The best tailor's shops are found in the major tourist areas, Bangkok, Pattaya, Chiang Mai and Phuket but many good tailors are also to be found in Koh Samui, Hua Hin, and Chiang Rai.
Most major hotels will have a bespoke tailor's shop on the premises but remember , the cost from this source will be quite a bit higher as the tailors are usually paying high rents to the hotel.
On the street you will find that most establishments have someone sitting outside whose job it is to lure you inside the shop. It can be amusing but it can get to feel like harassment after a while if you have to pass by regularly.
If you decide to have some bespoke tailoring done, there are a few things to be aware of.
Check out the Shops
First of all, check out the tailoring establishments which are everywhere. Every other shop has what looks like a famous name, Boss, Armani, Versace or Valentino, offering attractive package deals and prices for individual garments, but these names have no connection with their famous namesakes so do not expect the same tailoring perfection. However, the quality of the work is still excellent and usually compares to what one can buy from stores in the west and other parts of Asia.
Examine the Workmanship
Before ordering any work to be done it is a good idea to examine the workmanship of the goods used as display items. Sometimes there will be a badly hemmed garment, a seam wrongly aligned or buttons sewn on too tightly. Then you know that this tailor and the salesman who should check the work, are not paying attention to the finished garments.
Salesmen are not Tailors
Note also, that the staff in the shops are in fact actually salesmen, not tailors: the makers of the clothes, the real tailors usually operate from back-street work rooms and small factories. They can be seen through open doors and windows if you wander round the back streets of any of the towns or cities where the tailors have their establishments (they need to be nearby as they are often called upon at short notice to do a fitting).
The designs available for both male and female are excellent, often incorporating the latest designs from the major fashion houses. The sales assistant measures the client (a lot depends on his expertise with the tape measure), these measurements are then sent to the tailor who will cut out the garment and have it ready for a fitting, usually within one or two days – often the tailor himself will come to do the fitting. This is the time to be careful and to check that all is well with the shape, room to move inside the garment, length of sleeves etc. A good salesman should encourage you to move your arms and walk about to see if the shirt, blouse or jacket is comfortable.
Final Fitting
There should be a final fitting for any garment, unless you have given them one to copy (a popular method of having goods made) in which case one fitting is usually enough. This is your last chance to make sure all is well with the garment(s).
If you are careful in choosing your tailor, the material for the garment (be sure it will stand up to your home weather), the lining, buttons etc. then all should be well. Allow plenty of time for the garments to be made and checked - don't ask them to do it in a rush. Thai tailors are excellent, their workmanship can stand comparison with any in the world. The 24-hour suit is a fact, but let’s face it, is 24 hours enough time in which to make a suit?
Mari Nicholson - Award Winning travel writer and historian, member of British Guild of Travel Writers.Travelwriters.co.uk, and Society of Women Writers and ...
