Question about chan

[johnnynorman3]

Thanks for the pics, Kai. I assume you went with double vents, correct? I love double vents but they never seem to hang right on me, but I'm imaging that a MTM would solve that problem.

Out of curiousity, how would you describe those shoulders? Is there a lot of padding in there? I really like how they slope and the sleeve cap, but I don't want a lot of padding. Methinks that you just have pretty good shoulders and that the suit doesn't have a lot of padding in there, but nonetheless has that great British look.

 

[fareau]

Thank you for the pictures, Kai. The suits look great and your reviews have been glowing......I think I might give Chan a try when they come around here in November.

 

[fenderapache]

Kai, you said that WW Chan's quality is good but perhaps not on par with Kiton and Oxxford. What firm's quality would you say is closest to that which WW Chan produces (Hickey-Freeman, Samuelsohn, Marting Greenfield, Gianluca Isaia, Zegna, etc)? Are there any areas of the suit you found to be a disappointment (ie. quality control, fit, stitching, roll of lape, whatever)? If so, what did you do about that? I had some shirts made by A-Man Hing Cheong while I was in Hong Kong but did not visit WW Chan. A-Man, made some fantastics shirts that were as good as my Turnbull & Asser shirts and nearly as good as what I have from Ascot Chang. Is WW Chan on par with A-Man?

 

[Kai]

Kai, you said that WW Chan's quality is good but perhaps not on par with Kiton and Oxxford.  What firm's quality would you say is closest to that which WW Chan produces (Hickey-Freeman, Samuelsohn, Marting Greenfield, Gianluca Isaia, Zegna, etc)?  Are there any areas of the suit you found to be a disappointment (ie. quality control, fit, stitching, roll of lape, whatever)?  If so, what did you do about that?  I had some shirts made by A-Man Hing Cheong while I was in Hong Kong but did not visit WW Chan.  A-Man, made some fantastics shirts that were as good as my Turnbull & Asser shirts and nearly as good as what I have from Ascot Chang.  Is WW Chan on par with A-Man?

Regarding quality:  I think that the WW Chan Jacket is of much higher quality than Hickey Freeman.  I own a Hickey suit and the Chan jacket is much better constructed.  
I'm afraid I don't own the other brands you mentioned, so I can't really comment on those.  I also have no experience whatsoever with A-Man Hing Cheong tailors either, so I can't really comment on them.  To put it in terms of my own suits that I have in my closet, I would say that the Chan suits are at least as well constructed as my Canali suits, but fit better.  This is in spite of the fact that I fit very well into an off the rack Canali.  
When I say that the Chan suit is not quite up to the standards of Kiton, I think that what I'm really saying is that Kiton has more hand work than the Chan suit.  This is most evident on the pants.  There is a fair amount of hand work on the Kiton pants, while the Chan pants have very little.  However, I can't really tell much difference between the pants in appearance, and certainly the Chan suits seem to be wearing very well.  I can say that I look better in my Chan suits than I do in my Kiton suit, in spite of the fact that the Kiton fit me reasonably well off the rack, and I've had it tailored as well.  

In terms of disappointments, I can't really say that I have any problems with the Chan suits.  You mentioned the roll of the lapel.  This is one thing that Chan has nailed down completely.  They brag about all the hand work that goes into the lapels and front of the jacket, and for good reason.  The lapels on my Chan suits are perfect.  Overall, the quality of the Chan suit is impeccable.  I have no complaints.  My only caveat is that I went through several fittings in the creation of my original pattern.  I don't know how their "US tour" ordering/fitting procedure will compare.  I worry a bit that no matter how skilled they are, that something of the immaculate fit will be compromised if they don't have the opportunity to make adjustments on the fly through the fitting process.  I've had to do some minor adjustments on one of the no-fitting "internet" suits I ordered from them that they made from my pattern.  I can't say that I am really disappointed in this, as it is unreasonable to expect them to get things perfect without the body there to try it on.  My guess is that you may end up with some minor adjustments on a suit which you don't go through the requisite multiple fittings.  

