Hong Kong Shirtmakers - Dec 2017 prices, process, and product comparison

[Jackeyhk]

Looking forward to read your report.

 

[ray8]

Hi all, really sorry for the delay here. Once I got back from vacation, things got crazy at work.

I actually wrote this way back in December, so it’s not “what I can remember in April”, but rather an edited post based on “in the moment” experience, followed by post-wear/wash/iron comments that are current.

(I apologize in advance for what will be a very lengthy post, but I had a tough time doing my own research, so in the interest of keeping everything consolidated for future reference, I won’t split this up into multiple posts scattered throughout the thread unless so requested. For ease of reference though, I’ll highlight key takeaways from each shop, followed by a lengthy “experience” report).

As mentioned, I commissioned shirts from 1) Noble House / Grand Tailors, 2) Jantzen Tailors, and 3) Ascot Chang.

TL;DR: I would recommend both Jantzen and Ascot Chang, depending on your price point and your desired quality.

First, a little preamble:

• In each case, I did not make an appointment, and just dropped in dressed very casually (more specifically, in a zip-up hoodie, jeans, and running shoes).
• I do wear my shirts with an undershirt (https://www.styleforum.net/threads/the-best-undershirt.598860/#post-9137590), and did wear one to each fitting.
• I told each shop that I was in town for about two weeks, that I’d heard good things about them, and wanted to place the minimum shirt order to try them out, after which I’d commission more shirts if I liked how the first one(s) turned out.
• I explained that the shirts would be for work use, that I’d be wearing them all-day everyday with a suit and tie, and that I worked in the wealth management industry. I asked for something slim fitting but not too tight, and indicated I was very open to their suggestions.
• I prefer my sleeves a bit on the long side (about 1/4") so they look better when I’m sitting across from clients with my arms on the table, rather than when I’m standing up.

Here’s how it turned out:

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Noble House a.k.a Grand Tailors (www.noblehouse.us / http://www.grandtailors.com/)

• Address: Star House, 3 Salisbury Road, Suite 933 (9th floor), Tsim Sha Tsui
• Directions: easiest to take a cab to the Ferry Building and walk 1 minute
• Location of workshop: Tsim Tsa Tsui (but not in the same location as the office)
• Minimum order: 1 shirt
• Prices: quoted in USD, starting from approx. $70 USD = $550 HKD at today’s FX rates ($75 USD as ordered), including MOP buttons and monogramming. TM Silver from $175 USD = $1,450 HKD.
• Fabrics pre-shrunk? No, and are expected to shrink after washing.
• Payment: only when satisfied.
• Measurements taken: major proportions only + front and side photos + asked for height and weight.
• Paper pattern? Not typically, but tailor offered to do so for me.
• Test shirt? No, adjustments were made to a fully “finished” shirt.
• Fittings: normally 1, but willing to adjust until satisfied (in my case, 2 fittings + 1 more for minor adjustments).
• ETA from start to finish: 7-8 business days
• Deal with the same person(s) each time? Yes.
• Direct interaction with the tailor? Yes.
• Do they speak English? Yes.

First visit (Monday, Dec 18 afternoon): fabric selection, measurements, photos, and customization options

I’d actually intended to visit Grand Tailors (GT) due to some of the comments on StyleForum, but the GT website and phone number redirects to Noble House (NH), so that’s where I went.

Their shop (the part I saw) was more of an office than anything else; no tailors to be seen, just a bunch of cubicles. When one of the office staff noticed me standing by the door, I mentioned I was interested in having a shirt made, and they checked with Vijay (the boss), who welcomed me into his office and kindly offered to measure me on the spot.

I expressed some hesitation because of the name mismatch, but Vijay stated that Noble House does work subcontracted to them by Grand Tailors. I accepted this as fact, and we started by picking a fabric from a couple swatch books offered by Vijay - he suggested starting with a house fabric to keep the cost down on the first shirt, and I was happy to oblige. The fabric I picked was labeled “Sea Island Cotton”, but I have serious doubts about this after receiving the finished product. I’ll give them the benefit of the doubt.

It’s worth mentioning that Vijay indicated upfront that he would not be invoicing me until I was satisfied with the product, which was a bit unique, and of course, appreciated.

