Hello everyone, and welcome to another of my reviews. In this article, I’ll review a new suit commission from the Bangkok tailor Boss Apparels.
I first visited Boss Apparels late last year, where I commissioned a classic double-breasted suit. I was impressed enough with the fit and Mack’s attention to detail that I decided to return earlier this year to get another suit done. Let’s see how my sophomore experience went.
Boss Apparels – the Video
For hands-on footage of my follow-up experience with Boss Apparels, do watch the YouTube video below:
Boss Apparels – the Experience
As a recap, Boss Apparels is located at the exit of the National Stadium BTS station, making it eminently convenient to get to.
Look out for the storefront with “MAC” and “Boss Apparels” emblazoned on the doors, and you’ll know that you’re in the right place.
Stepping into the storefront, I noticed that the shop felt smaller than it had on my previous visit. A quick check with the staff confirmed this – it turns out that Mack had ceded some space from his tailoring shop to the neighbouring cafe Beans and Brew, which is spearheaded by his son Ney. I suppose that encapsulates the love Mack has for his son, who, in turn, also helps out his father in the tailoring business.
As it turns out, Mack was out of the store when I visited, so I had the opportunity to interact with Ney himself. Seeing that we were about the same age, I asked Ney if he had any recommendations for the suiting fabric – something that’s appropriate for a young gentleman.
Ney’s first pick was a lovely green sharkskin fabric. He shared that green is not only one of his favourite colours (he was also wearing a green shirt), but it’s also a colour that’s in vogue. While I’ve done multiple green suits in the past, I don’t have one with a sharkskin texture yet.
Ney’s second pick was a rich chocolate brown fabric, which exuded a retro vibe. He also mentioned that earth tone fabrics are in trend, especially amongst the younger generation.
Seeing that I was undecided between the two, Ney offered to drape both fabrics on me so that I could better visualise the look. Instantly, I felt myself drawn more to the green sharkskin fabric – it pops against my skin better, and was the “younger” looking of the two fabrics.
With the suiting fabric decided, we moved on to the shirting fabrics. Ney noted that I wasn’t a fan of the coloured shirt Mack recommended in my previous visit, and thus recommended a herringbone-textured white shirt that’s classically versatile but not boring.
The shirting fabric had a lovely herringbone pattern, which I felt would complement the sharkskin texture of the suit well. I voiced my agreement to Ney (who seemed relieved that I agreed to his shirting suggestion).
Next, we proceeded to choose the lining for the suit. Seeing that I also liked the chocolate suiting fabric earlier, Ney suggested a brown lining with a paisley pattern. I liked that we were staying with earth tones (green and brown are both earth tones), while the paisley texture meant that the entire look would feature differing sartorial textures (sharkskin, herringbone, and now paisley). It’s a wise choice, and I commend Ney for his keen grasp of style.
When it came to the measurements however, Ney made way for Raj, stating that he wasn’t experienced enough to measure clients. He was honest about his perceived limitations, which I appreciated. I’ll gloss over the measurement process here, as I’ve already covered it in detail in my previous review.
While Ney didn’t take the actual measurements, he was still involved in the process and took photos of my posture (such as my concave back) for visual reference. I could tell that he was trying to slowly pick up the more technical aspects of the trade, which is again very commendable.
Afterwards, we briefly discussed the rest of the customisation options – I asked for side adjusters, as well as pick stitching on the lapels.
After two days, I returned to Boss Apparels for my basted fitting. For those uninitiated with tailoring, a basted fitting process is where the tailor will let you try on a skeleton jacket, held together by temporary white basting stitches. For more information on the basted fitting stage, read this educational article here. To me, a basted fitting stage is essential to a true tailoring experience. To quote a line from the aforementioned article: “It’s the difference between flying first class and flying on a private jet.”
Right off the bat, the fitting garment fit well. As always, the most problematic area was my back, which Raj noted.
He used pins to pin up the back, which created a better drape. I could tell that Raj was highly experienced (he shared with me later that he has been in the industry for over three decades) as he wielded pins and chalk with precise ease.
