Tailoring in Hoi An: History, Prices, Tips and Best tailors

Reading Time: 17 minutes

Last Updated on 4 years by Tam Le Van

Hoi An is a fantastic destination to think of high-class custom fashion items. It boasts of long history in sewing tradition over generations and the most talented tailors all over the country. Nowhere else, completing a gorgeous three-piece suit is as quick as here. Makers need around one day to see you for final fittings. Quality probably does not give you disappointings. Reputation of tailoring in Hoi An reaches far beyond city borders.

In this article, we outline everything about tailoring in Hoi An: history, prices, tips and best tailors. Leading tailors also will be revealed basing on our local knowledge and experiences. Ranging from high-end and mid-range shophouses within the Old town as well as top-reviews ones in Hoi An cloth market. Hope that you will have much helpful information after read.   

History of tailoring in Hoi An

Hoi An tailoring began from at least 400 years ago when the city’s a trading port on Maritime Silk Road. Chinese, Japanese and European merchants came here to exchange high-quality goods of silk, fabric and relating techniques. This first golden period of tailoring in Hoi An ended after Asian countries had policies in restricting international trade. However, lots of people still stayed back and taught the knowledge and skills to next generations. Their successors later achieved considerable success in the business nowadays.

UNESCO title 20 years ago created a tourism boom that promoted Hoi An’s tailors spreading globally. Currently the city is housing some hundreds of skillfull ones. Many of them reached world-class standards.

Why is Hoi An famous for tailoring?

Similar to cycling or cooking class in Hoi An, getting something tailor made is another popular thing to do. Firstly, the city houses the largest number and the most skilled tailors in the country. But pricing is much less costy than numerous urbans, epsecially Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh city. These advantages cause an attractiveness from visitors who want to have a handful of fashonable items.

Secondly, Hoi An tailors are masters of copying every single design around the world. Travelers only need to show photos from the internet and will collect a perfect facsimile in the day after. Moreover, the collection of fabrics here covers a hugely wide range that meet all specifications. So holiday makers usually think nothing of lacking whatever to create high-toned dresses, shirts or suits.  

Hoi An tailors                 

Types of Hoi An tailor

Tailor shops

Big mens with a chain of shops

Tailoring in Hoi An is a big industry and during over twenty years, some local tailors developed to big mens. They own a chain of shops in company with plentiful sale sites within hotels/resorts. Typically, there are Bebe Tailor, A Dong Silk Tailor, Yaly Couture and Kimmy Customer Tailor. Each brand has thousands of online reviews, indicating that they received a large number of the attention from suit seekers. The success of these businesses reflects the growth of tailoring in Hoi An, from small tailors until big names nationwide-known.

If looking for well-fitted garments without spending much time in personal researches, four big mens are good to believe in. Their quality of creations stands at top, resulting the price will be higher than rest of Hoi An tailors.    

Middle-sized shophouses

In fact, middle-sized shophouses are the most picked spots for tailoring in Hoi An due to a softer cost basis. You may see a bunch of this type of shop wherever on lantern-lit streets of the ancient town. Also usually exhibits ready-made pieces, leather productslike bags, shoes, jackets, etc plus accessories for sale. Additionally, they also locate very much on Hai Ba Trung and Cua Dai main streets because of plentiful hotel there.

Comparing to big mens, middle-sized shophouses provide the quality in a little lower level and about price, less expensive. They’re proper to travelers liking to make middle-of-the-road garments in both of its standard and budget spent. Furthermore, some places have the on-site tailor which is interesting to witness how to give rise to wonderful items created.

Should buy leather goods in Hoi An’s tailor shops?

A number of tailor shops deals in leather goods alongside their main business. There, you’re able to see stylish bags, shoes and jackets that good to be mixed and matched with your garments. It’s possible to ask for a discount if buy. Four big names (Kimmy Custom Tailor, A Dong Silk Tailor, Yaly Couture and Bebe Tailor) offer qualitied leather goods whose reliable source. Amongst them, Yaly Couture possesses the finest products. Be that  as it may, the staff of top shops not specialize in leathering.