The cost was $94 USD for the fabric I selected, with a 20% discount as I would be purchasing the shirt in HK, rather than overseas where a lot of their clientele reside (NH / GT associates travel abroad frequently). In my case, this turned out to be $75 USD, though I did see one swatch book priced a tad bit lower (mine appeared to be the second lowest priced by about $5).

One issue that did bother me: the GT website indicates a starting price of $65 USD for international orders, while Vijay quoted $75 after a 20% local discount. His reasoning (excuse?) was that they couldn’t offer that price, and that I’d have to source the shirt through GT to get that price. Given that I was obviously looking for GT in the first place but couldn’t find them, this was a little annoying, but for the slight price difference, I didn’t bother pressing the issue.

After selecting the fabric, Vijay took a couple of measurements (as I recall, collar, sleeve length, chest, shoulders, waist, around the buttocks, and shirt length), and took a picture of me from the front and side, which he said he’d send to the tailors along with my measurements. They were the only ones to take photos, and also the only ones to ask me for my height and weight.

He then sat me down and presented the standard customization options, but didn’t offer any of the more creative options (ex. lining fabrics, button options, contrasting button holes, etc.) until I asked if they were available. He seemed somewhat annoyed that I asked actually, commenting that this was a first shirt, and those options would cost more money, etc. I didn’t actually want any of those other things, though I did ask for MOP buttons, which he said he’d throw in at no extra charge. Aside from suggesting a basic house fabric, Vijay didn’t really offer any advice or suggestions during this process, though I did not directly ask for his opinion.

Vijay said he’d call me when he had a better idea when the shirt would be ready, and about 24 hours later (Tuesday afternoon), he called saying the shirt would be ready for me to try on the next day.

Second visit (Wednesday, Dec 20 afternoon): first fitting, major adjustments required!

The tailor for my shirt, a local HK fellow named Jim, delivered the shirt to V’s office for my first fitting. The first words out of his mouth when he saw me: “you’re skinnier than the photos!”. Not a good sign. This first attempt at a shirt was terrible. Almost everything had to be adjusted - the collar was at least a full size too big, cuffs were too loose (“standard size” according to Jim), sleeves were too short (resting at the top of the wrist bone), shoulders that weren’t angled to accommodate my rather significant slope, and the back not accounting for the curvature of my spine (I have a bit of anterior pelvic tilt). I’m not an easy fit, but this felt like an OTR shirt that was a full size too big in every area except for sleeve length. This made me seriously question Vijay / GT / NH’s ability to take or relay proper measurements, and the photos clearly didn’t help.

Vijay was largely passive during this process, working silently on his laptop in the corner, while Jim was very pleasant to deal with, being both engaging and attentive.

It’s worth noting that there is no formal fitting room here - Vijay would step out and I would change in his office.

Jim pinned me up like a pin cushion, and as I preferred no darts in the back, felt confident he could accommodate the curvature of my back without them. I wasn’t even sure the shirt could be saved at this point, but as I wasn’t being asked to pay until satisfied, I gave him the benefit of the doubt. He indicated the shirt would be ready for a second fitting in 2-3 days, and a follow-up fitting was set up on the spot. As an aside, Jim indicated that their workshop was also in TST (but not in the same location as their office), and that the fabrics used were not pre-shrunk.

Third visit (Saturday, Dec 23 morning): second fitting, minor adjustments required

Remarkably, the result was MUCH better - good save, Jim! Sleeve length, collar size, and cuff size done perfectly. Jim took the prerogative to add darts to the back, saying that he couldn’t taper accordingly without them; I was a little surprised by this, but figured no point in arguing. Still a bit baggy in the back, with a bit of fabric rippling in the chest and shoulder area, but I would have been satisfied with this result had it been a first fitting. More pins, and Jim said he’d take care of this.

FWIW, this second fitting was still worse IMHO than the first fitting at AC (which we’ll get to later); obviously, submitting accurate measurements to the tailor are super important!

Pet peeves: 3 MOP buttons were already chipped at this point - one on the front placket, and one on each shirt cuff; Jim said he’d replace all of these.

Vijay wanted me to pick fabrics to have additional shirts made at this point, but I stated that I was uncomfortable doing so given the first fitting disaster, and would wait until I received the final product. He tried to sell me a bit at this point, emphasizing the time constraints, but I politely declined.

