Hoi An Tailoring – Tips & Tricks to the Perfect Tailoring Experience
Getting clothes tailored at BeBe should be a fun experience resulting in clothes that you hold onto for years as a wardrobe staple. We never ever want our customers going home from our tailor in Hoi An with something they are unlikely to wear. We at BeBe want to share our best tailoring tips and tricks so you only have the best experience.
TIPS FOR PICKING FABRIC
Consider the climate
Those who live in hot climates should keep breathability in mind. Linen is a great fabric for this. If you’re going back to colder weather, make sure that the fabric of the piece you’re having made is suitable for the chill once you’ve returned from your Vietnamese vacation. Our staff know all the tips to make our clothes suitable for wherever you live.
Quality fabric is worth spending money on
If you’re looking to get any garment made, it’s really worth going for the highest rated fabric you can afford. The quality of the tailoring here is the same, whether you’re choosing the highest-end fabrics or a cheaper range of cloth. You will still get great quality stitching and interfacing whatever fabric you choose. Fabric and fashions change all the time so it really is worth investing in something a little better and more modern. Whatever fabric is used to make your clothes is usually reflected in the final product. It’s worth spending a bit more on a higher quality fabric to have a higher quality garment.
Consider the occasion
You might not want a velvet suit made for a summer wedding, the same way you might not want a light-weight linen suit for a wedding in the dead of winter. If you are getting clothes made for a specific occasion, keep that occasion in mind when you pick out fabric. Will you have access to an iron before you wear your new dress? Satin shows sweat more easily than other fabrics. Silk feels delicate but wrinkles easily. Just remember that certain occasions require fabrics to fit their needs. Our staff will help you out with any of these queries.
Work or Play
Will you be using the garment for work or for just one-off occasions? If your going to be using one of our suits daily in the office, are you sure that ultra-slim fit is not going to start becoming very restrictive very quickly? This is something we hear about from time to time from customers. Once they get home they find that the ultra-slim fit suit they loved in the shop feels restrictive in their workplace. Do keep your suits for work more easy-fit and your special occasion suits as slim-fit as you dare.
Ask the experts
If your car broke down, you’d take it to a mechanic who knew a thing or two about cars, right? So, when you have questions about fabrics in regards to garments, it only makes sense that you’d go straight to the professionals in Hoi An and ask your tailor for advice! Tailors know how fabrics sit, which are prone to wrinkling, which stain easily, and what fabric makes your vision come together in the best possible way. Our staff know not only what works, but often more importantly what does not work. Our staff fit 1,000’s of customers a year so it really is worth listening to their advice.
TIPS TO SPEED THINGS UP
Do your research
It will speed things up exponentially and take up less of your vacation if you do some research ahead of time.
Reaching out to us before you arrive in Hoi An can save a lot of legwork and also the amount of time in the shop. Simply email us at contact@bebetailor.com explaining what you’d like to have made, how long you’ll be in Hoi An, what your budget is, and any other details you’d like us to know. You should also attach photos of similar styles you prefer, or that have provided information for your garment. We love appointments here at BeBe as it allows us to reserve a tailor in Hoi An especially for you and make sure you’re not waiting around.
Once we have received your email, we can reply to answering all your questions and give you a quote. Our contact page allows you to e-mail, live chat, or message us via Facebook or Whatsapp. This will speed the tailoring process up, as you’ll arrive in Hoi An already having a clear idea of the tailor services they provide and have a rapport built with their staff.
Visit the tailor right away
If you know that you’d like to get a suit or other article of clothing made while you’re visiting Hoi An, we cannot stress enough how smart it is to come into the tailor shop as soon as you can. The more time tailors have to make your garment, the better the quality will be. Coming in early during your holiday makes the tailoring process stress-free and eliminates you rushing around, trying to squeeze in last-minute fittings before your departure flight. Contact us and make an appointment so you will not be waiting and we can get as many details as possible ready before you arrive. Then, just come in, get measured, and head to the beach! We will schedule your first fitting with you at a convenient time for you and all will be well.
Have a clear idea of what you would like tailored
Our staff are happy to advise you throughout the process, but only you can see the vision in your head exactly as you picture it. It’s alright to need some direction, but those who visit with a solid vision for their garment usually leave feeling extra satisfied with how smooth their tailoring experience was.
Bring photos with you
Bringing photos while in Hoi An to the tailor shop is one of the simplest steps you can take to move the process along. Photos, especially if you can find back and front silhouettes of the piece, are helpful for reasons you might not even expect.
