The moral of the story is :-Having a good looking babe on your arms will help mitigate any sartorial faux pas!!

Depends on the tone of grey-Something in shinny deep grey may be interesting otherwise I would opt for a lining in a different color.

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Added on September 1, 2010, 12:00 amI'll work on an unlined suit much later -my current priority is to source for some hymo lining & other items to make a fully canvassed non-fused SB 3 piece suit ( fully lined ) Looks like you've given AL a major paradigm shift. He has since changed his tune about "shapeless non fused suit" ( Yung Sau Zhou )

I was thinking of a casual hacking jacket in Moleskins after we get the first suit right which should see me through my holidays year end.

The unlined jacket may follow thereafter

This post has been edited by beau: Sep 1 2010, 12:00 AM

1. Are you planning to have this tailored for you? and
2. Is there shinny fabric on his lapel?

What are you planning to use this for ( assuming you are getting one in the first instance )

Could be interesting in DB

The prices are ridiculously cheap too.

Thanks -These visitors are from the US & have commission work with WW Chan etc. I have enquired at AL who have indicated that he needs 1 month for a fully canvassed job. Not sure if his button holes are up to scratch yet but I'll defer judgement until I see Kotmj's latest effort. I still have one or two more tweaks to be made to the shirt I am having him make before I start on the pants.

The visitors will be in Singapore for 5 to 7 days . Would you think your tailor could fit in 4 fittings in that time frame?

I will give Iris a go when time permits. I usually make day trips to Singapore every 7 to 10 days & having numerous fittings would not be an issue if the timing works out.

Thanks for the offer for me to meet with members of the local SF community -Perhaps you should extend that invitation to my friend as he lives there & probably is better placed to meet up when he is not traveling.


BTW I recently accompanied my friend to Sze Sze Tailor at Hong Lim Centre who spoke proudly of his suit factory . Your suspicions about him is not far from the truth.

Another friend took me to a specialist trouser maker near Lavander MRT. This person made a reasonable copy of a Ambrosi pants for SIN$45 excluding fabric. Comes with the 8 button fly as well. May give that a try when I am next in Singapore.

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Added on September 2, 2010, 4:48 pmIt will probably come your way again but you need to be quick with the mouse.

By way of comparison, a friend recently made a suit in Escorial for around USD$8,000 at his tailor in New York. His usual Zegna fabric suits from the same tailor goes for around USD$2000 to $3,000 . It's unusual to find Escorial in stripes or patterns too. Given the high prices it now commands , it's the plain cloths in solid colors that are usually the norm.

This post has been edited by beau: Sep 2 2010, 04:48 PM

Thanks for the info.

I was trying to dispel the myth that Singapore is not bereft of good tailoring but it's probably best not to rush things .
Your mutual tailor has his contact details & he probably needs to visit soon for his initial baste fitting or muslin fittings.It's difficult for me unless I'm staying overnight as I need to catch a flight back to KL after my meetings.

It's interesting to see tailors still practicing this as many move straight to the baste stage.Indeed, the better tailors on the Row would only do a muslin fitting if the fabric is extremely expensive .

It appears that the choice of fabrics is extremely limited in Singapore as compared to KL which surprises me. I went to a shop in Arab street which stocks mainly designer fabrics . I am somewhat doubtful of the quality of these designer fabrics given the fact that Valentino & Gianfranco Ferre doesn't own mills & probably charge a substantial mark up for the use of their brand. There doesn't seem to be much choice apart from Hwa Seng in Singapore.

I agree that Ambrosi's handwork is great but I personally prefer the stress points of a suit or trousers to be machined first for strength with pick stitching over the joints.

The old man at Lavender did some handwork on the pocket seams & fly for another friend but the button holes were machined made-he didn't seem confident to be able to replicate the raised buttonholes in the same manner as Ambrosi.

There is a bit more than just copying an Ambrosi pants as there is a lot of internal parts such as curtained waist & extra fastenings which go into making the trousers comfortable as well as looking smart.

Another friend recommended Kevin Seah at Red Dot Building for shirts & a relative swears by Justmens in Tanglin shopping centre.

I am not able to comment on Kevin Seah as I have not seen any of his product but the jacket my relative made at Justman's seem to be well constructed, fully canvassed & has reasonably nice button holes & finish. However the price he quoted at several thousand SIN seems to be very high for a run of the mill basic wool fabric.

Any thoughts you have on this would be appreciated.

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Added on September 2, 2010, 9:56 pmIt really depends on how long you wish to wear this for. If you lose the grey piping & keep it classical & simple , you will probably get more wear out of it in both instances, formal & casual.

If you've looked at old wedding photos where the groom wears platform shoes & a 3 piece white suit versus those who are classically attired, you will note that the ones which are classically dress attract less mirth & looks of derision .