One BIG issue I had with one of my internet purchases from Chan was the shipping.  My dupioni silk suit was packed in a TINY fed-ex box (this was one of those boxes about the size of a legal pad, and 2 1/2 inches thick.)  It was so compacted and wrinkled when it arrived that it took several weeks of steaming and hanging to get it out of its crumpled state.  I was pretty unhappy about this, and I complained to them.   They took heed and shipped my next suit in a much larger box.  Make sure you insist on an adequate shipping box, even if it means that you pay a bit more for shipping.    

I guess that the bottom line is that I currently don't really even consider buying another off the rack suit.  I have been spoiled by the fit and the complete control I have over a bespoke suit.  They simply look better on my frame than even the most expensive ready to wear suits.  For me, it's either Chan or Raphael from here on out.  Raphael is a bit nicer, but Chan comes pretty close for about 1/3 the price.  Certainly if I was going to Hong Kong again, or if I happened to live in one of the cities on Chan's tour, I would consider several more Chan suits.  I may well purchase another one via e-mail next year anyway.    

Regarding the shoulder padding:  The shoulders on my suit aren't super heavy on the padding.  I've got pretty good shoulders, so a bunch of padding wasn't really required to give the suit a good silhouette.  I'm sure that they could pretty much create any level of padding you want, provided that you communicate this very clearly in the initial fitting.  (Again, another benefit of multiple fittings is that you can make adjusments to such things after you actually see the suit on your own body.)  The padding in the shoulders was something that (in my suits) they got right the first time without the need for adjustment.

Regarding vents:
Yes, my suits are all double vented.  I prefer either double vents or no vents.  I find double vents to be more comfortable, and provided they are done right, look just as good.

 

[johnnynorman3]

Are shipping charges added on top of the charge for the suit? For example, someone said they purchased a Chan on the U.S. Tour for $730. Was that before shipping charges, or did that include them? If the former, how much is the shipping?

 

[dah328]

Are shipping charges added on top of the charge for the suit?  For example, someone said they purchased a Chan on the U.S. Tour for $730.  Was that before shipping charges, or did that include them?  If the former, how much is the shipping?

That includes all shipping and duties.  As Kai mentions, I've had my orders delivered in some remarkably small boxes, but I fully expected the items to need a good pressing before they were worn, anyway.  As such, I'm fine with it as I'm sure they go to considerable trouble to reliably ship stuff from Hong Kong.  As Kai also mentions, their customer service is very good, and I'm sure they'd accomodate special shipping requests, perhaps with an additional charge.

Regards,

dan

 

[retronotmetro]

A couple of follow up comments: On comparison with other HK clothing makers: Â I haven't purchased anything from A-Man Hing Cheong, but WW Chan's shirts are not as good as Ascot Chang's--but then again I spend twice as much on my Ascot Chang shirts as I did on the two shirts I got from WW Chan. Â I looked in my closet this morning and I'd say the WW Chan shirt is pretty similar to the RTW Armani Collezioni shirt hanging next to it, except the Chan shirt is custom and costs less than the MSRP of an Armani shirt. Â As I stated above in this thread, I can't really make any effective comparison to RTW suits. Â I can say that my Ralph Lauren Purple Label suit, altered by a very good tailor, hasn't been outside the house since I started getting suits from WW Chan, because I like the Chan suits that much better in fit, finish, and styling. Â Though I get to take credit for the styling