Final visit (Friday, Dec 29 afternoon): final fitting, satisfactory result.

To be fair, I received a call Wednesday morning after the Christmas holidays (Dec 25 and 25) from one of Vijay’s staff, indicating the shirt would be ready later that day, but I had to push the date out to the Friday given other planned events.

At this appointment, the tailor wasn’t available, but Vijay offered to have me leave my credit card number, take the shirt home, wear it, wash it, etc. and bring it back if needed for alterations. Vijay said he’d charge my card only when I was satisfied.

Given the time constraints, and what I felt was an acceptable shirt, I paid in cash (HKD) based on the day’s going USD:HKD spot rate rather than leaving my card info. Vijay indicated they would be in my part of the world every 2-3 months, and that they would notify me via email so I could make appointments to view fabrics with his associate(s) then.

My thoughts:

• I think the shoulders were cut too high, and it’s a little on the snug side. Rotating my arms too aggressively or hailing a cab would definitely pull on the shirt, but it’s not too tight for how I’d be wearing it day to day - sitting in a meeting, driving or typing position, and walking (99% of my day) feels fine. Hopefully it doesn’t shrink materially after washing!
• I didn’t realize until too late that the collar stays are not removable, and the chipped MOP buttons weren’t replaced. Little disappointed with this, but I didn’t want to send the shirt back given my time constraints.
• The fabric is a bit rough (again, I seriously doubt this is sea island cotton given both the texture and the price point).
• Noble House definitely operates as or does work for Grand Tailors, and the label on the inside collar proves as much.

April comments: the shirt still feels a bit too snug. The collar just won’t sit right (not a new problem, was like this in the original pictures), and the cuffs shrank after washing. In particular, the left cuff is now too tight to wear a watch comfortably.

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Jantzen Tailor (www.jantzentailor.com)

• Address: On Lok Yuen Building, 5th floor, 25-27 Des Voeux Road, Central
• Directions: easiest to take the MTR to Central station, exit ‘B’ for World Wide House, and walk 1 minute to the adjacent building on your right (the building is very easy to miss!)
• Location of workshop: “Hong Kong” (but not in the same location as the office)
• Minimum order: 1 shirt, starting from approx. $350 HKD for house fabrics ($410 HKD as ordered, with the additional cost due to MOP buttons and monogramming). TM Silver from $1400 HKD.
• Fabrics pre-shrunk? No, and are expected to shrink after washing.
• Payment: 50% deposit upfront.
• Measurements taken: major proportions.
• Paper pattern? Yes.
• Test shirt? No fitting sample, use a ready-made template instead.
• Fittings: 1, followed by adjustments until satisfied (in my case, 1 fitting + 1 more for minor adjustments).
• ETA from start to finish: 7 business days
• Deal with the same person(s) each time? Yes.
• Direct interaction with the tailor? No.
• Do they speak English? Yes.

First visit (Tuesday, Dec 19 afternoon): fabric selection, measurements, fitting with ready-made template shirt, and customization options.

Very different look and feel from Noble House - Jantzen’s location is exactly as it looks on their website; a tailor storefront filled with samples of their work, swatch books lining the walls, and a few desks for the staff. No cubicles to be seen here.

I was greeted by a young HK fellow named Reynold, who was receptive to my request, and explained the process to me quite matter-of-factly: pick fabric, take measurements, try shirt, pay, and pick up product.

House fabrics were the least costly of the three, ranging from $350 - $450 HKD, but dominated by fabrics at $350 HKD per shirt. It’s worth mentioning that the house fabric selection here massively dwarfed what was available at either Noble House or AC - barring anything in a back room, I eyeballed at least 50 swatch books just for house fabrics here. Also, their monogramming colors were seemingly unlimited; I didn’t have to pick a color, I simply asked them to use a thread 1 shade darker than my shirt fabric, and they were able to take care of it.

When I inquired about more luxurious fabrics, he let me know that they did have them available (ex. TM Silver line starting from 1400 HKD), but that he did not recommend them to his customers. He explained that he didn’t think the difference in quality justified the difference in cost, noting that their house fabrics were all Super 110s or 120s, sourced mostly from Italy or Japan (nothing from China and very little from Britain). He also noted that from his experience, shirts worn daily were more likely to become unwearable as the result of dirt (ex. food stains, etc.) rather than from wear and tear.

