Hello everyone, and welcome to another of my reviews. In this article, I’ll review a new suit commission from Bangkok tailor Galaxy Tailor.
Buoyed with confidence after a positive experience with Universal Tailors, I decided to try out more Bangkok tailors. Galaxy Tailor was another tailor that popped up on my radar – let’s see how my experience went.
Galaxy Tailor – the Brand
With over 25 years in the business, Galaxy Tailor describes themselves as “a manufacturer of high-grade custom-tailored suits, shirts and trousers in Bangkok, Thailand”. Today, the business is run by brothers David and Jay, who represent the second generation. Unlike most other Bangkok tailors, Galaxy Tailor – a manufacturer – provides backend production for other Thai tailors and overseas tailors. As such, all production is done in-house, with lightning-quick turnaround time.
If you’re wondering about the inspiration behind the name, it stems from the brand’s mission to deliver suits that make its clients “feel like they own the Galaxy”. To do so, Galaxy Tailor creates a unique pattern for each client and hand-cut the fabric – the old-school way. This approach has paid dividends, with Galaxy Tailor boasting a perfect Google rating of 5/5 with over 100 reviews. Their perfect Google rating piqued my interest, so I tried them out for myself.
Galaxy Tailor – Video Review
For some hands-on footage of my experience at Galaxy Tailor, check out the Youtube video below:
Galaxy Tailor – the Experience
Galaxy Tailor’s showroom is conveniently located in the heart of Sukhumvit, a mere 5-minute walk from the BTS station Asoke. Word of advice: take the BTS, not a taxi or tuk-tuk. I, unfortunately, took a Grab to Galaxy Tailor and ended up being stuck in rush-hour traffic for over an hour. In comparison, taking the BTS would only have been 15-20 minutes.
My first impression of Galaxy Tailor was great. I was offered a choice of drink (coffee, tea, water, even whiskey), and was promptly served said drink (I chose an Americano) to enjoy while browsing the fabrics. The showroom itself was cosy, with minimalist white walls that reminded me of an interior designer’s office. However, I noticed that there was only one seating area, so I assume one would have to wait if there were multiple groups of customers in the shop.
As per the norm for Bangkok tailors, Galaxy Tailors has dozens (if not hundreds) of fabric rolls lining its walls. I noticed that the fabrics and jackets at Galaxy Tailors seem more fun and vibrant, as compared to Universal Tailors which were mainly navy, grey and black jackets.
At Galaxy Tailor, prices start at USD 200/7200 Baht for poly-wool fabrics. I wanted something a little better and asked David and Jay to show me fabrics around USD 300/10800 Baht price range. They promptly obliged, showing me several fabric books, and said I was also free to browse through the hundreds of fabric rolls on the walls to see if any were to my fancy.
After pursuing through the fabric books, a lovely chocolate brown fabric caught my eye. It’s a unique shade of brown with subtle blue checks that I don’t see often and have yet to own. I promptly informed David of my selection, who shared that I was in luck as he had that fabric in-store.
David then promptly brought down the fabric roll and draped it over for me to better visualise how the fabric would look on my body. From the offset, I was in love with the fabric – it’s subtle yet striking, with an old-school charm to it.
I then asked David for a shirt recommendation, and he quickly suggested a light blue fabric to pair with the subtle blue checks of the chocolate fabric. I like the out-of-the-box recommendation – most tailors would have proposed a safe white shirt instead. There’s nothing wrong with a classic white shirt of course (in fact, please opt for a white shirt if it’s your first suit), but I’m past that stage now.
With the fabric selections settled, we moved on to the measurements. Galaxy Tailor is a family business, which means that both David and Jay have spent their entire lives in this industry. This experience showed in David’s prompt measurements, as he meticulously recorded my proportions.
After 24 hours, I returned to Galaxy Tailor for my basted fitting. Again, I’m impressed that Galaxy Tailor can have the basted fitting ready within 24 hours, which is only possible due to its in-house production.
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, and I’m impressed that Galaxy Tailor could offer one despite its affordable price point.
During the basted fitting process, David pointed out my arched back, which was causing substantial wrinkles on the upper back. He promptly broke out the chalk and denoted the alterations to be made on the fabric. This is an aspect that impressed me about the Bangkok tailors – even the younger, front-facing personnel are competent with the essential tools of the trade, such as chalk and pins. This is not always the case in Singapore, where many young “tailors” aren’t tailors at all but merely middlemen who take your measurements and pass them on to the workshop.
