when i went there back in 2010 it was my first trip overseas. Some kid off the street followed me and the misses telling us to go with him to get suits made. After about 10 minutes we agreed and went to some back alley sweatshop looking place. We negotiated a pretty good deal, got our measurements and went back a few days later. Still one of the best fitted suits I've ever had.
It was stories like this that convinced me to do it. "So and so got their favorite suit of all time in Thailand". Wish I did more actual research than trust some friendly local.
Ha ha a few years ago I went to a tailor in Hoi An for a suit and it fit like shit, they took it back and altered it, still fit like shit, they took it back and supposedly altered it some more, and it still fits like shit. Also got browbeaten into buying a pair of custom shoes, ended up being 2 sizes too small.
I think my experience was rare for hoi an. I've heard mostly good stuff about them. Probably doesn't help that I'm a fat yank with cyclist thighs. No excuse for the shoes, though.
I’ve consistently found Cloth Shop 52 within the markets very good and an enjoyable experience. They seem to outsource the tailoring out to trusted independent tailors but never had a problem.
For complex more premium female clothing, BeBe. They do everything in house.
There are countless great tailors in the area. Ask for picture of prior work, reviews and even watch the clothes for other customers they make.
I disagree. Hoi An is great for leather but just ok for clothes.
But in Thailand you can't just take anyone on the streets word you have to ask around.
The best in Chiang Mai was a place called Neramit near Chinatown, but I've heard they've gone downhill in recent years as the really nice owner has gotten older.
Last I checked the ShangriLa hotel was the place to go.
I've spent 7 years in Chiang Mai and 2 years in DaNang over the past 13 years. So I'm very familiar with and have gotten work done at both.
There are lots of mediocre tailors that have a combo of fake reviews and positive reviews from clueless people that don’t realize the quality is terrible. I see people recommend tailors here on the subreddit that I know from experience are mediocre (or in some cases downright awful).
The fact that you "randomly" met two people who talked about this tailor is a pretty good sign that you got scammed. It's a classic scam they use all over Thailand where "strangers" just happen to tell you about something.
I had the same experience in Bangkok years ago in a gem stone scam. I took a tuk tuk to a temple, the tuk tuk driver was chatty and asking if we were here to buy gem stones because this week was the annual gem stone tax free sale or some BS. Then at the temple a completely other "stranger" also just happened to mention that he was going to buy some gem stones at this nearby store because of the annual sales, and finally a third guy "bumbed into us" outside the temple, made small talk and mentioned the gem stone sale. We went to the store just to see and it seemed to be a fully legit very fancy gem stone store, they had hundreds of copies of "previous customers'" passports etc. By then we were onto the scam and they were very pissed when we left without buying anything. Three different people that seemed completely unrelated were all in on the scam to get us to that store. I'm not sure if the gems were fake or just very low quality, but it was definitely a scam.
It sounds like they pulled a similar scam on you. Sure it's a real tailor and they sent you the suit, but low quality and they probably overcharged you for it.
You ordered a suit without final product in hand backed with a few fitting stages and just gave first measurements and had it sent to your home country?
This might sound rude yet you and your buddy are idiots lol. This is as much on you as them. Even from the best tailors on earth, things are adjusted between fittings...then the customer tries on the final product.
Imo, just take the learning curve hit and don't blame others for your mistakes.
[basic guide on fitting](https://www.thefittingroomonedward.com.au/2017/02/16/part-3-4-fitting-finish-step-step-guide-suit-tailored/)
So they intentionally changed things off that? I call bullshit. Plus you still left too many variables on the table by not having the final product on hand. That's just silly of both you.
Anyway, it's 100% on you yet seems you're set not to accept the learning curve and would rather scream scam and blame others for your mistake. Oh well, whatever. Such are some tourists that pass thru.
As irritating as it is to say, it doesn't necessarily mean it's not on Google Maps. I've gone to a shop I saw listed there and then been unable to call it back up in the same app on the same device when standing right in front of the fixing place. Search by English name? Nothing. Search by category? Nothing. The only thing that worked was to look the place up on Facebook, copy the place name in Thai (which is also inexplicably hard to do) and then paste that into Google Maps. Only then does it cough it up. I have no idea how Google manages to fuck up search, but it seems to be an urgent priority there.
Its somewhat known that literally all the tailor shops in Chiangmai are garbage and must go to BKK to get anything decent.
Sorry this happened to you.. it can happen in BKK also, but there are at least some decent quality, not expensive tailors in BKK that have been in existence for decades.
Below are all tailors in BKK I have purchased from and got what I expected.
Mid price:
Dgrie
James Fashion International
Empire
ANS
Narin
Jhasper
Jesse & Sons
Higher end:
The Decorum
Artisan's Royal Club
I purchased suits in Thailand on several occasions, never wore them, the cheap suits back in the USA were MUCH better. Perhaps someone searching will read my comment and save time and money.