On shipping: Â I agree with Kai that the shipping process from Chan is kind of problematic. Â I had two suits arrive last week that I was able to steam most of the wrinkles out of, but they still need work. Â I prefer never to take a suit to the cleaners (even for just pressing) when I don't have to, but these may have to be sent out. Â It's inconvenient, but I've shipped a lot of stuff internationally in my time, and had a lot worse things happen than a wrinkled suit. Â Whoever their freight forwarder/customs broker is, they do a nice job of getting the merchandise from A to B without damage or loss. On the US tour fittings: Â I got my first WW Chan suit during a US tour and have never been to the shop in HK. Â A friend of mine (at my urging) got his first suit from their shop in HK, with multiple fittings. Â The two of us have both done later orders during US tour appointments, and I actually think that my early Chan suits might actually fit me better than his first HK-made suit fits him (they made minor alterations to his waist and rise measurements during the US trip). Â I think their US fitters do a fantastic job of getting measurements correct from a single session. On vents: Â Typically I do not like RTW suits with side vents because the amount of alteration necessary to make the coat fit and drape correctly is a hassle--expensive, and I've only had one tailor get it right. Â The WW Chan suits are custom made--they always get the vents right, probably because the cutter knows the size of the wearer in advance.

 

[regularjoe]

Can anyone describe the detailings of a Chan shirt?

Do they use pearl buttons? Butterfly gusset? Split yoke?

On a lark, I went to the website and it appears one can order shirts on-line from them. Their prices seem comparable to mytailor.com so it might be worth a try.

 

[masterfred]

Kai - are you pleased with the vest on your Chan suit? In that one pic of your grey flannel suit, one can just see the top of the vest. I'd like to see how that came out - and see the detailing on that Raphael suit. I love vests, esp. the lapeled variety. My vested suits are my favorites, but I tend to have problems with them riding up during the day, even though I wear high-waisted trousers with braces. Of course, none of those suits are custom jobs.......

 

[dah328]

A couple of follow up comments:

On comparison with other HK clothing makers:  I haven't purchased anything from A-Man Hing Cheong, but WW Chan's shirts are not as good as Ascot Chang's--but then again I spend twice as much on my Ascot Chang shirts as I did on the two shirts I got from WW Chan.  I looked in my closet this morning and I'd say the WW Chan shirt is pretty similar to the RTW Armani Collezioni shirt hanging next to it, except the Chan shirt is custom and costs less than the MSRP of an Armani shirt.

Wow, I'm really surprised you would put Chan in the same category as Armani Collezioni.  I own both suits and shirts from Chan, but only a sport coat from Armani Collezioni.  That said, the Chan is far superior in material, fit, and workmanship.  Unless the Armani Collezioni shirts are comparatively much better than the sport coats, I can't see how they can be compared to Chan's shirts.  Of course, I was able to arrange for multiple fittings while I was in Hong Kong, but even in an MTM situation, I can't see how the two would be comparable.

My $0.02,

dan

 

[retronotmetro]

Dan, the WW Chan suits are much better than their shirts IMHO. Â I've been wearing Ascot Chang shirts for many years and the WW Chan shirts just aren't as nice in terms of available fabrics or workmanship. Â The fit of the Chan shirts is just as good as the fit of my Ascot Chang shirts--both are well measured custom products. Â However, my Ascot Chang shirts made of Thomas Mason Silverline shirting fabrics are better feeling and better looking, and stand up a lot better to a long days' wearing than the WW Chan shirts. Â When last I ordered, WW Chan did not carry the Silverline shirtings, only the regular Thomas Mason line. Â Ascot Chang uses two (at least) different styles of interlinings in the cuffs and collars--one very rigid and the other softer. Â Both of those interlinings feel more substantial and look better than the interlinings of the WW Chan, which feel very similar to the Collezioni. Â The one place that both the Chan and ChanG shirts surpass the Collezioni is in the seams--both HK shirt varieties are made with single needle side seams that are much nicer looking than the Collezioni. Â However, to me it is the cuffs and collars that make or break a shirt. This is not to take anything away from the WW Chan shirts--they are a very well made shirt, and a stunning bargain. I just think the Ascot Chang shirts are better. And they should be, since they cost 2x as much. BTW, even without multiple fittings I don't see why the WW Chan clothes would be referred to as MTM rather than bespoke--they have my paper pattern on file in HK, they can adjust it between US visits, and to my knowledge it isn't based on a stock pattern. Â My friend who bought a multi-fitting suit in HK gets the same treatment I do when we go to them during US visits. Â It's bespoke, but you have to buy new clothes to get the pattern changed.

