Custom Fit, Custom Experience

One of the main reasons Helen and I decided to visit Hoi An is for the reputable tailoring that is available in this town. Although this town really is just a small community, the density of tailor shops is quite staggering. There are certainly tailors in other areas in the country, but none that match the sheer concentration of shops that offer custom, made-to-measure suits, shirts, and general clothing within 24hrs if need be. This often includes multiple fittings to ensure that everything fits just right. And all of this for what we North Americans would consider to be a steal.

So on our first day, we seek out Mac Khai Tailor, a recommendation from our guide in Hanoi. In fact, not only was this shop a recommendation, but Tu actually called the shop in Hoi An while we were on the tour in Hanoi and confirmed a price for a good quality suit. Turns out, the best quality wool suit will cost about $120, custome fit. WHAT? $120?! That's the price of a new shirt at Club Monaco... AND it will fit all crappy-like right off the rack!

 

We stroll through the town and find the shop right by the central market. Upon entering a sleepy looking store, we meet the tailor. We never got her name, but she mentioned that she and her family owned this store and have been tailoring for over decade.

To start, we sit down and are provided with suit catalogues for the tailor to emulate. Both Helen and I pick out one suit each and then we move along to pick the textle from which our suits are to be made.

We both get measured up and the order is then forwarded to the production shops around town to be produced. The storefronts really are just that... a front. They take the orders, then the measurements and appropriate details, then the orders are farmed out to a handful of facilities around town, hidden in the alleyways and side streets of Hoi An, creating made-to-measure magic in a few days time at most.

Meanwhile, Helen is getting measured up as well. But because she has ordered skirts, blouses, dresses and a suit, her measurements took much longer than mine. So, I make my way over to the shirt textiles. I had not originally thought about having any shirts made... I am very happy with ordering through Maxwell Clothiers based in Hong Kong. But I casually ask how much a made-to-measure shirt would cost... she says, $25. WHAT?! $25 for a custom fitted shirt?! I have socks that cost more than that (which is stupid, but that's story for another day).

So, with such an attractive price, I then order a shirt as well. I look and I look, but I can't find a fabric that would be compatible with the suit fabric I just ordered.

Try as the tailor might to try and find me a solid light blue cotton, we cannot agree on something that I'm happy with. So, she suggests that I come with her to another shop (I'm guessing one of her suppliers) to pick out a fabric from a larger selection. I say, OK... sounds good. What I just agreed to was a ride on her scooter that is so prevalent all over Vietnam. How cool is this? Not only do I get to have clothes made to measure, but now I'm gonna experience Hoi An traffic on the back of a ubiquitous motor bike?! COOL! I put on a helmet and off we go!

At the other shop, I manage to find a cotton I like, and we make our way back to the other side of town. This is part of our ride back... notice the pedestrians... this is how traffic works here:

 

We were told to come back the next day for the first fitting... meaning they would have the suits, shirts, dresses, and skirts ready for a try within the 24hrs. Impressive. As we are about to leave the shop, the tailor asks us if we would like shoes. I'm thinking... no thanks. I can buy shoes at home. But she explains that her sister works at a shop that makes custom fit shoes. So, she asks if we want shoes made to fit for us. Curious and quite excited, we decide we should definitely check it out! Custom shoes to go with my customer suit? Yes ma'am, sign me up!

Like the suits, we choose from catalogues for the shop to replicate based on personal measurements they take of your feet. And, they too will be ready in 24hrs. Crazy stuff... I'm loving all of this. Both of us ended up ordering one pair each.

We return the next day to try on our new clothes. As expected they need tweaking. Shorter here, tigher there, looser here, etc. They take note of the adjustments and send the garments back to the production facility for the alterations. We are told to come back the next day for another fitting. In the meantime, I was happy enough with the suit that I ordered a few more... three more to be exact... oh and also 3 more shirts. Oops... I kinda went a little overboard. Helen had them copy a couple of Banana Republic blouses she recently purchased.

The day after that, we show up for another fitting of what is now, a new for each of us. We have to try on each piece and take note of anything that needs to be done to make it a perfect fit. The challenge with this is it's about 35 degrees in the store and humid like Mexico during high season. Cramming ourselves into wool suits and trying to peel them off ourselves was exhausting. Plus, we keep having to send the clothes back for alterations.

Today was day for and fittings were required everyday since we got here. In fact, I had to send one blazer back so many times, the tailor took me on another scooter ride to the production shop itself to face the actual people who produce my suits. This place is an apparel slaughter house, with fabric, scraps, and thread strewn all over the floor that houses rows of machines and ironing stations. There were about nine workers, eight of them being men, all shirtless. One of them steps up and takes a look at my jacket. I don't understand what he said, but I think he agrees that the blazer is indeed too tight. He takes the jacket and works with surgical precision on opening up the lining, then releasing the seams. On the table, my jacket is turned inside out. The thing look practically torn apart and a chaotic mess. But to this tradesman, the knows exactly where everything should be, and what his next move is. He is relaxed... so relaxed in fact that the cigarette hanging off his lower lip is barely an afterthought. I watch as bits of ash make it dangerously close to being permanently sown into my lining. But, before we know it, the guy is done in tearing my jacket apart and putting it back together within about 20mins.

Finally, Helen and I are basically satisfied with out garments and settle up. After 4 days of fittings and continuous shopping, we ended up buying a total of five suites, seven shirts/blouses, a skirt and a summer dress... all for under $800US. We will now likely need a new suitcase to bring all of this stuff back... still we think it's worth it!