QUOTE(Meaples @ Feb 16 2019, 05:05 PM)
Hi guys, long time reader here.
Just wanted to ask:
Old Red Eyes,
niakulah, judging by your previous posts, tailored shirts around KL would be Rm150 - RM350+ depending on fabric/tailor.
1. How much would the price change if you bring your own shirting fabric or heavily customise your shirt (collars/buttons/fit/etc)?
2. Are there any local/foreign sites you usually purchase your favorite shirting fabric from (or suit/pants) and are there any specific shirting fabrics you would recommend for daily use? I like thicker weaves that crease less over plain poplin types but linen is always welcome in our weather.
For reference, I tend to wear Hawes&Curtis shirts on a daily basis and getting them for about RM165 (sale/etc) is very competitive as I my fit is quite close to their dummy model size

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On an unrelated note, I've had alot of luck finding respectable suits in Genting Premier Oulet from Sacoor. Arguably, their house fabric/fused suits are quite run-off-the-mill but sometimes they have collaborations with other fabric houses. I've got 2 suits with them, half canvassed with 150s Loro Piana and Zegna traveller for about 1k each (with pants).
If you are in the EU, Foxtown and the Armani outlet near the border of Italy/Switzerland are my best shops, where I managed to get some really nice armani suits that were not at wallet smashing prices. Unfortunately as above, I kinda fit the dummy profile so I don't require too much altering

Honestly, I'm coming around to not ever doing custom shirts again, or at least not expecting much from it. Unless maybe I could do them on Saville Row. I got started with them in the first place for a handful of reasons. One, the sleeves are often too long for me when I buy off the rack. Two, I bought into the idea that 'custom' absolutely meant higher quality. Three, I liked the idea of having the control of picking and choosing all the options. Four, once I moved to Asia from the States I was intoxicated by how affordable they were.
I now would reverse course on much of that. I've found a good alterations shop that can shorten the sleeves on shirts I buy off the rack. I know that the quality from any and every shop I've dealt with thus far in Asia is far, far below the quality from one off-the-rack shirt from a solid Italian or Japanese maker. I now regret the 'custom' choices I made on some of my shirts, such as contrasting fabric inside the collar and placket. And I have thrown away more 40-dollar shirts than I want to admit, while I keep and enjoy wearing my 100-200 dollar ones I have purchased carefully.
Put simply, the Bangkok guys can make a very nice department-store-quality shirt, if that is what you are after. You will pay around 30-40 dollars for it, typically, which is also what you would pay at a department store. You can choose your options. The fabric may not hold up as long, though, and you may not get the same level of workmanship.
What I'm coming around to is this. If you really want quality workmanship and a shirt you will be proud of wearing, buy something nice and have it altered if need be. In KL your best option, as far as I know, is the P Johnson line from Australia at WJ&Co. Super solid shirts at a price that won't break the bank. Or go on Ebay for Italian makes that you can nab all day long for about a hundred bucks. Put either of those shirts on your back, and you won't be terribly excited about going 'custom' in KL again.