wanna make some shirts and suits, any recommendations?

Hey Costes!

Good question... I have tried the fabric market, stall 159, as recommended here. I bought one shirt and a suit. The shirt is quite good, but the suit is horrible. I think that if I go back to the fabric market, I may ask them to copy my favourite suit. That should be a simpler task.

I would actually like to find a tailor closer to me. Nanjing or Huai Hai would be much more convenient.

--Trip

My p/t ayi was a taylor and had her own store(due to relocation the store was closed)before she came to cook for me, and she is a neat and skillful person that I would recommend to whoever wants to make suits/shirts..etc....please email to me if you are interested: joliu@voipack.com. She lives in Puxi Putuo/Jingan border, she has her motorbike so getting around for her is easy.

checked out dave tailor, not cheap: shirt for btw RMB 280 to 450, suit for btw RMB3500 to RMB10k.
krez, u used dave's before?

yes, both of them actually. The link is to the original Dave, he moved about tywo years ago. He was previously located at the portman complex, but moved for some reason. Someone took over his location at the portman but is continuing under the same name. The one at the portman now is also good, and I still use him, but the original Dave (the link( is still the better one. I agree it is on the pricier side, for china, but if you want it to last long and be quality it costs more. You can go to Silk King (locations all over town), cheap, but I was never happy with the quality and the fitting. I feel when you use a tailor, you may as well do it right, and get the suit you want. Anyway, I would recommend either of the two Dave's.

much appreciated, krez
how about the ones on maoming lu? heard they're pretty good

I don't know the one's on maoming lu. My wife has had a qipao made there, which turned out very nice. I would however be more concerned if you want a western style suit made. I would still recommend going to a tailor who really knows what he's doing. You'll be happier with the reuslt, and it will last longer!

Dong Jia Du................

..... is crap.

b.

trip wrote:That should be a simpler task.--Trip

Not necessarily.
And as this guy at 159 says, "if you want good work, don't come here; we do only our kind of - standard - work (i.e. no need to ask for anything specific and careful work). Go to Maoming lu instead."

b.

Benoist_Shanghai wrote:

trip wrote:That should be a simpler task.--Trip

Go to Maoming lu instead."

b.

Any particular place is good in your experience. I need a good suit.

I am not the one suggesting to go there... that's our good tailor No159!
Havent tried any, but I think I know someone who is quite happy with one of them there.
Let me see if I can remember who told me about it!

b.

Ray's Tailor at Galaxy Hotel at Hong Qiao
US POLO ASSN at Ascendas Plaza at Tian Yao Qiao Road
Times Tailor at Sheraton Hotel at Pu Dong

Those cost you more but you have quality guaranteed

I can recommend Shirley for suits. My parents had several done when they visited and were very satisfied. She is on the second floor in the HongQiXiang market on DongMen Lu, turn sharp right and then left after you get off the escalator. Forgot the stall number, but has big sign "Shirley's". Also speaks good English.

I know that this is an old thread... but is it possible to buy shirt fabric and get shirts stictched? I recently got a few shirts sticthed (back home) and I looove the way they fit me.

are the places mentioned above still around ?

We were really happy with Tai Pan Long at Shop F2, 59 Maoming Lu, Tel 5466 6058.

Jonnie Ho there speaks some English. My husband got two really well-stitched suits and custom-made shirts for I think just over 5000 RMB for the lot, with two fittings. Very good quality construction, but not cheap.

I think, unless you have enough Chinese vocabulary to be really specific about your wants, you do get what you pay for.

I have had suits made by a tailor recommended by my landlady, and while they were cheap (about 400 kuai for two women's pant suits in wool), the finish wasn't what I was hoping for, although the fit was OK.

I just want to warn you to go to stall 203, 204 at Lujiabang Lu. it was all right (but not really satisfying) for men suits and shirts but for girls comes the big warning! The girls tailor is not the same as the mens tailor. Do not go there unless you want to spend hours there discussing and coming back about 5 times. My fittings have been the absolut catastrophe. Even after 5 times changing two costume jackets did not fit. I can not lift my arms!!!!

Go to Fatty's Tailors outside South Bund Spinning Market.

Man's suit: 280 RMB (fabric not included)
Man's shirt: 80 RMB (fabric included)
Woman's shirt: 70 RMB (fabric included)

He does all the work for the high-end places.

Here's how:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yv7DerL6Bk8

I have shirts that I made at Dave's (the original one) 4 or 5 years ago and I still wear them.