Confronted with their massive selection of fabrics, I explained the purpose of the shirt (work use), and that I wanted something professional, but a little more creative than the classic white or blue. At his suggestion, I selected a less stodgy fabric (white with a pink pinstripe), which he said would look like a very light pink from a distance, but have some depth up close. Reynold cut a small sample of the swatch from the book and attached it to my order sheet. I assume this is done to prevent any mix-up in the shirting fabric used by the cutters, and this part of the process was unique to Jantzen.

Fabric selected, Reynold took my measurements and entered them into his smartphone, after which he popped into a back room and returned with a ready-made template (I think my template was #86?). I was asked to try on this template shirt, and Reynold pinned me up without much input from me, except for my request to give me slightly longer sleeves. Like Noble House’s final result, he also suggested darts to better taper the back, and said they would use mother of pearl buttons as well.

Once finished with the pin cushion, he set the template shirt aside, and I was presented with the usual customization options. He suggested the spread collar given my face shape and preference for a full windsor knot, but was otherwise passive with my selections. Once completed, he gave me an ETA for a first fitting with the actual shirt (3 days out) and drew up an invoice; I was asked to place a deposit of about 50%, or 200 HKD for my shirt (350 HKD + 60 HKD for monogramming = 410 HKD), with the balance due at pickup.

Second visit (Friday, Dec 22 afternoon): first fitting with actual shirt

When I arrived, Reynold immediately recognized me, and asked me to produce my invoice to help him locate my shirt. I couldn’t remember where I put it, so Reynold looked me up using my telephone number, produced my shirt from one of the shelves behind him, and asked me to try it on. For the record, I was pleased with the fabric recommendation, and noticed that Jantzen used the smaller, thicker variety of MOP button.

Compared to Noble House’s first attempt, this shirt fit MUCH better - at least the major proportions were in the right ballpark. However, the shoulders were still a bit too large (maybe 1/4"), the drop not sufficiently tapered, and the cuffs too large. Interestingly enough, the sleeves felt a little loose with my arms limp, yet a bit tight when my arms were bent (ex. While driving or typing at the computer). Reynold pinned or noted all of the above, and indicated my measurements would be updated to reflect the alterations to be made. Further, he noted that their fabrics were not pre-shrunk, so they would be expected to shrink in the wash, though the shirt would be sized with this in mind.

Third visit (Tuesday, Dec 26 afternoon): pick-up of first shirt + commissioning of additional shirts

After trying on the shirt again, it seemed to be a better fit, and I decided to accept it as is - the shoulders, collar and cuffs still seemed just a wee bit large, but Reynold mentioned the shirt’s dimensions may shrink about 1/4" after washing, so I’m hoping it turns out well.

Satisfied with that, particularly at their price point, I sat down to comb through their entire house fabric collection, eager to see how well they executed on pattern matching, and the consistency of their product across orders. This took me about 45 minutes, and Reynold was happy to work on other things during this time; no suggestions this time around, but probably because I didn’t let him know what I was looking for. I settled on striped fabrics for 2 additional shirts, and was given a date to collect them.

As an aside, Reynold indicated a repeat order could normally be completed in as little as 1 business day, but given the holiday season, would take a little longer. Jantzen’s storefront is apparently open 365 days a year, but their tailors take vacation.

Fourth visit (Friday, Dec 29 afternoon): pick up (turned into fitting) of additional shirts

Unlike the first shirt, the collar felt too tight on both the newer shirts, which concerned me as I was told they would shrink further. Also, one of the two shirts had sleeves that were slightly too short (about 1/4" - 1/2"), and the other shirt was missing collar stays. Reynold noted that tightness in the collar was due to the material of these two shirts (the first shirt did have a softer fabric), and his measurements showed all sleeves were the same length, but he would send these two back for adjustments nonetheless.

Final visit (Sunday, Dec 31 afternoon and Monday, Jan 1 afternoon): pick up of additional shirts.

Quick in and out: the shirt collars felt better now, and a second shirt was still missing collar stays (I didn’t check again, so I’m now using my own).