Hoi An Life recommends taking visits to leather shops where totally focus on leather works. They’re holding rich practical experiences enabling the understanding everybody’s needs and later advise all the best for you. View our article through http://hoianlife.net/leather-goods-and-leather-workshops-in-hoi-an/ to dive into the world of leather goods and workshops in Hoi An.      

Tailors in hotel/resort

Every medium to big hotels and luxury resorts have a specific space for tailoring with on-site material collection. They often cover the stages of picking the fabric&design and measuring conducted by well-trained employees. Then work with a local dependable tailor in making as well as fitting to guarantee the quality as highest as posible. Accordingly, tailoring in Hoi An’s hotel/resort still keeps standards that are fair to tailor shops.

Basically the first advantage of tailor in hotel/resort belongs to time-saving. It suits for holiday makers who have not much time for do-it-themselves research. Secondly, as a room bookers, you will be given more care and attention from the hotel. That’s good when pay the same amount but get extra things.

Tailors in Hoi An cloth market

To the West-edge of the ancient town, Cho vai Hoi An (Hoi An cloth market) houses various small locally-run tailors. Their quality of bespoke items is not really lower than many shophouses on high streets. In general, the fabric in these places sources from different suppliers througout Vietnam. Meaning that it is diverse. Some stores offer the first-rate level while many others deal in materials with low standard.

You should do research more carefully than other places to know the right spot for opening your wallet. If not lucky, the quality will not match suitably the amount of money paid. Besides, think about the bargaining here because the locals usually do it in the markets to reduce the first price. The best deal is the meeting point between your acceptable price and saleman agreeing.

Lastly, keep in mind that the market closes around 6 p.m. Just a few tailors remain its opening time at later hours. If possible, geting in touch soon to make a meeting with. Read our article have the complete guide for Hoi An markets via http://hoianlife.net/comprehensive-guide-to-hoi-ans-markets/.

Note: Are you thinking of only buying fabrics in the cloth market and then come to another place for tailoring? From locals and expats, the 1m cotton, linen and silk cost are in between 120.000-150.000 VND (5.2-6.5 USD), 100.000-300.000 VND (4.3-13 USD) and 150.000-300.000 VND (6.5-13 USD) respectively.

Tailoring process at Hoi An’s tailors

Note: Either tailor shop or in hotel, the process of tailoring in Hoi An share four basic steps: working with fabric&design, measuring, fitting and collecting. Top tailors offer after sales service as well.  

#1 Design the garment

Designing the garment will be the first stage of your experience about tailoring in Hoi An. Exceptionally, tailors here are the master of copying from classic to most trendy designs. If not prepare in advance some favourite models, the shophouses will provide you free internet access for searching online. And then just show them the photo about. Before move to measuring step, the sale assistance always take you around for introducing the most proper fabrics and coressponding colors as well as discuss about prices.    

#2 Measurements

When agree for everything, the tailors will measure your sizes with care and attention. An experienced women uses measuring tape to work at every necessary point while another listens and notes the numbers carefully. They do the job very speedy therefore could not make sure how many spots worked on. It takes only few minutes to finish this step. If like to tailor more pieces, no worries because Hoi An tailors often keep your size infor in a period of time long enough for future orders.

#3 Fittings

Regularly, you will go for final fittings as less as 24 hours after paying. Your tailors are absolutely flexible about time and meeting place for the most convenience to you. Either carrying out right at the shop or in the hotel, they do the best to make the first close-fitting also become the last.  

#4 Collecting

Collecting is the [last] step of tailoring process in Hoi An’s tailors. Like fittings, you can ask for picking your completed pieces at the shop, delivering to the hotel or shipping home. See prices for shipping a suit from Hoi An in the section below.

Note: To offer the best service all possible, Hoi An tailors ordinarily are happy about giving their perfect creations to your hotel. Tell them in the fitting time in order to help them reschedule easier the daily program.   

Hoi An tailoring price

Note: All prices below are according to our recent research. Contacting to your favourite tailor is the best way to know latest rates. Besides Email or phone, Hoi An’s tailors also have popular-used social medias such as Facebook or Instagram.