In my experience you feel great at the fabric market making 20 shirts for peanuts, but the reality is they will fall apart within 6 months. The fabric will peel away, or the buttons will fall, or seams will burst, etc etc. It's not worth the aggravation IMHO.

I also made a suit at Dave's and I'm very happy with it and still using it.

Be careful though that if you want a tight European fit, you WILL have to make that double extra clear to him. If not, he will cut the shirts and suits the American/Chinese way, ie XXL, and it will be flapping in the wind. Make sure you explain it and bring pics of what you want it to look like.

Are these places above familiar with making suits for Western body types? We had a bad experience in Beijing. The tailor, highly recommended by our local friends, did a bad job with Western body types. Even after multiple fits, the suits did not fit well.

The cutting for the trousers were also more traditional, more local. I don't know how the describe what I mean by local, but once you see it, you know it is not what we are used to.

Is Fatty familiar with Western (US, EU) cutting? Same question applies to Dave's.

And do the prices quoted by them include the lining, buttons etc? When we were in Beijing, we had to separately pay for the buttons and lining.

Thanks for the Youtube link for Fatty's.

You're welcome! Fatty can make whatever you show him, so take a photo from a catalog or print one from the Internet. Alternatively, if you have a shirt or pants that you want duplicated, you can leave with him and he will make them exactly. I had a friend visit from the States who had a blouse she spent $80 in USA. Fatty made four more (in different fabrics) for $70 RMB each.

The only thing is he doesn't speak English, so you'll have to take an interpreter if you don't speak Chinese.

Good luck!

I have found that it is important to tell the tailor exactly what kind of cut and style you want.

Since I am American, they will give standard Chinese cut or box style US cut which is very loose fitting. I like a tight tapered European fit for shirts and find that if I am up front about this with the tailor they are always able to provide. It is important to tell the tailor exactly where you want the clothes to fit loose and perhaps leave a little room for expansion and where you want a tight fit and how tight a fit you want.

Except for the odd exception of a wrong measurement placed or interpreted on the order, they usually do a great job if you tell them exactly what you want. I also always ask for a hidden placket front on shirts to hide the buttons and other extras that they accomodate and don't charge extra for.

If you let the tailor measure you and decide what kind of a fit you want, it is then not fair to complain because you are not happy with the fit you get. If you have a sample garment you like, they are also very good at using the sample to copy and then just tell them any adjustments you want made in advance.

My tailor, Mr. Zhu, is amazing. I swear by this guys work. I have been seeing him for years and always impressed. In that time and 10s of articles, I think only 2 buttons have fallen off. He used high quality lining and buttons, and will do exactly what you want (and trust me, I have strange ideas). For example, he made a pirate shirt, complete with ruffles and frilly cuffs, for 200 RMB (not including material) iirc. (Unfortunately, I later heard about the Seinfeld show he he he).

He speaks good enough English and will come to you, even on the evenings or weekends. He quickly learns what your preferences are and won't need to specify, assuming you want same style and fit for each garment.

He is a little more expensive than what you find at South Bund Fabric Market, but 100x better. No where near as expensive as the places in Luwan District (no overhead for shop) but same quality.

I cannot recommend his work enough. Everything he has done has been perfect. Call Mr. Zhu at 130 0318 8035.

Does Mr Zhu have a shop where I can see samples of his work?

I don't think he has a shop or does advertising. Call him and see if you can stop by his workshop / house. If not, maybe i'll let you come over and take a look at my closet.

thanks - will call him - what did you have made? I'm getting a bit jaded from the various tailors in Shanghai - have had 2 "OK" suits and too many NOT OK shirts (why do tailors insist on shirts that fall halfway down my hand???)

He has made 2 suits, full length cashmere coat, above mentioned pirate shirt, and at least 10 pairs of pants and 10 shirts (work and casual). The only thing is I always provide my own fabric from the market. I think he has it available, but not too sure as I never asked to see samples. Might be better off getting it yourself as well.

laohu489 wrote:I don't think he has a shop or does advertising. Call him and see if you can stop by his workshop / house. If not, maybe i'll let you come over and take a look at my closet.

No shop, no advertising, works in a secret cave somewhere. How did you hear about him in the first place?

I'm looking for a tailor who will also take orders from a lady.

I don't like those little suits that make me look like an ordinary OL. This is why I love YSL.

Unisex clothes. He understands well those women who want men's clothes