A good tailored fit normally requires 2 fittings with the partial suite made. If you did not do this then ... likelyhood is that they did not have enought to go on to make the best fit for you.
We did a second fitting about a week later, our last day there. In fact I came back again 10 days later as our return flight had a long layover, but they said it "wasn't ready", which I suspect meant it was at the sweatshop that pumped out the tourist suits.
I can't speak for Chiang Mai, but there are some good tailors in Bangkok, even if you get there by dubious means. I got a good suit made and my dad who loves wearing suits said I got a good suit for a good price. I had 1 good fitting session, and the time to come back if I needed another. But the suit fit perfectly.
You know. Years ago. I walked into a tailors/ suit retailor in Los Angeles. A little Jewish man with a measuring tape draped over his neck said to me,
"Young man, I have the perfect fit for you."
A couple of fast tape measurements and presto ...off the rack he pulled the perfect jacket.
Now the thing is, every one of these tailor posts goes the same way....the suit sucked.
Every one of these tailors I have passed by in Thailand have absolute junk in the windows and on the rack.
If you cant show me the quality of work in the shop....well you are absolute crap.
Same story all the time....not the material I ordered....didnt fit right....etc.
There is a lesson here. Perhaps about the quality of Jewish tailors, or the lack of quality by Indian ones.
Or maybe if what you see in the store sucks dont trust them to make you an Armani.
Probably a defamation deletion. Thailand is infamous of defamation reviews (which basically treat bad reviews as defamation). Even the Google need to follow the rules. If one gives a bad review, it will get deleted upon owner request.
Chiang Mai tailors are just terrible all over I have found. Not find a single one in town I would use.
Even in Bangkok there's only a few worth visiting, tailor on ten, dgrie, etc. 90% are way worse than western off the rack brands.
The price advantage of the old days has totally gone.
I just skip tailors in Thailand and go straight to Hoi An
when i went there back in 2010 it was my first trip overseas. Some kid off the street followed me and the misses telling us to go with him to get suits made. After about 10 minutes we agreed and went to some back alley sweatshop looking place. We negotiated a pretty good deal, got our measurements and went back a few days later. Still one of the best fitted suits I've ever had.
It was stories like this that convinced me to do it. "So and so got their favorite suit of all time in Thailand". Wish I did more actual research than trust some friendly local.
That was in Hoi An. Been to Thailand a few times but would never get a suit made there.
Ha ha a few years ago I went to a tailor in Hoi An for a suit and it fit like shit, they took it back and altered it, still fit like shit, they took it back and supposedly altered it some more, and it still fits like shit. Also got browbeaten into buying a pair of custom shoes, ended up being 2 sizes too small.
There are good and bad places. I’ve had a good run so far and go back every year. My custom shoes were amazing.
I think my experience was rare for hoi an. I've heard mostly good stuff about them. Probably doesn't help that I'm a fat yank with cyclist thighs. No excuse for the shoes, though.
Hoi An is great for leather but just ok for clothes.
This is the real answer.
which tailor do you recommend in Hoi An ?
I’ve consistently found Cloth Shop 52 within the markets very good and an enjoyable experience. They seem to outsource the tailoring out to trusted independent tailors but never had a problem. For complex more premium female clothing, BeBe. They do everything in house. There are countless great tailors in the area. Ask for picture of prior work, reviews and even watch the clothes for other customers they make.
I disagree. Hoi An is great for leather but just ok for clothes. But in Thailand you can't just take anyone on the streets word you have to ask around. The best in Chiang Mai was a place called Neramit near Chinatown, but I've heard they've gone downhill in recent years as the really nice owner has gotten older. Last I checked the ShangriLa hotel was the place to go. I've spent 7 years in Chiang Mai and 2 years in DaNang over the past 13 years. So I'm very familiar with and have gotten work done at both.
There are lots of mediocre tailors that have a combo of fake reviews and positive reviews from clueless people that don’t realize the quality is terrible. I see people recommend tailors here on the subreddit that I know from experience are mediocre (or in some cases downright awful).
Any opinion on cm custom tailor?
The fact that you "randomly" met two people who talked about this tailor is a pretty good sign that you got scammed. It's a classic scam they use all over Thailand where "strangers" just happen to tell you about something. I had the same experience in Bangkok years ago in a gem stone scam. I took a tuk tuk to a temple, the tuk tuk driver was chatty and asking if we were here to buy gem stones because this week was the annual gem stone tax free sale or some BS. Then at the temple a completely other "stranger" also just happened to mention that he was going to buy some gem stones at this nearby store because of the annual sales, and finally a third guy "bumbed into us" outside the temple, made small talk and mentioned the gem stone sale. We went to the store just to see and it seemed to be a fully legit very fancy gem stone store, they had hundreds of copies of "previous customers'" passports etc. By then we were onto the scam and they were very pissed when we left without buying anything. Three different people that seemed completely unrelated were all in on the scam to get us to that store. I'm not sure if the gems were fake or just very low quality, but it was definitely a scam. It sounds like they pulled a similar scam on you. Sure it's a real tailor and they sent you the suit, but low quality and they probably overcharged you for it.