First, it’s a lot easier to see what you want to be created if you have a photo we can use for reference. There are thousands of styles of clothing for you to choose from, part of what makes creating a garment from scratch so fun! But, it also means that saying you’d like trousers made isn’t always enough. Wide leg? Bootcut? Cropped? Bring in a photo of a pair you’ve seen online that you like the style of.
Second, although our staff speak English, a photo cuts out details being lost in translation. It’s almost like a little insurance policy. You’ve told them what you want to be made and you’ve also shown them what you’d like made- they have two points of reference and that doubles our odds of getting it perfect the first time.
Even with native English speakers, photos help eliminate terms that are used differently across the tailoring industry. For example, you might say you want something “taken in” when you actually want the tailor to put in “darting”. Seeing a picture, our experienced tailors will know exactly what you mean even if they don’t understand the term you used.
TIPS FOR A BETTER OVERALL EXPERIENCE
Don’t be afraid to speak up
Put simply, we can’t answer questions that don’t get asked. Answering your questions is part of what our staff are here to do! We understand that some people are a bit shy but we are a friendly bunch here and alterations are our job. There will never be a problem so if you want something changed, speak up!!
Remember, part of what you pay for when getting an item of clothing tailor-made in Hoi An is the adjustments and alterations you desire. Tailors need to know if there are bits of a garment that feel uncomfortable or if you want something specific added. Communicating your thoughts to them helps guarantee you get what you’re looking for. At the end of the day, we are working for you!
Be realistic
You’re not Victoria Beckham. You’re not David Beckham either….The photo’s you see in magazines have been attacked by a team of professional photo-retouchers and the dresses will have pins, strings and clips holding everything in place for that perfect one-time shot.
Don’t get us wrong, our customers love our suits and dresses. We will tailor the dress to your body just how you want it and keep making alterations until your 100% happy. However, do understand how a professional photo is taken these days and how different cuts of dresses or suits can enhance certain body-shapes.
Expect two or three quick fittings
Knowing what to expect in terms of the time needed to make a quality garment from start to finish is vital.
2-3 quick fittings are the industry standard for guaranteeing the perfect fit and highest quality outcome.
While this might seem like an inconvenience, we will work entirely within your schedule. It should also be noted that we can, if need be, come to your hotel for fittings if you’re pressed for time. We realize many of our customers are on holiday and will do everything in our power to make sure fittings don’t ever get in the way.
Know your budget
If you walk into BeBe with a bit of an idea of your budget we should be able to find something to match. We have the largest selection of fabrics in Hoi An so normally have something for budgets great and small.
We are hoping to roll out a new fixed pricing system soon to cut out all bartering and simplify the tailoring process for our customers. The new fixed pricing should help speed up the tailoring process by eliminating any of the time you’d waste negotiating and help with transparency. We want our customers to be able to look at a rack of fabrics and know that any suit on that rack is a set price.
Check every last detail
One of our top tips for you as a customer is to check every single detail of your clothing at your final fitting. When you try on your piece for the last time before you depart Hoi An, make sure you pay attention to every aspect of the garment before you leave the dressing room. Does your suit feel comfortable? Is our shirt too loose? Does the skirt of your dress sit the way you envisioned it would? There are rare circumstances when the clothes have to be altered and then sent to your hotel without a final sign off in the shop. In this case please do make sure you try the clothes and check the alterations in your hotel BEFORE you leave Hoi An. Any problems just call us and we will be there !!
Listen to the experts
Our tailors and staff know what works and don’t work. They will happily do it your way, but keep in mind they have tailored thousands of customers. In short: they know what they’re talking about. Our staff are absolute suckers for a customer who is fun and enjoyable to be around. It is no exaggeration to say that every day we see the staff buying a beer or coffee for their favourite customers. The staff here want the experience to be a fun one. The Vietnamese love a laugh and want your coming to the shop to be part of your holiday and not a burden.
Love your clothes?
If you love what we made you and are considering getting more clothes from us once you have returned home, do let us know. Our staff can then double-check that we have recorded all the changes and corrections at the fittings. We can even do a full re-measure of a jacket or trousers for you so everything will be perfect when you order from home.
BeBe’s final thoughts
Getting your first tailor-made garment in Hoi An should be a fun experience and not an overwhelming one.
Here at BeBe we are all about making what is traditionally seen as a rather “stuffy” industry into one where our staff and customers have fun and enjoy the process. Our aim is to make beautiful clothes that last and that you love.
If your heading over to Hoi An anytime soon, do get in touch with us, make an appointment and we will have you looking a million dollars by the time you leave.