Men suit price

Men 3 piece suit (pant, shirt&jacket): Simple/basic fabric around 90 USD (2.070.000 VND), Moderate fabric 170 USD (3.900.000 VND) and Luxury fabric&design 260 USD (5.900.000 VND).

Women dress price

Evening Gown: Simple design around 75 USD (1.725.000 VND), Moderate design 90 USD (2.070.000 VND) and Complicated design with extra fabric 130 USD (2.990.000 VND).

Basic/simple summer dress: 14-20 USD (320.000-460.000 VND).

Summer dress with detailed/extra fabric: 20-35 USD (460.000-800.000 VND).

Men and women shirt price

Men shirt price: Short sleeve button up shirt 15-24 USD (345.000-550.000 VND), Long sleeve button up shirt 17-28 USD (390.000-645.000 VND).

Women shirt price: Sleeveless button up shirt 14-20 USD (320.000-460.000 VND), Long sleeve button up shirt 15-20 USD (345.000-460.000 VND), Tank top 9-13 USD (200.000-300.000 VND), Short sleeve blouse (basic/simple) 13-18 USD (300.000-415.000 VND), Blouse with more detailed/extra fabric 18-26 USD (415.000-470.000 VND).

Price to ship a suit from Hoi An

Let’s imagine that you get some tailored pieces for you and family back home when travel Hoi An. But no more space fitting them in the lugguage? To deal with, think of shipping home your fashionable suits, elegant dresses or graceful shirts from Vietnam.

Lots of Hoi An’s tailors are able to include this service. Vietnam Post Office is the most selected shipping companies. At its headquarter in 06 Tran Hung Dao street, your package will be charged in line with the weight-based calculating. A suit commonly weighs around three kilograms therefore for convenience, we provide 3-kg package’s shipping prices correspondingly as following:

Shipping prices from Hoi An to the United States of America: Airmail 3-4 weeks (around 1.100.000VND-48 USD), Seamail 3-4 months (690.000 VND-30 USD), Eco express 15 days and Express 5-6 days (calculated on site).

From Hoi An to the United Kingdom: Airmail 3-4 weeks ( around 1.150.000 VND-50 USD), Seamail 3-4 months (800.000VND-35 USD), Eco express 15 days and Express 5-6 days (calculated on site).

From Hoi An to Australia: Airmail 3-4 weeks (around 875.000 VND-38 USD), Seamail 3-4 months (600.000 VND-26 USD), Eco express 15 days and Express 5-6 days (calculated on site).

Further, there are two other companies you should take note as well, Dai Nam postal service and DHL express. See our article here to know their prices together with getting more information about shipping from Hoi An. 

Tips to know a highly-valued tailor in Hoi An

Note: First and foremost, the online researching is the best way to know a gem within over 200 tailors in Hoi An. Do it well before finally make up your mind. TripAdvisor, Facebook, travel blogger and website postings, or friend recommendations are your gateways into the world of helpful facts.

Online research

TripAdvisor reviews

At present, TripAdvisor is one of the most reliable source of information for us to survey values of a tailor. Its rigid censoring policy brings us true experiences and exact things happened in reality. Hoi An tailors (especially top ones) really care about what their past clients feedbacks to have an attentive marketing profile. Meaning that if a place without good customer reviews, ‘unfriendly’ first impressions will be made.  

On the other hand, many tailors try to create impressive reviews from their friends or staffs who never involve. See English-used opinions, check their writing style&length (fake reviews often have one or two lines). Take note of where he/she comes from to filter the eager to help Vietnamese accounts. Google maps basically do a better job in this case with a team of local guides. Complimentarily, you should follow someone paid at least several contributions plus active history consisting of previous noteworthy reviews.

Lastly, observe how the tailor make its response to other people. TripAdvisor is also a part of business where a tailor can show how professional they’re. Each ask-ers potentially will become a customer in near future. For that reason, when see any questions, somewhere professional immediately reply with open arms.    

