Hong Kong is still one of the best places to buy a good suit at a low price. The British royal family still shop here, after all. Unfortunately, Hong Kong tailors do not enjoy a brilliant reputation. Many tourists and local costume buyers can tell the names of the tailors where they had a bad experience.
The problem is that many of the more prominent tailors tourists find themselves holding brochures are disreputable merchants. While outright scams are rare, poor service and unusual sales tactics are plentiful. The chances of being scammed by a tailor in Hong Kong is much higher than in London or Paris.
Common problems range from gloves sewn from cheap fabrics that fall apart weeks later, to suits that ship but don’t fit, or worse, those that never arrive. So how can you make sure you see Hong Kong’s best tailors?
Ignore street vendors
Do not go to an advertising vendor as you are on Nathan Road, Mody Road, or any of the nearby roads. Are all the vendors on these streets dishonest? No. Are there a lot of them? Yes. Don’t take the risk. The best tailors don’t use street vendors to pressure you into a quick sale.
If you’re in town on business, ask your colleagues at work for recommendations; most locals will have found someone they are happy with. Nothing beats a local recommendation.
Use common sense in pricing
If the price seems too good to be true, it probably is. Shopping around; look at the prices in your home country and then at least a couple different tailors in Hong Kong. If the price is drastically lower than the competition, the quality is likely to be too. It’s not that there are no bargains in Hong Kong, there are, but rather that they are bargains, not sales gifts.
Be clear about the total cost
The price of the suits in the advertisements may be attractive, but it is often misleading. Make sure you are completely clear on exactly what the deal entails. Be explicit about what you want and what you don’t want, and make sure the price has been clearly agreed upon. Tales of an extra (but unwanted) jacket getting ‘thrown away’, only to have you double the price you have to pay are not uncommon. Hong Kong’s sales culture is aggressive and you will need to be robust in your dealings.
Do your suit research
Even the best tailors in Hong Kong aren’t there to do you any favors; They are there to make money. As salespeople, don’t expect especially honest advice. You should have a decent idea of the fabric you want and what kind of price range you expect to pay before entering the store.
Get the tailor that fits you twice
Hong Kong tailors are famous for their speed, but this is not necessarily a good thing. While it is sometimes possible to get a well tailored suit in one accessory, it is almost impossible to get a suit that does not fit various accessories. If the tailor insists that an adjustment is sufficient, depending on how much you are paying, you may want to look elsewhere.
Don’t let the tailor send your suit
Probably one of the main causes of a complaint is the suits that are shipped, but once opened they turn out to be too small or too large, made of the wrong material or missing items. Unless you are dealing with a tailor you trust or one of the Hong Kong tailors visiting your home country, be sure to try on the final garment and pack or ship it yourself.
