Tailored Suits in SE Asia

mcampster

I'm heading to Malaysia for a few weeks in September, and was hoping that I would be able to pick up a couple of tailored suits whilst I was out there.

A few years ago, I did them same in Thailand, and although the suits were not top notch quality, the fact that they were a perfect fit more than made up for it, and at less than £50 each I have been really chuffed. Unfortunately, I've put a few pounds on since then, and now need to 'upgrade'.

Is Malaysia similar to Thailand in this respect, or are prices/quality completely different?

Thanks

Nobjocki

Personally I'd rather spend a few more quid and support tailors in this country than some South-East Asian sweatshop.
That's why there's so few of them left.

black-saturn

I had an evening dress made to measure for me in Vietnam. The quality of it was superb and it was really well made and took them about 4 hours. They are not bad quality sweat shops, they are actually time served seamstressers who know their trade really well. Much better than anything you can have made in the UK. The dress was long thick red satin and chiffon and it cost me £3.50!!!

Donnie

Nobjocki wrote:

Personally I'd rather spend a few more quid and support tailors in this country than some South-East Asian sweatshop.
That's why there's so few of them left.

Notwithstanding your name..... Where is it that you can spend a 'few more quid' over £50 to get a suit made in Britain?

mcampster

Nobjocki wrote:

Personally I'd rather spend a few more quid and support tailors in this country than some South-East Asian sweatshop.
That's why there's so few of them left.

If it really was just a case of paying a few more quid over here, then I would like to think I would support them, but really its more like a few hundred quid extra over here, which I unfortunately cannot afford.

Everywhere I read, I seem to hear about some other SE Asian country with great tailors at low cost, except Malaysia. Maybe I'll have to pop over to Thailand or Vietnam to get what I want - it will probably still work out cheaper!! :-)

ash333

Nobjocki wrote:

Personally I'd rather spend a few more quid and support tailors in this country than some South-East Asian sweatshop.
That's why there's so few of them left.

Come off it! A suit tailored to fit in this country is upwards of £500 unless you want it made of polyester. Thats not a few more quid, that works out at ten times the cost. Can you see why there are so few tailors left in thsi country.

Ash

nearlyrich

I had 2 ladies suits with 2 pairs of trousers each, made to measure in Penang a couple of years ago, decent quality material, exactly what I wanted down to depth of pockets, inside pocket for phone which you rarely see on a ladies suit, etc. Cost was just under £100 for both and they took 2 days to make up. I was really happy with them, since then I have lost weight and they are miles too big now but I would do the same again next Far East holiday because they are better quality and fit then anything I have ever bought off the peg, including designer suits at £300 plus.

Nobjocki

If you want to pay £50 for a suit that is entirely your right.
But you might as well walk around with a large sign saying " I know I look cheap and nasty in this suit but I'm hoping that there's some idiot out there who really thinks it was made by a good English tailor and by the way please ignore those sparks of static electricity flying off me "
C'mon people - if you buy a 50 quid suit it's gonna look like a 50 quid suit - you ain't fooling anyone.
It's the sartorial equivalent of a combover.

N9eav

Nobjocki wrote:

If you want to pay £50 for a suit that is entirely your right.
But you might as well walk around with a large sign saying " I know I look cheap and nasty in this suit but I'm hoping that there's some idiot out there who really thinks it was made by a good English tailor and by the way please ignore those sparks of static electricity flying off me "
C'mon people - if you buy a 50 quid suit it's gonna look like a 50 quid suit - you ain't fooling anyone.
It's the sartorial equivalent of a combover.

Not necessarily. Unfortunately for those working in developing countries, labour is cheap. I lived in West Africa and regularly had hand made trousers at £1.80 and Shirts for the same. I had a suit jacket made for £7. I purchased the material which was high quality, as good as anything available in Saville row. The quality of workmanship was superb. It's just they charge less because that's the way it is in poorer countries. Even with an extra tip, the Tailor was delighted with my custom and I have some great clothes.

I have a friend in the USA who is a Tailor, He charges as much as £4000 for a suit. For the rich only. But he told me my jacket is no worse than than his.

nej

It is the labour that's cheap. The material is the same stuff you'd get anywhere else. The quality of the work is probably better than any "factory" suit also.

I had some stuff made a couple of years ago in Phuket and it is really nice. Looks good, good material. "Cheap" suits don't fit properly. A £50 tailored suit that fits properly will look MILES better than a £400 suit that doesn't.

Get some shirts made as well whilst you're there. I wish now I'd had more shirts made as they are so nice! I think I spent £160 and got a suit with 2 pairs of trousers, a suit for my wife, 2 cotton shirts, 1 silk shirt and 3 silk ties. I chose the most expensive material.

Why not pop up to Phuket or Bangkok on a cheap-as-chips Air Asia flight? Stay for a day or two at about a tenner per night then go back to Malaysia.

Dr.Lou

Not sure where you are staying in Malaysia, but there were definately tailors in Penang a few years ago.

The hotel I stayed at also offered a tailoring service, some of the prices I can remember were equal to £7 for a shirt, £30 for a dress. However this was in a five star hotel so prices will be inflated when compared to an independent tailor.