Facebook page

Along with TripAdvisor reviews, Facebook is another online site to check the experience of past customers and quality they received. Not every aspects, but indicate us a part of real facts. In comparison to TripAdvisor, you will see latest postings on Facebook earlier because of its softer censoring policy. There is not difficult to verify actual facebook accounts who gets honest-to-goodness information.

Clicking on the examinations of who did before first. How much a person invested in his/her review is the most important indication. In other words, you should move to next ones if written too short, too general or without photos. Secondly, looking at the massage chat bar. Highly-valued tailors often recommend a couple of popular questions and items from traveler choice or prices for instance. Apart from Whatsapp, Facebook messenger get operated free from using a Vietnamese sim card. Just with the internet connection, your communication will start.  

Reviews from travel bloggers

Currently, tailering in Hoi An has been on subject of influencial travel bloggers and TV show makers from many parts of the world. Their sharings usually tell us the truth because they stayed in the city and tailored something (may have photos). As smart travellers, the bloggers absolutely know which place they do believe in. That’s awesome for us to save time and go straight to recommended tailor. Nonetheless, not a few bloggers get paid for their postings. Hoi An thinks that you should crosscheck other online sites as well to identify your beloved one.

Website

Leading Hoi An tailors have their own webpage where fabrics, designs, prices and processes of how they serve us shown. Social medias on display and well-linked to allow suit seekers easily connect to see past customer’s reviews and pictures.     

Word of mouth recommendations

Friends who traveled Hoi An before

Webpage/facebook homepage often overrates its owner, for example the best tailor in Hoi An on several current sites. By contrast, the information from trusted friends tells us what happened in actuality without benefits. They may send pictures about items made and the prices to you as a reference. Definitely very helpful but you need more opinions from others else to find out your own darling tailor.

From local people

Recommended tailors from your hotel receptionist, tour guide, bell boys, restaurant-ers or even ‘sale ladies’ your meet in town are also noticeable. Due to they introduced and received direct feedbacks in abundance from people previously did. Business of tailoring in Hoi An plays a vital role in economy so nearly all of involvements have the commission. It doesn’t mean that mentioned tailors will not give you an excellent experience. Feeling free to listen&talk with politely and have a double check later.

On-site tailor

On-site tailor indicates that a shop is not middleman who has the benefit from reselling. Therefore, it will take a longer time because occasionally you’re not the priority. On the other side, watching tailors at work also is an interesting experience. In which, you can see how your pieces made that tours rarely offer.    

The best tailors in Hoi An

The best tailors within the high-end group

A Dong Silk Tailor-62 Tran Hung Dao Street
Opening time: 7:30-21:30
Contacts: Telephone number (+84) 235 3910 579
Email: info@adongsilk.com
Facebook: A Dong Silk Personal Tailoring-Home

Established in 1997, A Dong Silk Tailor is one of the pioneers in personalized tailoring. This star’s business philosophy emphasizes true satisfaction from the guests through working with the most skilled local tailors and well-trained sale assistances. This combination creates stylish hand-woven garments which is exceptionally fitted to every needs. Because of all these reasons, it is deserved to be among the best tailors in Hoi An. The shop recommends keeping 50% of your total bill as deposit. And the rest is purchased after you feel happy with finalized pieces. Both cash and credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, American express) are accepted with any additional fee, but cash is preffered. It’s ok for online orderings paid via Western Union and Onepay (Visa, Mastercard, with extra feee). 

In case of A Dong Silk Tailor shipping service, your order will be delivered to you in fully insured manner. It urges all guests to inspect the package for damage or tampering before receiving/signing the receipt. On week days (from Monday to Friday), every item is processed in the same day while have to wait if ship during the weekend. Depending on which country and company, it costs differently.  

Bebe Tailor-05 Hoang Dieu Street
Opening time: 8:00-21:30
Contacts: Telephone number: (+84) 235 2212 670
Email: contact@bebetailor.com
Facebook: Bebe Tailor-Home

Bebe Tailor entered the world of customized tailoring in Hoi An fifteen years ago. Today it has a chain of three stores at 05 Hoang Dieu, 95 Phan Chau Trinh and 40 Tran Hung Dao streets.

