Puttin’ on the Ritz

There is also an established tailor who does this in shaw who just won best shaw business 2006:

http://anc2c02.com/public/index.php/2007/03/20/cheryl_lofton_takes_home_top_award

No offense to Raja as I’ve never used him. But I encourage everyone to get their tailoring done locally. There are numerous tailors inside the district that offer great quality and service at comparable prices to this guy. Lets keep our dollars in DC

I’d also point out that The Custom Shop on Connecticut Ave. does made to measure shirts, slacks and suits.

Anon: While I don’t disagree with you in theory, can you provide names and costs for these other tailors? Have you bought from any of them before?

PQResident: Have you used The Custom Shop for suits? I know they make shirts (numerous tailors in DC offer custom made shirts, at decent prices), but I didn’t see any info for custom made suits on their website.

(Different anonymous from above)

Going with Hong Kong tailors is a good way to get a lot more bang for your buck in bespoke, but it can be a little tricky knowing who you can trust. I’ve never used Raja, but I know one person who has and ended up running into a few quality control and customer service issues (mistakes in the measurements, wrong fabric, etc.) I wouldn’t judge them on just that one case, but I also know they have a reputation for being one of the “cheaper” HK traveling tailors (not in a good way).

If you’re in the market, I’d recommend waiting until July 13-14, when W.W. Chan is back in town. You’ll pay a little more (though still sub-$1000), but the difference in service and quality makes them arguably the best value you’ll find for a custom suit.

Not many local tailors can do full bespoke. William Field in Georgetown is, for my money, the best tailor in the DC area. And he does bespoke. You can also have good suits made by Irfan Baytok (Field’s neighbor) and George de Paris (tailor to lobbyists and Presidents). By all means, support them! But remember, going with local talent will probably cost you. Not many people can justify (or afford) a $2500+ suit, no matter how nice it is.

Anon 11:09pm: Thanks! That’s excellent info. I’ve only purchased suits off the wrack, so I was very interested in having a bespoke suit.

columbo. I was anon 11:26. there are plenty of places you can get sub $1,000 suits made inside district lines. I’ve never used Raja but I have used other traveling hong kong tailors and there really is nothing special about them. the quality/service can be hit or miss and the discounts are really nothing over the top. Maybe $100 a suit versus what you can get here. I’ve used Geoffrey Lewis on 1400 block of H st NW for the past 3 years. `Williams the Tailor’ next to the now defunct tower records store was a fave of mine for a while in the mid 90s, though not sure if its still there. Both make very nice quality suits for under a grand. They are more made to measure type shops rather than true bespoke but the fit is excellent. I’ve never been to the custom shirt shop so can’t comment on them. I have one suit from evertt hall. He is a bit more expensive. Around $1,500 for a basic suit. There are several other run of the mill tailors than can make a decent suit for you without breaking the bank, Highcliffe’s on 19th and L, Do’s in Georgetown, I’ve had jackets made at both though never a full suit. As a pervious poster pointed out there is georges de-paris, who i’ve never used but has a good reputation. There are probably a dozen other respectable places in dc to go to that wont set you back too much money. And as a fall back option macy’s at metro center and brooks brothers downtown have a quasi-made to measure service that starts at about $600. though obviously these are national chains and not true local businesses.

(Same as Anon 11:07)

I agree, mostly, with the other anonymous’s posts. Made to measure is a great alternative to full bespoke — you pay less and get a *little* less customization, but that’s fine unless you have a really unusual body type (or you have really specific sartorial demands). And there’s the benefit of sometimes being able to try on a sample of a suitmaker’s “house style” to see if you like the cut before he makes your suit.

Highcliff Clothiers and Geoffrey Lewis fit the bill, but remember that, to keep prices down, they also outsource the handwork. Your suit may end up being assembled in a Chinese factory down the street from Raja’s! Not that there’s anything inherently wrong with this, but you might want to know if you’re bent on supporting (completely) local tailors. This is a common practice for sub-$1000 custom suits (though some local sellers aren’t willing to admit that they do it).

The real advantage to using a local tailor is to have someone easily available for “fine tuning” the suit’s fit (an absolutely essential part of the custom suit process). These follow-up fittings are the key to making a custom suit fit just right.

In my experience, picking one of the random sub-$1000 custom suitmakers in this city is about equivalent in risk to picking a random traveling Hong Kong tailor. Sometimes you get a good suit, sometimes you get a quality/service mess. Inconsistency is one of the ways the cheap comes out expensive. Then again, you might feel more comfortable having a human face and storefront to complain to if things go wrong. The effectiveness of this, like the suit quality, can vary.

I still suggest waiting for W.W. Chan — I know I’m not alone in regarding Chan as one of the best HK tailors. But it really comes down to who and what makes you comfortable. I recommend actually visiting a few local shops and talking to them about the process. Get a feel for them (and their styles/fabrics!) Are they pushy? How do they respond to your suggestions? Do they hint at add-ons? Do they give you straight answers about where and how your suit will be made? What about construction details (e.g. fused vs. canvassed)? Getting a custom suit is a learning process for everyone involved!

Anon 11:03 am: Thanks much, also excellent info which I’ll use when the budget allows a custom made shirt.

Correction from my second post: That’s “off the rack.” Not sure where that silent “w” came from, sorry.

I haven’t used The Custom Shop for suits but I have a few shirts on the way !