Hong Kong Tailors

[kaosharper1]

I'm going to be in HK for a few days in late October. Any tailor recommendations? I'd like to have a nice suit made. Not sure there's enough time though.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

W. W. Chan & Sons are the best in town. Pricey, though. HK isn't a cheap place for tailors any more, if you want any decent work. Walk down Nathan Road and you'll be harangued by endless Indian chaps offering you a HK$3500 (£300/US$500) suit, but the fabric will be sh*te, and the tailoring sh*te. If you have the budget for a £1000 suit, go to Chan.

For shirts, I'm off to check out Jantzen after the Sevens debauchery is over. I'll let you know what they're like. I've heard bad things about them for suits, but for shirts, they're apparently the bee's knees. i have a great 20s shirt to get copied, so I hope they can do a good job. At about HK$400, they're great value. Let's see if they can take instruction.

Good luck.

bk

 

[Flat Foot Floey]

http://www.gentlemansgazette.com/w-w-chan-the-finest-bespoke-tailor-from-hong-kong/

 

[kaosharper1]

Thanks. That certainly seems like the place to go. I hope there is enough time for them to do the fittings.

 

[Edward]

W. W. Chan & Sons are the best in town. Pricey, though. HK isn't a cheap place for tailors any more, if you want any decent work. Walk down Nathan Road and you'll be harangued by endless Indian chaps offering you a HK$3500 (£300/US$500) suit, but the fabric will be sh*te, and the tailoring sh*te. If you have the budget for a £1000 suit, go to Chan.

Ouch.... sounds like they're out of my budget now.... otoh, if they're approach Row quality, that's a relative steal....

Agreed on the others. As in Beijing, be especially suspicious of anyone who offers to make you a suit in twenty-four hours. Many tourists buy into the novelty of that, but the quality and cut is, needless to say, appalling and not worth however cheap it seems.

For shirts, I'm off to check out Jantzen after the Sevens debauchery is over. I'll let you know what they're like. I've heard bad things about them for suits, but for shirts, they're apparently the bee's knees. i have a great 20s shirt to get copied, so I hope they can do a good job. At about HK$400, they're great value. Let's see if they can take instruction.

What's the exchange rate these days? Ah, about eight pee to the dollar..... Jinkies, yes, less than forty quid. Good price if they get it right. Be interested to hear about that. If they could do me a job lot of shirts that are essentially my CT shirts but with a spearpoint collar at that price I'd be happy....

 

[kaosharper1]

For shirts, I'm off to check out Jantzen after the Sevens debauchery is over. I'll let you know what they're like. I've heard bad things about them for suits, but for shirts, they're apparently the bee's knees. i have a great 20s shirt to get copied, so I hope they can do a good job. At about HK$400, they're great value. Let's see if they can take instruction.

Good luck.

bk

Do let me know about the shirts. That is a great deal.

 

[SteveAS]

I got a few shirts from Jantzen before I finally gave up on them. Every shirt came with details different than what I requested and they were very difficult to deal with via email.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

That's the trouble of buying over the internet, rather than in person, and the reason internet tailoring can never be described as bespoke, or even made to measure, in my opinion. The reason, indeed, that I stopped buying tailored stuff on the internet.

You can't beat going in and talking to the person who's in charge of the operation.

bk

 

[GBR]

Apart from WW Chan, Gordon Yao at the Royal Graden Hotel on Mody Road is equally as good and kind words have been expressed about Y William Yu also on Mody Road. Having tried all three I would suggest Yao.

 

[Edward]

THere also used to be somewhere on the Nathan Road of which folks spoke highly. If memory serves, (former?) forum member Mr Ray had a beautiful, Thirties-style linen suit made somewhere there....

 

[Baron Kurtz]

I think Ray went to Sam's didn't he?

I pick up Jantzen's first attempt at a copy of a British 1920s shirt tomorrow. Very sharply pointed collar, British half-buttoning style, very wide in the body. made in Liverpool prob late 1920s.