There is a mistake if not mention the quality of tailored pieces here. It’s strongly affirmed by top travel webpages including well-known Lonely Planet. The shop offers not last fitting time until every your item perfectly-made. Employees work one-on-one with during the whole process to make your idea become real. Up to present, Bebe Tailor served over 70.000 people living around world, almost all of its clients satisfied. Believing in complete transparency between customer and business, this reputable tailor is run without any hidden costs.

Furthermore, you are able to send photo of your best-loved designs via message bar on Bebe Tailor’s official website. Within twenty-four hours, you will see fully useful answers. Live chat itself is available for communicating with experts equipped on the page too.        

Yaly Couture-358 Nguyen Duy Hieu Street
Opening time: 8:00-21:00
Contacts: Telephone number (+84) 235 3914 995
Email: 47ntn@www.yalycouture.com
Facebook: Yaly Couture&Custom Tailor

As the most prestigious bespoke tailor in Hoi An, Yaly Couture initially was a small market stall. It’s run by Ms.Quynh who boasts about her hometown-Hoi An very much. She lives with a purpose to provide high quality workmanship, service and fabrics to international standard. Year after year, her desire came true. Yaly today becomes a world renowned institution with three boutiques inside Hoi An ancient town. Its curent reputation is evident in fabulous items created by high-grade materials and a team of nearly 300 skillful tailors. Further, it also arrange frequent professional training courses for its local-rooted employees.

Hoi An Life paid a visit Nguyen Thai Hoc branch last time. We were greeted warmly from ladies wearing traditional Ao dai with lots of smiles at first. Then took a seat, got a cold bottle of water and talked about our favourite things. Staffs showed us an extentive design catalogue and after to fabric collection known as the largest one in the city. Although did not get any tailor-made items but we felt how much people here put the care in works.

Inside current three shops, Yaly Couture houses varying models of leather goods encompassing of the finest leather bags. In our point of view, their standard as high as any prime tailoring pieces made here. Look at brand’s strong attention on everything it does.     

Kimmy Custom Tailor-70 Tran Hung Dao Street
Opening time: 8:00-22:00
Contacts: Telephone number (+84) 235 3862 063
Email: info@kimmytailor.com
Facebook: Kimmy Tailor

Tran Hung Dao street is road of the best tailors in Hoi An, consisting of Kimmy Custom Tailor (crossroad of Hai Ba Trung Street). This creditable gets owned and operated by a Vietnamese-Canadian who had over fifteen years experience working in the field within Vietnam and other countries.

When step into Kimmy store, its English fluently-spoken staffs will concenstrate entirely on you and your needs to bring good impressions right at first moments. According to annual expert training courses, they know which are the best selections satisfying your specifications. Not all about the awesome people, it also provides 100% beguine fabrics and a broad range of colors. That’s great to make suits, dresses or shirts at the right price. 

Its website is fantastic as well, showing plentiful memories about last customers wearing on their fashionable outfits or family with Bebe-created garments. Videos impressed anybody that someone may say ‘I just want to do the same’ right after watching. Above all, it showcases over 50 different designs. From this collection, enjoy surfing up and down on your phone screen to radar the favourite. Without any visits, you could get it. Comparing to other best tailors in Hoi An in this article, Bebe Tailor’s webpage profile is most invested.   

The best tailors within the mid-priced group

Tuong Tailor-67 Tran Hung Dao Street
Opening time: 8:00-21:00
Contacts: Telephone number (+84) 235 3863 573
Email: bituong@gmail.com
Facebook: Tuong Tailor

Stands as one of the best tailors in Hoi An, Tuong Tailor brings us perfectly custome-made pieces of cloth on the basis of using fine fabrics and professional service on all stages. Its reputation today is weaved by the tradition of tailoring passed on from father to son during two decades as well as comes from rich experiences in working with Western suit lovers. Being confident in valued products created, Tuong Tailor highly recommends cross-checking the information on TripAdvisor and other social channels to make you fully-ready for  its tailoring experience before come to.