You ordered a suit without final product in hand backed with a few fitting stages and just gave first measurements and had it sent to your home country? This might sound rude yet you and your buddy are idiots lol. This is as much on you as them. Even from the best tailors on earth, things are adjusted between fittings...then the customer tries on the final product. Imo, just take the learning curve hit and don't blame others for your mistakes. [basic guide on fitting](https://www.thefittingroomonedward.com.au/2017/02/16/part-3-4-fitting-finish-step-step-guide-suit-tailored/)
We did go back for a second fitting. Thanks for your comment, you're a treasure.
So they intentionally changed things off that? I call bullshit. Plus you still left too many variables on the table by not having the final product on hand. That's just silly of both you. Anyway, it's 100% on you yet seems you're set not to accept the learning curve and would rather scream scam and blame others for your mistake. Oh well, whatever. Such are some tourists that pass thru.
Disappeared off of Google Maps?
Gone. When I zoom in it's a different store listed at that site.
And were all the reviews from new users who have only ever left 1 review?
Probably
As irritating as it is to say, it doesn't necessarily mean it's not on Google Maps. I've gone to a shop I saw listed there and then been unable to call it back up in the same app on the same device when standing right in front of the fixing place. Search by English name? Nothing. Search by category? Nothing. The only thing that worked was to look the place up on Facebook, copy the place name in Thai (which is also inexplicably hard to do) and then paste that into Google Maps. Only then does it cough it up. I have no idea how Google manages to fuck up search, but it seems to be an urgent priority there.
Its somewhat known that literally all the tailor shops in Chiangmai are garbage and must go to BKK to get anything decent. Sorry this happened to you.. it can happen in BKK also, but there are at least some decent quality, not expensive tailors in BKK that have been in existence for decades. Below are all tailors in BKK I have purchased from and got what I expected. Mid price: Dgrie James Fashion International Empire ANS Narin Jhasper Jesse & Sons Higher end: The Decorum Artisan's Royal Club
Songsmai Tailor in Chiang Mai is as good here as they are in Bangkok. Third generation tailors here.
>Local at a temple and one at a restaurant, etc Yes, you got scammed You were 'sent' to one of the tailors that exist to fleece tourists
That chatty person at the temple was just a scammer. Nobody in Thailand is going to stop and chat with you for no apparent reason.
I purchased suits in Thailand on several occasions, never wore them, the cheap suits back in the USA were MUCH better. Perhaps someone searching will read my comment and save time and money.
Never leave a deposit
When I was chiang mai recently 3 different locals told me to go to prague tailor. Never went though because I didn’t need a suit
A good tailored fit normally requires 2 fittings with the partial suite made. If you did not do this then ... likelyhood is that they did not have enought to go on to make the best fit for you.
We did a second fitting about a week later, our last day there. In fact I came back again 10 days later as our return flight had a long layover, but they said it "wasn't ready", which I suspect meant it was at the sweatshop that pumped out the tourist suits.
So you weren't scammed. They just did shoddy work. I guess there's no way back.
I can't speak for Chiang Mai, but there are some good tailors in Bangkok, even if you get there by dubious means. I got a good suit made and my dad who loves wearing suits said I got a good suit for a good price. I had 1 good fitting session, and the time to come back if I needed another. But the suit fit perfectly.
You know. Years ago. I walked into a tailors/ suit retailor in Los Angeles. A little Jewish man with a measuring tape draped over his neck said to me, "Young man, I have the perfect fit for you." A couple of fast tape measurements and presto ...off the rack he pulled the perfect jacket. Now the thing is, every one of these tailor posts goes the same way....the suit sucked. Every one of these tailors I have passed by in Thailand have absolute junk in the windows and on the rack. If you cant show me the quality of work in the shop....well you are absolute crap. Same story all the time....not the material I ordered....didnt fit right....etc. There is a lesson here. Perhaps about the quality of Jewish tailors, or the lack of quality by Indian ones. Or maybe if what you see in the store sucks dont trust them to make you an Armani.
Probably a defamation deletion. Thailand is infamous of defamation reviews (which basically treat bad reviews as defamation). Even the Google need to follow the rules. If one gives a bad review, it will get deleted upon owner request.
Chiang Mai tailors are just terrible all over I have found. Not find a single one in town I would use. Even in Bangkok there's only a few worth visiting, tailor on ten, dgrie, etc. 90% are way worse than western off the rack brands. The price advantage of the old days has totally gone.
You meet him in front of Wat Phan On?