April comments: the collars definitely shrank a bit and are now a bit too tight - wearable, but not particularly comfortable to wear all day. The rest of the shirt feels a little loose, and the sleeves feel a bit baggy. While all the shirts were made from house fabrics, the white/pink shirt has a soft hand feel, while the other two have a harder, rough texture (even more so than the NH shirt).

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Ascot Chang

• Address: The Peninsula Hotel, 2nd floor, Tsim Sha Tsui
• Directions: easiest to take the MTR to TST station, exit ‘E’ for The Peninsula Hotel.
• Location of workshop: Hung Hom in Kowloon
• Minimum order: 3 shirts, starting from $1795 HKD for house fabrics or $2195 HKD for TM Silver (additional cost of $60 HKD per shirt for monogramming, MOP buttons included).
• Fabrics pre-shrunk? Yes, and are not expected to shrink during washing. However, collar and cuffs are expected to shrink, as their interlinings could not be pre-shrunk.
• Payment: 100% upfront
• Measurements taken: extensive measurements only
• Paper pattern? Yes.
• Test shirt? Yes, one (unfinished) shirt from your order is produced as a fitting sample.
• Fittings: 1, followed by adjustments until satisfied (in my case, 1 fitting + 1 more for minor adjustments).
• ETA from start to finish: 7 business days
• Deal with the same person(s) each time? Yes.
• Direct interaction with the tailor? No.
• Do they speak English? Yes.

First visit (Monday, Dec 18 afternoon): fabric selection, measurements, and customization options.

I chose to visit Ascot Chang’s shop at The Peninsula Hotel in Tsim Tsa Tsui because others had spoken highly of the branch manager, Nelson.

As an aside, on my first visit to their shop, located on the second floor of The Peninsula among shops such as Harry Winston, Delvaux, and Hermes, I was probably the most casually dressed person in HK’s most iconic hotel (again, in a zip-up hoodie and jeans). Nelson was just finishing up with another customer when I arrived, and with no other staff in the front, my presence was not acknowledged until the other customer left. At first, I wasn’t sure if this was due to my appearance, but quickly noticed that this seemed to be common practice here (maybe as a sign of respect to the customer being served?): if Nelson was helping me, he did not acknowledge other customers, or vice-versa. However, at subsequent visits when Nelson was busy upon my arrival, other staff were always present, and they would acknowledge me by name immediately and offer me a seat.

AC has the highest minimum order of any shop I visited: 3 shirts, at a minimum price of 1795 HKD per shirt using house fabrics. Nelson explained this was due to their higher costs with the first order, taking measurements, creating a paper pattern, etc., so I bit the bullet and starting choosing fabrics for three shirts. I didn’t spend much time going through the swatch books at Noble House, but compared to Jantzen’s extensive collection of house fabrics, AC’s house fabric selection seemed very limited (4 swatch books IIRC). Nelson helped me shortlist a couple swatches, and I ended up placing a first order for 2 shirts in their house fabric (Egyptian cotton made in Britain from smaller mills), and 1 shirt in TM Silver at $2195 HKD. It’s worth noting that I was tempted to venture away from the classic whites and light blues, but having been made aware that the shirts were for work, Nelson suggested that I not get creative with colors, sharing feedback from other customers in my field who ended up not wearing those shirts and wasting money.

Now for measurements. Unlike the first two shops, no pictures or template shirts here. Nelson’s measurements were far more detailed, and included my bicep and forearm circumference, and the length from my shoulder to elbow and elbow to wrist, for each arm. He also asked questions the others didn’t: did I always wear an undershirt (yes), whether it was the one I was currently wearing (yes), did I wear a watch (yes, but I wasn’t wearing one that day), on which wrist (left), and how large my watches were, noting he would size the left cuff accordingly, but that it wouldn’t be sized so large as to fit watches significantly larger than the type I normally wore. I certainly felt that a greater level of detail was considered here, and each measurement was read off to one of his staff who had appeared out of nowhere like a ninja to act as a scribe. I inquired about darts for the back, but unlike the other shops, Nelson felt confident they could accomplish the necessary taper without them.