 

[Alias]

Does Chan do any promotions during any particular sale season? I've been told to visit Hong Kong during certain times of year to get better deals on shopping.

 

[Kai]

Kai - are you pleased with the vest on your Chan suit?  In that one pic of your grey flannel suit, one can just see the top of the vest.  I'd like to see how that came out - and see the detailing on that Raphael suit.  I love vests, esp. the lapeled variety.  My vested suits are my favorites, but I tend to have problems with them riding up during the day, even though I wear high-waisted trousers with braces.  Of course, none of those suits are custom jobs.......

I am pleased with the vest, although it did need some slight alterations. I did not get measured/fitted for a vest in Hong Kong, so they made the vest based on measurements, as opposed to a pattern. I specified the vest without any sort of adjustment, so it does not have the traditional vest belt thingie in the back. I figured that it is custom made, so why should it need adjusting? (And it's a good incentive to make sure I don't get fatter.) It looks good and (after some tweaking) fits very well. It's more plain than my Raphael vest, which has lapels and two additional pockets. The Chan vest is very fitted, the Raphael vest has a bit more room to grow, so to speak. I haven't had any problems with them riding up during the day. Both my vested Chan suit and my vested Raphael suit have high waists and split backs for braces.

 

[My View]

Gregory> While I have visited and talked to quite a number of tailors/shirtmakers in HK, I have not personally tried many of them. I have only tried:
- WW Chan
- Jantzen
- A-man Hin Cheong

If I may conclude, personally the WW Chan shirts are marvelous in every aspect and while they are not exactly cheap by Asian standards, they are reasonably priced. WW Chan's service is second to none - the best I have encountered at any tailoring establishment

Jantzen shirts are also very well made and with each costing only about 40% of a shirt from WW Chan (of the same fabric quality), they are extremely good value for the money.

My only shirt from A-Man Hin Cheong is not bad at all. It comes with very fine stitching as well but while the pattern at the gauntlet matched perfectly, the pattern at the shoulder seam didn't. I was slightly unhappy and had them redo it. It is now almost perfect. Shirts at A-Man Hin Cheong costs about 15% more than those from WW Chan and 3 times as much as my Jantzen shirts.

Because I go to HK quite often, I have not felt the need to do anything online.

Regularjoe> Yes, my shirts from WW Chan come with the following features:
1) Split-yoke
2) Perfectly matching pattern at all seams
3) Extremely fine stitching at all seams; single-needle doubled stitiched down
4) High quality medium thickness MOP buttons
5) Fused collar and cuffs (they don't do them unfused)
6) Comfortably long shirt tail
7) No gusset (which I consider to be of little use)

The shirts fit me very well (they actually do a fitting for your first shirt). They have a good selection of fabrics from Acorn and Thomas Mason (David & Anderson) but I agree that the choice of fabrics - more appropriate for business wear - is more decent than exciting.

 

[fenderapache]

Kai, how would characterize the fit of your Chan suits versus Raphael? You mentioned that the vest is a best more fitted on the Chan than on the Raphael. Does the suit made by Chan also feel a bit closer to the body with 'less room to grow'? I'm considering getting Chan to make me a suit but want to make certain I know what requests to make while ordering. I'm a big guy (6'3, 230) who boxes, trains in jiu jitsu and I run/lift weights almost every day. As such, I've got big thighs, big shoulders and a wide chest (of course I could stand to lose a few pounds and be less wide). I like to have a bit of room while moving around but I still like some suppression of the waist and some shape to the suit. I want to make certain I am explicit in my instructions to Chan so that we start off on the right foot.