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Added on September 2, 2010, 10:02 pm[quote=kotmj,Sep 2 2010, 07:25 PM]
Talking about old Malaysian tailoring, here are some pics I've posted before of jackets made for my uncle who's about 60+ years old now. They were made by his wife's brother who left his small hometown for Singapore to learn the trade before returning to his small town to settle down. They were made in the 1980s. I call him GDT for Great Deceased Tailor for he died a few years back.

He had a few apprentices, and one of them has his own shop in that very town still. He is the most famous tailor in that town. I tried contacting him the last time I was there but he was closed.

The two suits now belong to me. One is a grey POW with sky blue overcheck and the other a brown Scabal 120s.

Yes I saw that in your earlier postings. Goes to prove the adage that they don't make things like they used to. My dad has an old fully canvassed 30 year old suit made in an English fabric which he is still wearing & has aged well. It was difficult to believe that we had the ability to create such works of art then .

This post has been edited by beau: Sep 2 2010, 10:02 PM

That used to be the case with many Row suits handed down from generation to generation ( thus giving the English gentry an old money look ) However , unless one specifically requests for extra allowances, today's tailors will not provide for this.

Further , the old vintage fabrics were sturdier & took time to soften out unlike today's consumer who wants an instantly soft suit which the Italians have cleverly pandered to.

Something has to give and in this case longevity is swept aside for progress!!

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Added on September 2, 2010, 10:20 pmMy friend was pleasantly surprised too. Very few tailors do this even on the Row and only upon special requests or where the fabric bespoken for is extremely expensive ( eg Vicuna )

I made a pair of Ambrosis sometime time back. They were not very expensive ( around USD$500 to $600 ) given the quality of the handwork. They are cut sleeker than most the the trousers on the Row but is not necessarily more comfortable. There are plus & minuses to having this much handwork. It needs to be sent to a good dry cleaner. Fortunately Jeeves has two outlets in KL that provides dry cleaning at a premium.

I thought that my relative should have used WW Chan given the costs Justmen charged him . The finish was good but not to the same standards as WW.

This post has been edited by beau: Sep 2 2010, 10:20 PM

Can't remember. Will have to revert to you after the weekend when I collect my cleaning from there. The good thing is the clothes come back with no strong chemical smell but at a substantial premium as compared to the generic ones .

This is the first time I've heard of this.

I use a garment steamer & send my suits in when they are soiled after a trip or from heavy use.

No need to as most of us are not in the trade.

Thomas Mahon is an alumus of A & S.

A & S is not only famous for the drape look but made jackets with impossibly high arm holes which enable Fred Astaire to dance & move easily in formal attire.

Having said this , I don't like the way A & S does its back with rear gathered sleeves as compared to a clean back & the Italians who masterfully hide the excess materials in the lower part of the arm syce.

To Thomas Mahon's credit, the back of his jackets are cleaner than the A & S variety ( at least on the ones I have seen ) & easy to work with , down to earth & generally open to new ideas .

The only negative is the time it takes to get something made as he is constantly traveling . I have not used him & the feedback is based on information from colleagues & friends who have . I would be tempted to if I decide to return to something English.

I have no trouble ordering & conversing in Cantonese but do not possess the same fluency or knowledge when it comes to tailoring terms . Pictures & samples make it easier to drive home the point to AL.

He has a tendency of first refusing your request -( Mm zhou tak !! ) before he accedes to the customer's request. The negotiation kicks in , a few points conceded , consensus reached etc. By way of an example , he told me that you cannot have a split yoke with matched patterns on the shoulders & sleeves when I showed him a picture until I took out an actual sample from a HK shirtmaker. By the time I graduate to commissioning a full suit , I might as well negotiate peace between the Palestinians & Isreal!!

We should thank you for softening him. When I first came in , he was extolling the evils of a fully canvassed soft suit ( Mm how, how fai chow !! Mm leng etc.. ). The DB he made might as well be his new born son the way he beams at it!!

The FC sifu hasn't upgraded to a Kenny Hills Bungalow on your account?

BTW , he used the wrong button on the sleeve placket ( 16 L instead of 14 L ) Having said that, the shirt is 75 to 80% there & I feel confident that we should come close to a good mix between an Italian shirt with the shank thicker buttons & an English Jermyn Street Shirt.

We'll torture him with an Ambrosi like pants next & remind him that most of us do not plan to use it as riding breeches & wish to retain our high sperm count when wearing our pants!!

How do you say "Curtain waist band " in Cantonese?

You may wish to obtain a quote directly from Jeeves for your "clean & press" . The quote I received was from RM$22 onwards, depending on the condition of your garment.

