The Tailor–made Suit
SPEAKING
OF BESPOKE
by Lawrence Ferber
Barring perhaps the business card, the suit is the most
essential item a businessman keeps on his person. The
oft-used Mark Twain quote still stands (clothing, indeed,
does make the man), and ditto for John Wayne’s quip
about no second chance to make a first impression. Enter
the bespoke suit, tailor-made from top to bottom, customized
to fit one’s body as well as personal style and tastes.
It’s the ideal: clothing that not only makes the
man, but is made for that man alone. This customizing
often means a heftier price tag, but many people are clearly
happy to pay for the privilege. Yet, there are some overseas
destinations that offer incredibly competitive prices,
such as Hong Kong and Shanghai, so that a visit—a
bespoke vacation, if you will—pays for itself. Recently,
North American companies have appeared on the scene that
offer “made-to-measure” clothing, a sort of
bespoke/rack hybrid, at extremely reasonable prices, and
sometimes the entire process happens through the Internet.
Arguably, Europe wears the “suit
capital of the world” mantle very well. Italian
fabric is the number one premium choice when it comes
to suit making, and London’s Savile Row is perhaps
the globe’s best known, and highest regarded, destination
for fine bespoke clothing. Its iconic shops and names
include Richard James (www.richardjames.co.uk),
Henry Poole & Co. (www.henrypoole.com),
H. Huntsman (www.h-huntsman.com),
Chittleborough & Morgan At Nutters (one
of Elton John’s favorites), Gieves & Hawkes,
where the late Alexander McQueen once trained (www.gievesandhawkes.com),
and Davies & Son (www.daviesandsonsavilerow.com).
The English Cut rules here (trim, elegant,
and flattering) yet some Savile Row firms, such as newer-kids-on-the-blocks
Ozwald Boateng (www.ozwaldboateng.co.uk)
and Richard James (www.richardjames.co.uk)
specialize in unorthodox, colorful, one-of-a-kind fashionista
creations.
A Savile Row suit can run anywhere from
four- to five-figures pricewise. Materials and lengths
of the style, embellishments, and the tailor employed
all play a part in determining the cost, but you will
absolutely get what you pay for if sticking with these
exalted firms, not to mention bragging rights. The Italian
Cut, distinguished from the English Cut by a trimmer
waist and more padded shoulders, is also a popular style,
and Milan and Rome rank just behind London (Ozwald Boateng
boasts a shop in the former). Which next brings us to
Asia.
Asia is the go-to destination for not
only expert tailoring, but also a bargain. In fact,
you can afford an entire vacation in Hong Kong or Shanghai
(flights, high-end hotel, meals) and have several suits
and shirts made for the same price as a single Savile
Row purchase. Also, if you’re looking to have an
item of clothing copied, from your favorite, well-worn
jacket or dress to a stunning Versace ensemble you spotted
in an ad, this is the place to be.
Hong Kong is teeming with tailor shops,
and has been for some time. Advertisements in visitor-geared
maps and publications will boast cheap deals to the
tune of “2 Suits and 3 Shirts for $100!” and
in the tourist-heavy Tsim Sha Tsui neighborhood, Indian
touts bombard Caucasians with pitches for equally
cheap “Suits? Suits?” Ignore all of the above.
As a rule, the most reliable method of finding a tailor
worth their salt is word of mouth, local online forums/blogs
(and their comment sections), guidebooks that rely upon
firsthand experience, such as Time Out, and of course
articles such as this.
A few that come recommended by HK locals,
both Chinese and Western expats, include Kwun Kee
(www.kwunkeetailor.com),
a chain that boasts locations in a handful of neighborhoods;
Cezari Custom Clothes (G-70 Peninsula Centre, Ground
Floor, 67 Mody Road, TST, Kowloon. Tel: 852-2722-7767);
tailor Mr. Edward Tam at E. Italian Shop (No. 117 1/F,
Regal Kowloon Hotel, 71 Mody Road, TST, Kowloon. Tel:
852-2367-2782); Princeton (www.princeton.com.hk);
and, perhaps the most prolific of all, Sam’s
Tailor (www.samstailor.com),
which can pull off a 24-hour turnaround.
Tucked away in a completely unassuming
shopping arcade just off busy Nathan Road, Sam’s
is a tiny shop, and by no means flashy, in stark contrast
to the A-list clientele Sam’s has served over 52
years in business. The walls are lined with photos of
celebrities, political figures, and even iconic designers
like Karl Lagerfeld, posed with Manu Melwani, aka Sam
(he’s a second-generation tailor, his dad was the
original “Sam”).
“Karl was exacting,” Melwani
told me. “And Elton John was a good man, very happy,
and he came in with his own design for leather trousers.”
Obama hasn’t been by yet, but Sarah Palin has,
during her 2009 Hong Kong speaking engagement, which
caused me to wince. Sam’s most unusual orders to
date? Three-legged trousers and a shirt with three sleeves.
I’ve been to Sam’s four times
since 2004, and had six suits and over a dozen shirts
made. Melwani is soft-spoken and cracks a subtle smile.
He’s headstrong and assured when offering guidance
to the indecisive. In fact, I was completely unsure
of what I wanted on my first visit. I only knew I planned
to spend under $250. I told him my budget and he grabbed
a couple of binders containing fabric swatches. I opted
for pinstripes, and again Melwani narrowed down the
selections, offering firm reasons when I challenged
his decisions. Why did he nix the brown one with narrow
cream stripes? “You would regret it, and never
want to wear it again.”
 After
a grey, narrow pinstripe fabric was selected, measurements
were recorded in a book while options were discussed
as far as details. Melwani guided me toward the reigning
British businessman’s choice at the time: a three-button,
single-breasted, English Cut suit. Double vents for
the back of the jacket, single pleats and cuffs for
the trousers. He chose the inner lining, and stitched
my name inside. For the shirt, I asked to see something
textured. A pale, woven cotton with only a faint breath
of blue fit the bill. From a literal menu I selected
the collar style.
A day later, I returned for my second
fitting, of the jacket and trousers. A framework, with
only partial construction and temporary straps and binding.
It was hard to tell how the final piece would look,
and I wondered if I had made the right fabric choice.
One of Sam’s senior tailors got to work, loosening
here and tapering there. I left uncertain. Several days
later I returned for a final fitting. The suit was incredibly
flattering, the pinstripes tasteful, the fit absolutely
splendid, and the fabric choice was spot-on. I spent
a few minutes scrutinizing the suit, asking questions,
each of which was addressed yet did not require further
alterations or work.
The shirt was a perfect fit as well,
a rarity due to my off-the-rack-unfriendly build. Melwani
threw in a tie with red, white, and blue stripes, which
was the sole decision I was thoroughly conflicted with
(it smacked of ostentatious nationalism at a time when
Bush was president and not exactly liked).
Continued
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