Next, Nelson presented me with a couple customization options, and provided his suggestion for several of them. In particular, a moderate spread collar, which he was confident would look best on me (compared to the more pointed collar from Noble House and the spread collar from Jantzen, I would agree). He also suggested that I not consider accent linings for cuffs, collar, or placket, as this was out of style (at least in HK), but could be done for an additional cost (of materials only). He also suggested I avoid square cuffs (easier to warp or damage over time), no cuff placket button (confident that their shirts wouldn’t flare open without one), and a single breast pocket for greater functionality - I declined the pocket, but took him up on his other suggestions. Further, he stated their shirts all came with MOP buttons (of the thinner variety), and when I inquired, that thicker MOP buttons were available for an extra $150 HKD per shirt, but recommended against it, saying they were harder to button and more likely to chip.

Limited in my creativity by the unspoken dress code at work, I prefer to have my shirts monogrammed (at an added cost of $60HKD per shirt), and Nelson suggested a monogram on the left cuff, commenting that regardless of shirt color, their most common monogram was a royal blue color in block letters. I’ve always preferred “one shade darker” than the shirt color, but while AC had a number of monogram styles (more than Jantzen), they were more restrictive in their monogram colors (Jantzen could operate on “one shade darker”, while AC only had specific colors available).

Once I had decided on everything, an invoice was produced, and payment in full was required for the minimum order of 3 shirts.

Second visit (Wednesday, Dec 20 afternoon): first fitting with unfinished shirt

On my second visit, Nelson shared a bit of history about AC, mentioning that traditionally, tailors in Shanghai / HK specialized in just one thing: if you made shirts, you only made shirts, and nothing else, though they have now started making men’s suits as well. Also, he mentioned that he’d been doing this for 50 odd years, and he did seem to have a passion for his craft. After I emerged in the test shirt from their fitting room (which seemed to double as a storage room for other customer orders), he displayed a real interest in how it looked on me, and seemed genuinely pleased / proud with how it fit, noting that the slope of my shoulders was not easy to fit. With a grin on his face, he said that nothing was perfect, but he would give the shirt 95 points for a first fitting. I was equally happy; no previous MTM shirt, or the first fitting from Noble House or Jantzen fit anywhere near as well.

Still, because I prefer my sleeves longer, the sleeves were slightly short, and the back had to be pinned to clean up excess fabric that was bunching due to my spinal curvature / erect posture. Also, the collar and cuffs were a bit loose, but Nelson indicated they could not be pre-shrunk due to the interlinings, and would shrink with washing, so the size was right.

Third visit (Tuesday, Dec 26 afternoon): pick-up of first order (3 shirts) + commissioning of additional 4 shirts (buy 6, get 1 free!)

When I went to collect the shirts, I was asked to try each shirt on, and they consistently fit well. AC had a “buy 6, get 1 free” promotion running until Dec 31, and I was pleased enough to place an order for another 4 shirts, in a combination of house fabrics and TM Silver. TM Silver clearly had the nicer, more luxurious feel, and I would have preferred to order more in TM Silver, but only ended up with 2 out of 7 shirts, again, due to limited fabric selection. My biggest gripe with AC would be their fabric selection (in solid whites and light blues anyway); compared to Noble House, Jantzen, or other MTM shops I’d visited over the years, AC’s selection was the most limited in these colors.

Fourth visit (Thursday, Dec 28 afternoon): re-visit fit of first 3 shirts.

After taking the first three shirts home, I spent more time trying them on, and concluded that there was still too much fabric in the lower back. So, I stopped into AC a day before I was scheduled to pick up the 4 new shirts. After sharing my thoughts with Nelson, he asked me to try on a shirt, and suggested that the lower back could be taken in further without restricting movement or becoming uncomfortable (I was insistent on the comfort level staying the same). A couple pins later, I left the first three shirts with him, and was told they would be adjusted in time for me to collect all the shirts the next day.

Final visit (Friday, Dec 29 afternoon): pick up and try on all 7 shirts

Everything was in order when I arrived - my shirts were stacked up neatly, and I tried on each shirt in quick succession so Nelson and I could confirm the fit of each one.

Satisfied with the result, I asked Nelson about their bespoke suits, and was told that if I wanted to consider having one made, to visit them the next time I was in HK, but to allow a minimum of 2 weeks to go through the necessary fittings. I just might take them up on it.

April comments: these are by far my favorite shirts now. Everything is pretty much spot on. I have a couple small adjustments I’d ask them to make the next time I’m back, but I’d still give these 95/100. At this price point, I would definitely go for TM Silver over their house fabrics, if only they had more fabric selection for their solid whites and blues...