You may shop online on the webpage with shirts for both beautiful ladies and gentlemens (prices shown clearly). Moreover, there are six men and nine women items or sale too.

Blue Eye Tailor-48 Nguyen Thai Hoc Street
Opening time: 8:30-21:00
Contacts: Telephone number: (+84) 905 385 375
Email: blueeyeshop.48@gmail.com
Facebook: Blue Eye Tailor-Home

Up to the present, Blue Eye Tailor has being one of the leading made-to-measure tailors in Hoi An. Talented and passionate tailoring specialists, well-informed customer assistances and qualitied fabrics are reasons. Furthermore, it has another advantage in recommendation from top travel agencies. Meaning that everything Blue Eye doing now enables to introduce Hoianese tailoring traditions and create the perfect objects. Definitely they’re good memories about Vietnam.  

Like other Hoi An’s best tailors, it takes less than 24 hours to complete your garments here, for sure together with the correctness in every detail. When done, this local business will deliver to you directly or send home, no matter where you live if request. Shipping expense will be charged as same rate as in the postal companies.

The Tailory-52 Tran Hung Dao Street
Opening time: 8 a.m to 8 p.m daily
Contacts: Telephone number: (+84) 165 752 5600
Email: Thoaletailor@gmail.com or rudy@thetailory.vn
Facebook: The Tailory-Home

Confidence in making high-quality bespoke items, The Tailory has standed strong during twenty-years since it was set up. You can think of an extentive list of up-to-scratch materials, outstanding workmanship and awesome after sale service here. This tell us why The Tailory got favoured of thousands of holiday makers worldwide. Together with Bebe, Yaly and A Dong Silk, it’s a member of the best tailors group in Hoi An.

While lots of tailors don’t invest their webpage for posting and updating information/news, The Tailory did it many years ago. Helping us and the tailor as well to save time, especially when we do online research. In other words, we get almost all of what we want from its website such as social media connections or brief introductions about men/women design collections and available fabrics. At least, we can make up our mind at ease.  Besides that, your measurements will be kept in three years. This allows you can order something online when not in Vietnam.  

The best tailors in Hoi An cloth market

Mrs.An Cloth Shop-Stall No.90 of Hoi An cloth market
Opening time: 8 a.m to 6 p.m everyday
Contacts: Telephone number (+84) 905031315
Email: Huynhthian0903@gmail.com

Within bustling Hoi An cloth market, this tailoring spot was founded by Mrs.An and her hubsband fifteen years ago. She had 6 years experience as an assistance into the bargain. By contrast to bountiful places in town, Mrs.An did not receive any inheritance from her family. Now her shop becomes one of the best tailors in Hoi An cloth market by great efforts from zero.

After passing by colorful stalls, your attention immediately will put in the variety of fabrics of Ms.An Cloth Shop. Especially, the collection used for making shirts. Suit seekers also mention welcoming staffs who catches your ideas quickly and pieces they made live up to every expectations. Similar to other best tailors in Hoi An, the turnaround here overally is less than twenty-four hours. Additionally, Ms.An offers a refund if the customers feel unhappy with their outfit, although it is rare.

45 Tailor Inside Hoi An Cloth Market-01 Tran Phu Street
Opening time: 8:00-18:30
Contacts: Telephone number(+84) 905 466 755
Email: 45clothshop@gmail.com

Alongside with Ms.An Cloth Shop, the 45 Tailor is another best tailor in Hoi An cloth market. In this place, you will have catalogues of varying clothing illustrations once choose your type of fabric and color. A quick measurement is made then. Someone said that don’t expect much about professionalism of market tailors but here, the style and time always are correct. Not only reasonable price, its quality’s not less than larger shops. Well-deserving to be listed as one of the noticeable tailors in Hoi An. 

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Tam Le Van

Tam is a tour leader and passionate traveler who has beautiful memories over 50 provinces of Vietnam. During the time Corona virus spreads out globally, he decides to become a blogger to share his experiences.
Contacts for work: Levantam0906@gmail.com or (+84) 968009827

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