The Hong Kong Tailors Thread

[add911_11]

@seferphier

Have you tried SuitAccess before? I believe their client base is relatively large and I am always interested to see client's commission.

I am sorry to know your experience with Lai and Grand tailor. Please tell us more so I can revert back the relevant authority.

 

[BigbigJohnny]

I've tried 4-5 tailors in HK and use Chan in most cases. Think none of them use machine button holes?! Maybe I am wrong, I believe making dummy suit is a marketing trick more. At least no established tailors (wherever they are ) do the same way? I never ask my tailors where do they make suits and only care the quality of finished product. Hk is really better and China is worse ? I wonder

Would you share which tailor you use? So far, I haven't seen very well done buttonholes among HK tailors. The hand stitched buttonholes by HK tailors tend to be very flat. I made some suits with Lai. I really like the fact that Lai will do the measuring and the cutting. However, his finishing isn't really outstanding. I recall others saying that Grand Tailor's finishing is better than Lai. I disagree. I seen quite a few grand tailor suits and the interior is machine stitched. In addition, I don't like how thick the shoulder pads are with Grand Tailor. I know others who like thick shoulder pads - it is a personal choice. I don't consider Suit Access to be MTM. They make a dummy suit first with your measurement and you can correct the cutting and make all the necessary changes. After you are satisfied, they cut the fabric according to your own adjustment. That's different from MTM, where MTM uses a pre-made suit first and then make adjustments accordingly. I'm not too sure how many fittings you would get. Honestly, I would be very careful and detail when making the adjustment to the dummy suit. Regarding their handwork, you can specify buttonholes to be done by hand, which, in my opinion, is fantastic. They are also willing to do a lot of custom specification. I was recently shown this pair of pants that they have done: It is not my cup of tea but shows how willing they are to accommodate custom requests. In the past, I had to beg some tailors to entertain my custom request. Most tailors will tell you how the pants/buttonholes are standard and no other customers ever specified it before. I'm sick of begging them. Having said that, I have minor issues regarding their suits. However, unlike existing established tailors, I believe they are hungry to accommodate and work the issues. I think most people need to understand how HK tailors work. Almost all tailoring houses in HK do not manufacture their suits themselves. When speaking to a tailor, you need to ask them what processes are conducted in HK and China. For Lai, he cuts the suit himself and the finishing (pad stitching, buttonholes, etc) are done in China. I know that he outsources the production of pants out as well. I hear that Browns and Dreams Bespoke outsources their production to China - I do not know which aspect it outsourced though. WW Chan employs in house tailors that produces their suits. I hear that William Yu outsources their suits to a workshop in HK and is done completely by hand. Most HK tailors have more than one workshop they outsource to, so this is not a definitive guide. Every tailor mentioned in this thread have their own pros and cons. Don't take our word for it. Go out and see their products with your own eyes.

 

[Gatsbyu]

I don't see any well trained tailor makes dummy suit for fitting, it is not necessary and not helpful. When dummy suit is made, no basting thread is used and the fitter can't remove it for pinning (think about the shoulder seam and armhole seam).

However, some may baste muslin to do fitting before cutting the real fabrics, esp for 1st time client.

I believe they got a good base pattern (surprisingly, they use CAD for pattern making). But I don't know how well they do for fitting, they just make me feel like amateur ..... So, whenever the client with disproportionate figure, that may make a big trouble ...

Speaking of the buttonhole, they use a grimp thread (probably gutermann agreman #1) to support the buttonhole stitching and so you will see it is not flat. You can just buy it and ask your tailor to use it when stitching the buttonbole.

 

[Gatsbyu]



I've tried 4-5 tailors in HK and use Chan in most cases. Think none of them use machine button holes?!

Maybe I am wrong, I believe making dummy suit is a marketing trick more. At least no established tailors (wherever they are ) do the same way?

I never ask my tailors where do they make suits and only care the quality of finished product. Hk is really better and China is worse ? I wonder

Top tailors in China are close to SR actually. Esp Ningbo, the city got exchange program with Paris, London and Napoli, ppl there are trained in modern and structured tailoring.

 

[seferphier]

@seferphier

Have you tried SuitAccess before? I believe their client base is relatively large and I am always interested to see client's commission.

I am sorry to know your experience with Lai and Grand tailor. Please tell us more so I can revert back the relevant authority.

Nope. I'm willing to give it a try though.

I'm happy with my experience at Lai. Just want slightly better finishing and a more modern cut. I haven't tried Grand Tailor but seen several suits. Just not my style, I guess.

 

[seferphier]

I don't see any well trained tailor makes dummy suit for fitting, it is not necessary and not helpful. When dummy suit is made, no basting thread is used and the fitter can't remove it for pinning (think about the shoulder seam and armhole seam).

However, some may baste muslin to do fitting before cutting the real fabrics, esp for 1st time client.

