Compass Points – Robert Stedman

ROBERT STEDMAN WRITES THAT THE ‘EXOTIC EAST’ IS NO LONGER THE PLACE IT USED TO BE, WITH CUSTOM TAILORING, FOR INSTANCE, ON THE DECLINE.

Asia used to be known as the ‘Exotic East’ where tourists were delighted by elephants, exotic cuisine, river cruises, tropical beaches, balmy breezes and Oriental architecture. For men there was a really unique opportunity when visiting Asia, and no, I’m not suggesting massage parlors, I’m referring to the custom tailor.

LOOK FEEL & QUALITY

From Hong Kong to Manila a man could have a custom-tailored suit made at nearly the cost of a shirt or pair of slacks at home. And these were no off-the-rack fits either. Asian tailors took pride in the look, fit, feel and quality of their creations. It was truly remarkable. They would even copy the latest Milan or London fashions. Men could brag when they returned home that their suit wasn’t from a store but made-tomeasure with a perfect, flawless fit.

“Oh, you like my suit? It’s from my tailor in Hong Kong,” they could boast. Even more astonishing, all this came at a very inexpensive price. Suits, shirts and ties were ‘cheap’ in relative terms. A full suit cost a fraction of the price in the West, often less than $75.00, depending on the fabric. The average price of a man’s suit in Los Angeles, for instance, was over $500 and that was off the rack.

INDUSTRY EBBING

Sadly, the Asian tailoring business is in decline. There are a number of reasons for the ebbing of the industry. The first and most obvious reason is salary. In the past few decades many Asian countries have joined the developed nations in terms of pay and lifestyle. That means that labour, for the most part, isn’t cheap anymore. Also, rents have skyrocketed in places like Singapore and Hong Kong and the costs must be passed on to customers.

Perhaps the biggest killer of the custom tailor business is that people don’t dress up anymore. Take a look around any city and you’ll see people in jeans and t-shirts. Men don’t wear suits like they used to. Attend a wedding in Singapore. Guests often wear t-shirts and jeans to the event.

NOT WORK WEAR

According to David Porntip, a tailor in the famed Bangkok shopping center MBK, “I’ve seen a real reduction in customers. Most foreigners want a special one off suit for a wedding or celebration but they don’t buy them for work anymore.”

In the past, the custom tailor business was huge in Asia. In Hong Kong, for example, tailors advertised that when you visited them, they would keep your measurements on file. If you ever needed a new suit, shirt or pants they would sew them up and post them to you…for a very small fee.

READY-MADE SHIRTS

“In those days,” says Hong Kong tailor, Andrew Ong, “we had plenty of business. We kept five tailors in the shop just to handle the overseas business.” Today, it’s a different story. Tailors now farm out their business. They hire local seamstress on an ad hoc basis for sewing. They also send out complicated pieces like shirts, collars and cuffs to contractors for fusing (where fabrics are glued to stiffer pieces). We no longer do that in-house anymore. It’s just too expensive.”

In Singapore it’s the same story. Tailor Eddie Chen reports that he doesn’t even bother to make shirts anymore. He sends the fabric information along with the measurements to a factory that specializes in ready-made shirts. “I just earn a small amount as compensation.”

FAST CHANGING FASHION

Another factor that helped push the industry into decline was the Internet. Fashion today is fast paced. In six months, fads can come and go and the clothes along with it. Today, customers want cheap clothes that look good but not neccesaliry last. Why should they? Wide trousers were in last year; this year pants have skinny tight legs. The Internet allows customers to cut out a middleman, and they’re willing to accept universal measurement and clothes that don’t last. What’s more, clothes on the Internet are bargain priced.

I believe it was Yves St. Laurent who said, “Fashion is ugly, that’s why it changes so often.” Who knows, maybe someday ‘fashion’ will bring back the good looks, structure, fit and feel of finely tailored clothing.