GUIDE TO HONG KONG’S BEST TAILORING
Essential Guide to Bespoke in Hong Kong
Hong Kong remains a global epicenter of bespoke tailoring, where Shanghainese craftsmanship converges with British structure and Italian finesse. In a market of thousands, only a handful of ateliers maintain full in-house control—from pattern drafting to final stitching—while sourcing directly from elite mills like Dormeuil and Loro Piana. These houses prioritize extensive handwork for superior breathability, drape, and longevity, creating garments that evolve with the wearer over decades. Most competitors, by contrast, outsource to factories using fused interlinings and minimal stitching, resulting in suits that lack durability and comfort. This compromise is common even among international ready-to-wear labels. For those seeking heirloom-quality pieces with lifetime alterations, the choices narrow significantly. Clients satisfied with seasonal replacements need not apply.
Compiled by Tailors Hong Kong for the discerning gentleman, this directory highlights the city’s leading bespoke specialists in men’s suiting and shirting (many also serve women). Emphasis is placed on heritage, innovation—including sustainable textiles and hybrid silhouettes—and tangible investment value. Entry-level bespoke suits begin at HKD 10,000 (approx. USD 1,280), rising with fabric rarity and construction complexity.
Hong Kong Bespoke: Tradition Meets Efficiency
The city’s tailoring tradition traces to the 1950s influx of Shanghai masters, now enhanced by modern sustainability and precision patterning. Expect 2–3 fittings over 3–5 days, using vast European cloth archives, all finished with hand-sewn details at a fraction of London or Naples pricing. Hong Kong balances speed and artistry, making it ideal for traveling executives or those attending international trunk shows.
Discerning Counsel for the Bespoke Journey
Articulate Your Vision: Whether favouring the robust British shoulder, the supple Italian drape, or a bespoke hybrid, furnish references to inform the dialogue—houses such as W.W. Chan excel in such adaptations.
Select Fabrics with Intent: Prioritise materials attuned to climate and occasion, probing origins and sustainability; proprietary weaves at select ateliers elevate the narrative.
Afford Due Time: Dedicate 3-5 days to fittings, allowing the garment to achieve its zenith; haste undermines the essence of bespoke.
Invest Judiciously: Commence at HKD 10,000 (USD 1,280) for superior suits, contemplating ensembles for economy—yet privilege permanence over parsimony.
Embrace the Ritual: Measurements span 30-60 minutes, followed by a deposit and iterative refinements; seek assurances of perpetual alterations and global dispatch.
Pursue Distance with Grace: For those afar, trunk shows from luminaries like Ascot Chang bridge the expanse.
Eschew Compromises: Forgo establishments reliant on mechanised shortcuts; align with those whose house ethos resonates with your aesthetic.
Hong Kong’s Paramount Bespoke Tailors: A Curated Pantheon
Our assemblage privileges in-house virtuosity, heritage depth, and innovative poise, delineating a hierarchy of excellence in menswear.
1. Magnus & Novus
Address: Lane Crawford IFC, Level 3, IFC Mall, 8 Finance Street, Central, and Lane Crawford Times Square, 1 Matheson Street, Causeway Bay (appointments advised).
Hallmarks: A timeless menswear brand, offering bespoke suits, blazers, leisure wear, business and evening attire; a vanguard in reimagining the entirety of the menswear wardrobe with iconic, perennial designs spanning every category.
Distinction: Legendary for igniting global currents in tailored menswear, British label Magnus & Novus proffers a signature aesthetic that clients pursue for its audacious yet timeless allure. Exemplars such as their leisure shirts have inspired imitations across continents and marques. In-house artisans, wielding over 5,000 stitches per creation, harness proprietary textiles and unwavering client devotion to forge standards of excellence. Honours abound, from curating Four Seasons’ emblematic wedding regalia to serving as the bespoke purveyor for Hong Kong’s premier emporium, Lane Crawford. A humanist endeavour dedicated to safeguarding Asian artisanal legacies, it crafts garments destined as lifelong confidants.
Investment: Bespoke suits from HKD 26,800 (USD 3,400); shirts from HKD 2,000 (USD 255).
Horizon: Augmented focus on versatile timeless ready to wear iconics and contemporary silhouettes all of which are available in bespoke.