 

[ray8]

To elaborate on my recommendations:

I would recommend both Jantzen and Ascot Chang, depending on your price point and your desired quality. Jantzen seems to fulfill Pareto’s principle, getting you 80% of the way there at 20% of the cost, while that additional 20% to perfection will cost you 4-5x more (for house fabrics anyway) at AC.

What about Noble House a.k.a. Grand Tailors? While their final product is actually ok, at their price point, I would recommend Jantzen. The final product is comparable to Jantzen’s, the process was more prone to error (no template trial shirt), with less fabric selection, and more expensive across the board (50% higher for house fabrics). Even though I had the opportunity to work directly with my shirt’s tailor at NH/GT, I’m not sure I could consider them superior to Jantzen (though this might have to do with the tailor having to work with a poorly made first shirt - the fact that I can wear the finished product is something of a miracle, so if the tailor did the measuring, it might've actually been a great product).

As an aside, I could not identify any difference between the process, experience, or fit that I’ve received at made-to-measure shops and the “bespoke” offering at Jantzen and Noble House. In contrast, the process, experience, and resulting fit from Ascot Chang was clearly bespoke.

With that in mind, if the extra $1,445 HKD a shirt is a non-issue for you, AC is the clear winner: their consistency gives me the confidence to place future shirt orders from abroad, and most importantly, they absolutely have the best fit. Their first attempt at a test shirt fit better than the finished product at the other two shops. Also, if you desire Thomas Mason Silverline fabric or better, look no further than AC; the cost advantage Jantzen had shrinks dramatically (no pun intended) once you look past their house fabrics (from a ratio of 4.5 Jantzen shirts:1 AC shirt using house fabrics, to only 1.5:1 for TM Silverline).

Hope this helps!

 

[Chowkin]

Thanks @ray8 for your detailed review

 

[ray8]

Which one is from which shop?



ich

For the record, the order is Jantzen, Noble House / Grand Tailor, and Ascot Chang. Brand new, pre-wash/iron.

 

[takashi78]

Thanks for the detailed report!

If only you had pics of your fitting session or the shops, would have made the report much more fun to read.

Care to show some pics of the shirts after few washes?

 

[ray8]

Thanks for the detailed report!

If only you had pics of your fitting session or the shops, would have made the report much more fun to read.

Care to show some pics of the shirts after few washes?

I do have pictures of all those things. I’ll try to post them this weekend, along with some shirt pics.

 

[Fraussie]

Mate. Thank you so much - posts like yours are what makes StyleForum special. True value add here.

 

[takashi78]

Did AC say if their suit making operation is all "in house" or parts of it was outsourced?

Any reason besides the service you liked that made you want to try AC for your suit compared to say WWChan?

 

[ray8]

Mate. Thank you so much - posts like yours are what makes StyleForum special. True value add here.

Thanks!

 

[ray8]

Did AC say if their suit making operation is all "in house" or parts of it was outsourced?

Any reason besides the service you liked that made you want to try AC for your suit compared to say WWChan?

I believe it's all done in-house, but I cannot recall 100% if they explicitly said that.

Also, you're spot on about why I'd consider AC for bespoke suiting: if I have time to get suits made on my next visit, I would almost certainly try WW Chan at the same time just so I can get a good comparison for any future orders. As Nelson @ AC said, the old schools used to focus on just one thing (ie. shirts, or suits, not both), so I would suspect WW Chan's workmanship to be superior if only due to experience alone, though the resulting fit is most important to me at the end of the day. I'm very happy with the fit and workmanship of AC's shirts, and assuming the material selection is similar across shops (clearly it isn't based on my experience above, but I digress...), I'd be pretty comfortable giving AC a shot at making me a suit knowing the fit at least will likely be excellent.

 

[Vinsep]

Terrific post. Thanks

 

[indigoaw]

thanks for the review!

 

[VRaivio]

Raising this old topic: I’ve found very little info about Cottonwork, the MTM-shirtmaker based in Hong Kong. Does anyone know more about them?

 

[Lol1000]

It doesn`t seem so. I would not go cheap in HK, it is already a cheap market. The exchange-rate these days also gives a nice rebate on top. Go to one of the well-known, you can keep the shirts for at least 5, if not 10 years, I promise.