After pinning up the necessary areas of the back, Raj then attaches the sleeves. In Bangkok, the fitters often attach the sleeve separately, as it allows them to perfect the sleeve pitch (which is dependent on the individual’s posture). As can be seen in the photo above, the sleeve drapes beautifully.
Again, I’ve written in depth about the fitting process of Boss Apparels in my previous review, so I won’t go into detail here. That being said, I was impressed by how well the fitting garment fits – definitely much better than my first visit. Raj then told me to come back two days later to collect the finished suit.
Boss Apparels – Suit Review
Now that I’m back in Singapore, let’s take a closer look at the suit.
First, the front fits well, with the shoulders lying flat without any wrinkling. One can also see slight tapering around the waist, with the jacket being on the longer side as it ends near the middle of my thumb.
Second, the sleeve pitch is good too, with the sleeves largely draping smoothly without any wrinkling. It’s also short enough to expose about half an inch of shirt cuff. Furthermore, the jacket rests neatly on the shirt collar without an unsightly collar gap.
As for the back, I would say that the fit is decent, but not perfect. The upper portion fits well, but there remain unsightly wrinkles around the middle portion of the back (where my back arches in).
Moving on to the fabric, this mixed wool fabric is actually pretty breathable and feels lightweight on the skin. I also like the subtle sharkskin pattern, which adds a nice visual contrast to the fabric.
Stylistically, I like the wide notch lapels, which give the suit added visual interest while remaining versatile. I also appreciate the pick stitching on the lapels – a nice sartorial touch – as well as the convenience of an in-built pocket square.
In fact, the pick stitching is present not only on the lapels, but also on the pockets, as well as the edges of the jacket. It’s a subtle way of stating that this is a custom suit.
The sleeves are also functional, which is a treat at this price point. Also known as surgeon’s cuffs, functional sleeve cuffs are typically seen as a sign of quality workmanship.
On the inside, the brown paisley lining provides a nice juxtaposition to the green sharkskin suiting fabric without being too ostentatious. In addition, the pipe stitching running along the edges of the lining is a nice sartorial touch.
For the trousers, I opted for my usual side-adjusters, while Ney suggested an extended pointed waistband for a sharper look. While simple, the design is clean and modern, and definitely sharp-looking.
Nevertheless, I would still classify the fit of Boss Apparels as classic, perhaps leaning towards an American-style suit. The jacket is slightly longer, the torso and sleeves are roomier – all intentional to provide comfort for the wearer. Mack believes in comfort over style (he quipped to me that a suit is useless if it looks good, but is only worn once), and that is reflected in the “house cut” of Boss Apparels.
Conclusion – so Boss Apparels “shiok” or not?
Although the garments of Boss Apparels emphasise comfort over style, their suits do not necessarily look dated – especially with a striking fabric like the green sharkskin that I’ve chosen. Overall, I’m pleased with my sophomore suit from Boss Apparels: it fits great, has tons of visual interest, and is also versatile enough to be worn in a variety of settings. As compared to my initial black double-breasted suit, I can definitely see myself wearing this more. If you’re someone who will be wearing your suit often and prioritises comfort and affordability (but still wants to look good), then Boss Apparels will be right up your alley.
Suits from Boss Apparels start from just 6,000 THB (~S$234), with shirts starting from 1,500 THB (~S$58). My particular mixed wool suit from the “B+” suiting range costs 10,000 THB (~S$400), which I believe is great value for money. Those interested in commissioning clothing from Boss Apparels can quote the promo code “WAHSOSHIOK” or flash this post in-store to enjoy a whopping 20% off orders for the first five customers monthly, or a free shirt with a minimum purchase of 10,000 THB. Customers can also enjoy a free cup of coffee from Ney’s cafe (Beans & Brew) next door.
Book an appointment with Boss Apparels here.
Boss Apparels’ Location: Rama I Rd, Wang Mai, Pathum Wan District, Bangkok, Thailand,10330
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P.P.P.P.S Shiok is a common word Singaporeans use to express admiration or approval. As of 2016, you can find the definition of the word in the Oxford English Dictionary.