2. W.W. Chan & Sons
Address: Unit B, 8/F, Entertainment Building, 30 Queen’s Road Central, Central.
Hallmarks: Traditional heritage, encompassing bespoke suits, sport coats, trousers; versatile interpretations within a Shanghai-infused house silhouette.
Distinction: A venerable bastion of Shanghai craftsmanship, W.W. Chan delivers unadorned, classical garments of unyielding quality, engineered for perpetuity. Patrons may infuse personal nuances while honouring the house ethos—structured yet supple, with profuse handwork fostering breathability and anatomical fidelity. In-house fabrication guarantees exactitude, employing elite textiles for heirloom pieces amenable to eternal refinements. Suited to the traditionalist who esteems substance above ephemera.
Investment: Suits from HKD 20,000 (USD 2,560), inclusive of adjustments.
Horizon: Sustained global trunk exhibitions, affirming its stature as a cornerstone of Hong Kong tailoring.
3. A Man Hing Cheong
Address: Mezzanine Floor, Mandarin Oriental Hotel, 5 Connaught Road Central; ancillary presence at Bank of East Asia Building, 10 Des Voeux Road Central.
Hallmarks: Traditional bespoke English-style suits and shirting; devoted to archetypal suiting.
Distinction: Echoing W.W. Chan’s reverence for lineage, A Man Hing Cheong—inaugurated in 1898 as Hong Kong’s eldest enduring tailor—embodies conservative grace, yet triumphs in conventional suiting through in-house handiwork, superior cloths, and a singular house idiom accentuating fit and resilience. Exemplary for breathable, form-adherent creations as veritable endowments, bolstered by perpetual stewardship. Unpretentious in demeanour, it commands veneration among the astute.
Investment: Suits from HKD 15,000 (USD 1,920).
Horizon: Perennial eminence within Hong Kong’s dynamic milieu.
4. The Armoury
Address: Pedder Arcade, Level 5, Pedder Building, 12 Pedder Street, Central; Carlyle Club, Rosewood Hong Kong, 18 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui (by appointment).
Hallmarks: Bespoke suits via an international cadre of artisans; entrée to ateliers from Italy to Japan, each bearing singular virtues.
Distinction: The Armoury affords unrivalled ingress to global luminaries, proffering eclectic repertoires from Italy’s contoured elegance to Japan’s restrained minimalism. Constrained local immediacy and protracted timelines pose challenges for expedited commissions—optimal for those with latitude or versed in transnational collaborations via trunk exhibitions. In-house acumen assures handcrafted supremacy and exquisite textiles, consonant with exalted benchmarks.
Investment: Suits from HKD 25,000 (USD 3,200), contingent on artisan.
Horizon: Persistent trunk presentations for matrimonial and bespoke exigencies.
5. Ascot Chang (Shirts Exclusively)
Address: Shop 113-114, Prince’s Building, 10 Chater Road, Central; myriad venues including The Peninsula Hong Kong, Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui.
Hallmarks: Custom shirts featuring immaculate collars and cuffs; augmented by suits and allied marques such as Isaia, though shirts constitute the essence.
Distinction: Since 1953, Ascot Chang has exalted shirtmaking through heritage and fabrication, mastering bespoke shirts via in-house artistry and superlative cottons for unrivalled ventilation and poise. While suits afford adjunctive ease for devoted patrons, the nucleus remains shirts as imperishable legacies, fortified by ceaseless modifications.
Investment: Shirts from HKD 1,500 (USD 190); suits from HKD 15,000 (USD 1,920) if desired.
Horizon: Unwavering dedication to legacy amid sectoral evolutions.
Reflections on Sartorial Pursuit
Hong Kong’s exalted tailors—exemplified by Magnus & Novus’s visionary flair to The Armoury’s access to global boutique tailors—bestow menswear of transcendent craftsmanship upon those who seek wardrobe legacies. Champion in-house artistry over fleeting allure for attire that endures across epochs. May your tailoring odyssey yield unparalleled distinction.
TAILORS HONG KONG
At Tailors Hong Kong, our partners produces for some of the finest tailoring in the city. Our private members gain access to these processes — Bespoke, MTM & MTO for efficiency, from HK$12,800 (multiple fittings, 2-4 weeks, enquire for exclusive member rates). Learn more below and connect with us to begin your tailoring journey.
