A Dong Silk offered the best blend of quality, service, price, and reliability that I found in Hoi An.
If, like me, you’re overwhelmed by the sheer number of tailors in Hoi An and the variety of prices and deals being quoted and aren’t sure which one to choose, then I’ll tell you my experience.
I was in Hoi An for 2 weeks partly to get 5 new suits and shirts made in Hoi An. I spent a couple of days researching online and walking around town to talk to different tailors. A lot of online reviews seem to be fake; shops quoted very different prices for the same materials, which made me suspicious about the quality from the cheaper places (an experienced older tailor at one of the high-end shops, Lana Tailors, told me with a weary look that anyone quoting under $300 for a 100% merino wool suit was lying, and I believed her). Some review photos showed people in suits that didn’t look like they fit properly, or at least not how I would like mine to fit. I also saw some people posing in their new suits in front of stores, and I wasn’t always impressed.
Ultimately, I went with A Dong Silk on 62 Tran Hung Dao, and I don’t regret it. I got one suit made first to see if I liked it. I worked with the excellent Le, who was assiduous in making sure everything was perfect and how I wanted it. The first suit took four fittings with a lot of minor adjustments, but by the end it fit perfectly. Le also has a better eye for colour than I do, and was a great help in choosing the right shade for each suit, the linings, the buttons, etc. After three suits, I also decided to get two coats, a Burberry-style jacket and a winter coat. I needed a coat and jacket anyway, and I could get them custom-made in Hoi An for less than the cost of buying off-the-rack in my home country. The coats were also excellent and Le made the whole experience a delight.
Are there cheaper tailors in Hoi An? Sure, but I also wanted to be sure the clothes were high-quality and I needed to feel like I could trust the people I was working with. Hoi An is too hot to keep walking around to different tailors! A Dong Silk had great reviews, Le was knowledgeable and experienced, the work was excellent, and the price was way lower than I would have paid in Europe. I have no regrets about my choice! If you’re also shopping around in Hoi An, then I recommend stopping by A Dong Silk for yourself and having a chat with Le.
