“The skillful tailors of Hoi An are well-known throughout the world,” says Two Travelaholics. “With deft fingers and a keen eye, they’re known by many as master craftsmen, able to copy any design they see … if you show them a picture of a coat, suit or dress, you can expect a nearly exact replica to be produced within 24-48 hours.”
How do you select the right tailor in Hoi An? “We spent a lot of time talking to people, who had previously had clothes made,” says Contented Traveller. “Some of them had been scammed with poorly made garments, and others had been overcharged … others still complained that sleeves ripped apart after one wearing because the thread was so awful … others, however, had very good stories, and I was one of those.”
You get what you pay for, so “avoid cheaper prices,” advises The Culture Trip, who also suggests “you should walk in and compare a few tailor shops on criteria such as price, quality of fabrics, styles they recommend, and their customer service, among many other things,” and “check for online reviews and look out for pieces written by travel bloggers about their experiences.”
And remember, those “tailor shops” aren’t really tailor shops, explains Travelfish. “With very few exceptions, the store you order from isn’t doing the actual tailoring … the sewing is outsourced to ‘workshops’ (the polite word for sweatshops) or seamstresses at the market.”