Perhaps the downpayment on a Kenny Hills bungalow with the rest of us helping him finance the installments .

BTW you may wish to re consider sending the jacket . It may be subject to VAT & enrich Herr Taxmeister.

There is a specialist trouser maker in Singapore which did a reasonable copy of an Ambrosi ( sans the handwork ) at very reasonable prices for a friend of mine. ( SIN$40 for labor, $80 to $100 SIN for house cloth , VBC I think ). I'm due to collect something from him mid month & will report back if the results are satisfactory.

I'm toying with the idea of having him pick stitch the pockets & seams after he has machine sewed them for added strength.

AL claims to pre-soak the fabric . From the looks of the two shirts I've made , it would appear that the shirt was laundered . The collars & cuffs were not fused & AL made provisions for collar bones should I need to use the shirt for work.

The collars are fine & seems to be a close duplicate of the ones from Hilditch & Key with much softer lining.The issue is the availability of good lining locally. HST sells reasonably good ones at their usual premium prices .

Having recently dissected an old Italian made shirt, I realize the reason behind the structure behind the collars is not only in the superb cut & tailoring but the soft hemp lining they use.

I was informed that these items are available in Sham Shui Po ,Hong Kong along Tai Po/Cheung Sha Wan Road.
It may be good to have a look there when time permits.

Gshen,

Here's my two cents worth :-

1. Fabric 1 to be made into a suit
2. Fabric 2 to be made into a jacket, preferable a hacking or Norfolk style jacket.

Any details available on the manufacture? Let us know what you decide on & post pictures of the items in question.

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Added on September 4, 2010, 12:10 pmSure. The other source will be from a friend's factory in Shenzen. Their family does contract manufacturing for some of the high end house & much of the linings etc are often bought in from Italy in the initial stages until they are able to source it locally in China.

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Added on September 4, 2010, 12:13 pmGood point you made about the increase in the number of jackets in ALT.
1. They all seem to be in the same color & shade ( ie Navy )
2. Some commissions are more successful than other. There was even a SB 2 button jacket with a nice generous lapel roll made for a very large gentleman.

This post has been edited by beau: Sep 4 2010, 12:13 PM

Good buy-Fabric 1 looks similar to Carlo Barbera . The new stuff coming out from their India factory is unimpressive but I'm sure they will overcome this in due course.

There are several options available to you:-

1. Take the risk & have the item declared as a "sample" , "gift" or personal effects. In all likelihood , you may get away but on the off chance they open the package for inspection , you may either have to pay a hefty fine on top of the duties & VAT levied or risk having the item impounded.

2. Declare the full correct value & ask for a waiver by explaining that you purchase it for this trip etc.

The Fatherland follows a civil system so intent & purpose is irrelevant if you are in breach. By way of an example, we were caught for a traffic violation . Out came the Polizei with his hand held automatic summons book & fines were paid on the spot with a credit card & receipt issued. No discussions , no negotiations unlike Bolehland where "yau tak keng " & "kau thim" is the norm.


The collars AL makes for me is extremely soft so there's no complaints there. A little bit more structure would enable the collar to roll & sit better.

There seems to be finer stitching on the collars than the rest of the body. I'll probably need to work on the stitch density & threads on my next commission.

Unlike my previous commission where I gave him unfettered access to my buttons, I've limited the supply to precisely the amount he requires for the shirt & reminded him to use the 14L buttons on the sleeve gauntlet.

The plus point is the fabrics I have passed to him were purchased at a steep discount at an outlet so the pain threshold is still bearable.

Have a good trip to the Fatherland, warp up warm & have fun.

VAT refund only works if you purchase from certain shops in the EC & bring the stuff out of the country.

Just make sure you keep receipts as evidence of proof of purchase , your return flight & inform them of your intent to bring the item out of the EC when you leave.

I'm not a big fan of designer products as I don't believe in paying high markups & marketing costs. However I am always open to new looks & designs . Please share pictures of the suit in question & we'll be happy to provide feedback

Sounds like an interesting choice. We look forward to viewing the pictures in due course.

Gshen,

Fleabay , as you so aptly describe it, is a great source of ladies vintage silk scafts which I've seen used as suit lining to good effect. Not sure how effective it is in terms of robustness.

Like you , I'm not a big fan of all these high super numbered cloths. If anything, my preference is to go no further than 110 or 120 max for longevity. I tend to look at cloth weight . My preference is nothing below 300 gms with 450 for winter jackets.
The lighter fabrics ( with certain exceptions ) generally tend to be more crease prone. The drapes on the slightly heavier fabrics seem better in my opinion.

It's very telling to look at some of the vintage items from the Row versus the more contemporary ones. Not only are they better constructed but the less refine fabrics gives these items greater longevity.