The suit was ready for collection the next day. Once again, David poured over the suit’s fit, ensuring that no further alterations were necessary.
And as the icing on the cake, Galaxy Tailor even throws in a complimentary tie for its customers. I told David to pick one for me, and he chose a lovely tan tie.
Galaxy Tailor – Suit Review
Let’s take a closer look at the fit and finish of my suit from Galaxy Tailor.
The jacket and sleeve length are appropriate, ending near the middle of my palms and wristbone respectively. Additionally, the shoulders lie flat without any wrinkling, which is not easy to achieve given that I have heavily sloped shoulders. Furthermore, one can also see the taper around the waist. The jacket is more slim fitting than the one from Universal Tailors, though not too tight as we don’t see the dreaded “X” around the button.
The sleeve pitch is decent too. There’s a bit of wrinkling seen, but it’s still acceptable, especially given the quick turnaround time and affordable price point.
However, I was impressed with the fit of the back, which drapes superbly. Long-time readers will know that I have a concaved back, making my back the trickiest part of my garments to nail. As mentioned earlier, David paid close attention to the drape of the back during the basted fitting, and it shows.
The trousers are also the correct length, lightly brushing against the top of my Customwelt wholecuts.
Moving on from the fit, I absolutely love the chocolate fabric. In particular, I found the subtle blue checks to be eminently striking. It has an old-school Mad Men vibe, but without feeling anachronistic or dated. Here, I went with standard-sized notch lapels for better versatility, resulting in a suit that is appropriate for both the office and events/dates.
I also opted for dark brown resin buttons, with functional cuffs. Otherwise known as surgeon cuffs, functional sleeves are a hallmark of quality tailoring. I also chose to have my initials monogrammed in complementary brown on the shirt cuff for added aplomb.
Given the relatively conservative appearance of the suit, I wanted my inner lining to be louder for some flair. David recommended a lovely tiger print that pairs well with the brown fabric. I know it sounds a tad ridiculous, but the tiger print does boost my confidence when I put on the jacket. Perhaps not the master of the galaxy, but at least the king of the jungle. I also opted for an inner monogram of my name.
As always, I went with side adjusters (instead of belt loops) for a sleeker look. Note how Galaxy Tailor’s side adjusters are designed differently from the usual buckle – a subtle detail, but one that stands out to those in the know.
I also wish to highlight the tan tie that David threw in, which complemented the dark chocolate suit perfectly. I don’t usually wear ties, but I didn’t mind it here.
All in all, I found the fit of my Galaxy Tailor suit decent, especially given the affordable price point. The fit is slimmer and decidedly more modern, which perhaps reflects the personal preference of the youngish David and Jay. However, what I loved about the suit was the chocolate fabric and the striking tiger print. This suit is one of the more unique pieces in my collection, but it does so without being ostentatious or over the top. It’s also versatile as well, unlike say this brown oblique suit I previously did. I can see myself wearing this a ton.
Conclusion – so Galaxy Tailor “shiok” or not?
If you are searching for a modern fit at an accessible price point, then Galaxy Tailor is probably your best bet in downtown Bangkok. With prices starting at US$200/~S$268, its offerings are very affordable. This particular suit (despite the unique fabric) is only US$300/~S$400. The suit certainly belies its low price point, and I have to say that the workmanship is stellar as well. Lastly, I also appreciated the service of David and Jay, who made me feel at home in their boutique despite the short time that I spent there. My only complaint would be the fit of the trousers, which doesn’t drape as cleanly as the rest of the suit.
Those interested in commissioning a suit from Galaxy Tailor can quote the promo code “WAHSOSHIOK” or flash this article in-store to enjoy a free shirt (worth 1100 baht, or ~S$42) with every suit purchase. In other words, it’s possible to get a suit, a shirt, and even a tie for a total of S$268 – and that’s with a basted fitting process. If that’s not a great deal, I don’t know what is.
Book an appointment with Galaxy Tailors here.
Galaxy Tailors Location: 52 Sukhumvit Soi 18, Khwaeng Khlong Toei, Khet Khlong Toei, Bangkok 10110, Thailand
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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.
