Thailand – Getting A Suit Made In Thailand
One thing that I really wanted to do when I was in Thailand was to get a suit made. Looking around I don’t think I was the only one. The tailor shops are full of tourists getting suits made. There are plenty of tailors in the major cities. In Bangkok you can barely move without someone asking you if you want to get a suit made. A lot of the shops are small and pokey with quite a small selection of fabric so it’s worth shopping around.
It’s pretty easy to get the price down on suits. You’ve just got to be a little creative with your story. My favourite negotiation trick is to say that I’m travelling with my friends and that they’re interested in getting suits made but are hungover, tired, sightseeing or whatever you want. I immediately got the price of my suit slashed in half by using this tactic. If you do happen to have friends thatare looking to buy suits then this is a bonus but not necessary. I also like to look at them and tell them it’s too expensive and suggest a third of their asking price. If I can’t get that I don’t have a problem with walking away. There are lots of tailors. Remember the rules from The Seven Negotiation Skills article, fear of loss is a huge motivator. If you can gift the sale to the salesman then take it away just as he thinks he’s about to close the deal, he will chase you down the street to make the deal happen. Use this.
If you want a three piece and a shirt then play for a two piece and then add the extras on top to get a better deal overall. I find that I can get a better deal this way.
I ended up getting a beautiful red wine coloured three piece suit with a cream silk shirt made by Ram Fashion in Bangkok. You need to plan time for the initial fitting and then a second fitting when the suit is initially made to make any adjustments. My suit from Ram Fashion fitted very nicely on the first go but I’d always reccommend the second fitting just to make sure.
As with everything in Thailand I am skeptical to whether or not the goods are fakes. My rule is simple. If I am happy with the price if it was a fake then I’m happy to buy them. The same is true with materials in shops. Just because someone tells you material is Cashmere Wool made in Italy doesn’t mean it is true. Feel the material and if you’re happy with it then it doesn’t really matter whether or not it is genuine.
Out of all the tailors I visited in Thailand, the best was Ram Fashion in Bangkok. They had a much greater range of fabrics to choose from and they also give you free coffee, coke or beer when you come in regardless of whether you make a purchase. In the future I intend to purchase more suits (assuming I ever get a real job) from this awesome shop. The tuk tuk drivers will be more than happy to take you there. Work the salesmen hard because deals are there to be had. Think of it as a battle because they are not your friends. They will make you an excellent suit though!