa nice line in 'highly visible' customers whose pictures decorate his stall. However this is little more than a publicity stunt and does not imply quality.


Here is a picture of H.R.H. Prince Michael of Kent in the mews of Kensington Palace wearing Sam's:


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## katon (Dec 25, 2006)

Fabric seems like it might be the fun thing to play with.

Maybe get a few summer-weight suits or sportscoats made up in Shantung silk? Or pull a J. Press circa 1952 and get a few buttondowns made in Fuji silk?


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## JLWhittington (Aug 20, 2008)

I've had half a dozen suits made by three different tailors in Hong Kong over the years, I've settled on Linda Chow (Kowloon), who makes a trip to the US every year.
You have to be very specific about the details you want, and insist that they are done to your satisfaction. The lower end tailors will make something in a hurry, that is done in the latest trendy style. Don't let them force you into something you don't want.
As previously mentioned, trad RTW prices will be better or the same in the US. As my HK stuff wears out, I am replacing it with B2, J. Press, and Southwick.


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## CBtoNYC (Jan 24, 2008)

*Sam's*

With all due respect to Oviatt, Sam's might have been good for Prince Michael decades ago -- and may still be good if you happen to be a celebrity whose picture they want to put on the wall -- but GBR's post about their catering to tourists is pretty on point.
When I was in college my parents were living in Hong Kong and I had a couple of suits made by Sam's -- they left something to be desired. And, from a Trad point of view, the excessive amount of padding in the shoulders made them almost concave.
Mind you this was over 10 years ago and I can't speak to what they are doing nowadays, but I would be wary.


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## Oviatt (Jan 29, 2007)

There are certainly better tailors in Hong Kong than Sam's, I admit--I just thought that it was interesting that they really can support their claim to dress the faces that grace their walls. I only had shirts made there and they were really quite good, especially when I specified certain details (basic, really, like MOP buttons intead of plastic) that they probably don't bother with for their tourist trade.


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## Lonnekerus (Nov 12, 2009)

Oviatt said:


> Here is a picture of H.R.H. Prince Michael of Kent in the mews of Kensington Palace wearing Sam's:


That does indeed look like a Sam's product, but am not sure that that's a compliment.



CBtoNYC said:


> With all due respect to Oviatt, Sam's might have been good for Prince Michael decades ago -- and may still be good if you happen to be a celebrity whose picture they want to put on the wall -- but GBR's post about their catering to tourists is pretty on point.


+1


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## stillwaters20007 (May 24, 2006)

Spent a fair amount of time in Asia over the course of the last year, and spent way too much money on suits and shirts.

But far and away the best experience I had was with De-Luxe Tailor in the Lain Kwai Fong area. Seems to be popular with the banking and ex-pat crowd. All I know is that I picked up 3 of the best suits I've ever owned. The shirts were quite excellent as well, although I found out the hard way that neither they, nor 1/2 dozen other very good HK tailors I discovered, could replicate the look and the feel of the basic Brooks OCBD.


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## mommatook1 (Apr 17, 2008)

127.72 MHz said:


> Second, do not purchase a suit or sport coat from anyone who wants to make it in 24 or 36 hours. Make sure you're there long enough for at least two fittings. (three would be much better)


+1. Doesn't matter which tailor you go with if you aren't in HK long enough to make numerous visits. Know exactly what you want before you go in the door; the only decision left should be picking the fabric.


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## The Rambler (Feb 18, 2010)

There's the old joke about the guy who burns a cigarette hole in his favorite suit coat and takes it to an HK tailor to have it identically copied, and gets the new one, identically copied, right down to the burn hole -but- it's just not going to happen, you can't even get an American cut suit made in England.


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## sirchandler (May 28, 2010)

I lived in Hong Kong for two years.

I had shirts and a suit made by Tai Pan Row. They were pretty high end on par with Ascot Chang. The suit was good quality and the prices reflected that. Their turnaround time was several weeks, with about 2 fittings. Can they squeeze that all into 1 week?...possibly, but you'll have to ask them.

They have two shops on the island, one in IFC and the other in the Galleria.
I only dealt with the guys in the Galleria, they were pretty cool.


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## Luckycharmboi2 (May 30, 2009)

Larry has made me some 3/2 sacks. Only thing, he does sometimes have a tendency to go overboard on shoulder padding. But he has high quality fabrics.



David.


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## Lonnekerus (Nov 12, 2009)

ASW has a helpful HK series:

https://asuitablewardrobe.dynend.com/2010/09/guest-post-hong-kong-tailoring-style.html


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## headofape (Oct 9, 2014)

stillwaters20007 said:


> Spent a fair amount of time in Asia over the course of the last year, and spent way too much money on suits and shirts.
> 
> But far and away the best experience I had was with De-Luxe Tailor in the Lain Kwai Fong area. Seems to be popular with the banking and ex-pat crowd. All I know is that I picked up 3 of the best suits I've ever owned. The shirts were quite excellent as well, although I found out the hard way that neither they, nor 1/2 dozen other very good HK tailors I discovered, could replicate the look and the feel of the basic Brooks OCBD.


How much does De-Luxe Tailor usually charge for basic suits?


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## Eric W S (Jun 6, 2012)

I have had a few shirts made by Sam's and David's. They are Ok - the collars are always too short. I have stopped using any tailors in HK. HK tailors will not understand a 3/2 roll suit. I tried when I was looking to have a suit made and ended up buying one MTM from Southwick/BB. The tradition there is British. To get the shoulders right you need to find someone who can do a "London Drape", which none of them seem to be able to do. Those that can will charge a princely sum. Most of the HK tailors off shore to Shanghai or the mainland. One week is not enough time for a suit to be made nor for the correct amount of fittings. Listen to the advice here and get a nice MTM Southwick. It will be leagues ahead of anything you buy in HK. Buy mercer shirts. Done.


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