The looks I got when I told them to "copy it exactly". They tried to talk me out of it for about 15 minutes before they gave up. Very important was telling them that of course I would pay more for the extra fabric used. Their standard shirt price is HK$380. The 1920s shirt with the extra work involved and extra fabric is HK$80 more expensive. Still a steal at the price (if it's any good).

I'm hopeful. I urged the chap to keep the pattern, if they're any good at it, and offer it on their website. Watch this space to see if they're any good at copying shirts (I of course take no responsibility for anyone else's future disasters with this company/pattern) … I picked a fabric very similar to several vintage shirts I already own, for that 1920s/30s look.

bk

 

[cookie]

I think Ray went to Sam's didn't he?

I pick up Jantzen's first attempt at a copy of a British 1920s shirt tomorrow. Very sharply pointed collar, British half-buttoning style, very wide in the body. made in Liverpool prob late 1920s.

The looks I got when I told them to "copy it exactly". They tried to talk me out of it for about 15 minutes before they gave up. Very important was telling them that of course I would pay more for the extra fabric used. Their standard shirt price is HK$380. The 1920s shirt with the extra work involved and extra fabric is HK$80 more expensive. Still a steal at the price (if it's any good).

I'm hopeful. I urged the chap to keep the pattern, if they're any good at it, and offer it on their website. Watch this space to see if they're any good at copying shirts (I of course take no responsibility for anyone else's future disasters with this company/pattern) … I picked a fabric very similar to several vintage shirts I already own, for that 1920s/30s look.

bk

Good show can't wait to seee pics Baron. Janzen have a good rep FWIW.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

Well, I'm hopeful at least. A 2 day turnaround does not fill me with confidence, but they'll do alterations if necessary. I explained to him - and he appeared to get it - the exact points about modern shirts that are not period correct (amount of collar stiffening and lining materials, bulk in the body, lack of tailoring to the body shape). I just hope he gets the collar right. pretty much everything else I can deal with being a bit out, but that collar has to be long, pointed, and soft.

Crossed fingers …

bk

 

[Edward]

Here's hoping. I'm very happy with the body of Charles Tyrwhitt's "classic fit", but I'd adore to have some alternative collar shapes to the standard Jermyn Street point. Alas, down there they seem only to offer any alternatives (pin collars or the like, let alone spearpoints) on shirts cut to be skin-tight on eighteen year old kids with eating disorders.

 

[herringbonekid]

bulk in the body, lack of tailoring to the body shape).

it's funny Baron, the main thing i dislike about the 30s - 40s shirts i have is the lack of body shape. when i started making my own shirts that was the first thing i altered, making the body more close fitting. but i understand that they are no longer period-correct of course.

hope yours turns out good.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

I'm not sure why I like the aesthetic of the shapeless body of the British 1930s shirt. Maybe it's the way it blouses out of the waistband of a pair of trousers?

I also like the CC41 shirts which retained the half-button front, but used less fabric and so have a more fitted shape.

 

[kaosharper1]

Looking forward to hearing about the shirts, Baron.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

Well, I must say that they are good. They took me at my word and replicated the shirt exactly (with the stipulation to make the collar a bit higher (the original is a bit low for my neck)), without the moth holes and old repairs. Good stuff. I must say that I have taken them an extreme example of a 1920s/30s collar to reproduce. This collar is in the Cab Calloway league.

The cream shirt is the original, the blue stripe is the repro.

These first 2 pictures show that the body shape was reproduced accurately (it would be quite sad if not - totally shapeless).

Nice reproduction fo the box pleat on either side of the midline at the shoulder yoke.

They've got the curve on the underside of the collar down just right.

bk

 

[Two Types]

I just checked the price on a currency converter: £38 per shirt. That is a very good price. Well done. I assume you will be ordering some more?

 

[Edward]

Great result. I'd certainly fancy a few myself at that price.

(Re Ray's suit, you might be right about Sam's..... Aren't they the same business as have an outlet in Beijing and Shanghai, or is that Dave's?).