I believe they got a good base pattern (surprisingly, they use CAD for pattern making). But I don't know how well they do for fitting, they just make me feel like amateur ..... So, whenever the client with disproportionate figure, that may make a big trouble ...

Speaking of the buttonhole, they use a grimp thread (probably gutermann agreman #1) to support the buttonhole stitching and so you will see it is not flat. You can just buy it and ask your tailor to use it when stitching the buttonbole.

Insightful. I think making a dummy suit helps since they use CAD for pattern making. If a tailor was doing the pattern, they don't need to make a dummy suit. It is a balance between computer generated and customizing. You are right that they would need to do make lots of amendments if someone was disproportionate. I believe they can iron it out on the dummy suit though.

Top tailors in China are close to SR actually. Esp Ningbo, the city got exchange program with Paris, London and Napoli, ppl there are trained in modern and structured tailoring.

Interesting. Have you tried any tailors in China? I'm sure many of their work is great given that many HK tailors outsource to China. Which tailor do you use in HK?

 

[sadkfjaskfaj]

I'll be in HK in a few weeks and I need to get a new suit. I'll be staying for a few months so time is not an issue.
However, if anyone knows of a tailor in Central that can get met a suit in ~7 days, that's be great.

Budget is probably up to ~$5000HKD for a two-piece wool (not particularly fussed about the fabric itself), although I don't necessarily need a full-canvassed suit (half-canvassed is fine).

Preliminary research tells me that these tailors are good:
Lee Baron (but apparently they've jacked up their prices recently?)
Simpson Sin
Andrew Cheng
Baron Kay
Cheung Hing for cheapness

Can anyone toss any more suggestions?
I'm fluent in Cantonese so I don't need someone that speaks English. Thanks!

 

[sadkfjaskfaj]

I'll be in HK in a few weeks and I need to get a new suit. I'll be staying for a few months so time is not an issue.
However, if anyone knows of a tailor in Central that can get met a suit in ~7 days, that's be great.

Budget is probably up to ~$5000HKD for a two-piece wool (not particularly fussed about the fabric itself), although I don't necessarily need a full-canvassed suit (half-canvassed is fine).

Preliminary research tells me that these tailors are good:
Lee Baron (but apparently they've jacked up their prices recently?)
Simpson Sin
Andrew Cheng
Baron Kay
Cheung Hing for cheapness

Can anyone toss any more suggestions?
I'm fluent in Cantonese so I don't need someone that speaks English. Thanks!

 

[add911_11]



Top tailors in China are close to SR actually. Esp Ningbo, the city got exchange program with Paris, London and Napoli, ppl there are trained in modern and structured tailoring.

I will be very interested in those Ningbo tailors. I wonder how they would define 'top SR standard' given I have so many failures.

 

[Hifilover]



Nope. I'm willing to give it a try though.

 I'm happy with my experience at Lai. Just want slightly better finishing and a more modern cut. I haven't tried Grand Tailor but seen several suits. Just not my style, I guess.

Please try and report.

 

[add911_11]



Please try and report.

Can you stop asking people to try all tailors in Hong Kong so you can get a holistic view? You realise this is an act with zero courtesy?

 

[Hifilover]



Can you stop asking people to try all tailors in Hong Kong so you can get a holistic view? You realise this is an act with zero courtesy?

I will stop.
i am looking for a tailor now.

 

[Gatsbyu]



Insightful. I think making a dummy suit helps since they use CAD for pattern making. If a tailor was doing the pattern, they don't need to make a dummy suit. It is a balance between computer generated and customizing. You are right that they would need to do make lots of amendments if someone was disproportionate. I believe they can iron it out on the dummy suit though.

Interesting. Have you tried any tailors in China? I'm sure many of their work is great given that many HK tailors outsource to China. Which tailor do you use in HK?

You can't iron to shape the fabric whenever it is sewn deadly. Iron work means moving particular area of fabric from 1 place to the other. Wherever it is sewn, you can play with the fabric very much.

I tried tailoring in different perspectives. I saw how master tailors/cutters make and cut, talk and discuss.

You may search Mr. Joffre, James Chang. They are in Shanghai and SZ.

 

[Fishball]



I am sure at least they hamd finish the pick stitchings and lapel hole.

Add,

Based on their web photos and what they said on the website, I don't so sure!

AMF stitching along the chest dart testifies to uncompromised attention to details.

The seams atop the shoulder are decorated with AMF stitching.

If they do it on chest dart and shouler seam, I don't see why they are not used in other parts of the jacket!

 

[Gatsbyu]



Add,

Based on their web photos and what they said on the website, I don't so sure!

If they do it on chest dart and shouler seam, I don't see why they are not used in other parts of the jacket!

AMF stitching ..... they just told you by the name, haha. It is done by machine ....