Hello everyone, and welcome to another of my reviews. In this article, I’ll review a new suit commission from the local tailor Stitched Custom.
I last visited Stitched Custom in 2022, when I commissioned a velvet tuxedo through the “made-to-rental” program. It’s been over three years since, so I felt it was time to return for another unique commission. Let’s see how my latest experience went.
Stitched Custom – the Video
For hands-on footage of my experience with Stitched Custom, do watch the YouTube video below:
Stitched Custom – the Experience
Stitched Custom is located on the second floor of a shophouse along Kitchener Road, opposite City Square Mall.
It can be easy to miss, so look for the brand’s wooden signboard and its blue gates.
I first visited Stitched Custom back in 2018—how time flies—and the showroom has remained largely unchanged, with fabric swatches still lining the walls.
I’ve previously shared my thoughts on the showroom and its customisation process in the review linked above, so I won’t delve into those details again here. If you’re keen to learn more, I’d recommend giving it a read.
However, it’s worth noting that Stitched Custom now offers a notably extensive fabric selection, ranging from affordable $499 house options to premium VBC pure wool choices priced above $1,000. If you still can’t find anything you like in the fabric books, you can always request that the team source additional unique materials, as I did for my previous velvet tuxedo.
Additionally, the showroom features a dedicated back area where the team handles alterations and quick fixes—such as replacing a loose button—in-house, rather than outsourcing these tasks as many budget-friendly tailors do.
Upon entering the showroom, I was warmly received by siblings QQ and Ying Tong, who pointed out that the velvet tuxedo I had previously returned under the Made-to-Rental programme was still prominently displayed on one of the showroom mannequins.
I jokingly asked if they had worked on any recent standout commissions—something along the lines of the velvet tuxedo—and QQ promptly presented a sleek, double-breasted oblique suit featuring oriental fasteners. He explained that it had been commissioned by a client seeking a Chinese-inspired ensemble for his wedding tea ceremony, while still retaining the formality required for the hotel reception.
Intrigued, I shared that I would be open to a similar East-meets-West design. Having amassed nearly 60 suits over eight years of running this blog, I naturally gravitate toward more distinctive pieces rather than the standard navy, single-breasted business suit. With that in mind, I turned to Ying Tong—who had designed the previous velvet tuxedo—to ask whether we could take the concept further and elevate it.
Ying Tong rose to the challenge with ease. She swiftly sourced an oriental-style fastener and sketched a preliminary concept for an East-meets-West oblique suit. Her proposal retained the core elements of the reference commission—black cloth, an oblique double-breasted cut, no lapel buttonhole, and a single rear vent—while advancing the concept by removing the breast pocket and eliminating sleeve buttons altogether. I quickly gave her the go-ahead for this unique design.
She then combed through the lining books and landed on a striking choice: a lining featuring bold tiger motifs set against a green backdrop. It paired seamlessly with the gold and green accents of the fastener while reinforcing the overall oriental inspiration. It truly felt like a match made in heaven.
As for the shirt, I noticed QQ was wearing a sleek black short-sleeved shirt with a mandarin collar and dark mother-of-pearl buttons. It struck me as a natural complement to the suit, and I asked the sibling duo whether we could commission a long-sleeved version to match.
With the design and fabrics finalised, we moved on to the measurement stage, which QQ handled. As I have already covered Stitched Custom’s measurement process in detail in my initial article, I will once again only gloss over it here.
That said, it is worth noting that Stitched Custom does not employ a basted fitting, opting instead for a template fitting. Under this approach, QQ has clients try on a reference jacket selected based on their measurements—a system that is fairly common locally, including among higher-end tailors.
Generally, the template fitting provides clients with a tangible sense of their fit preferences—whether they favour a slimmer cut or a roomier silhouette—while also allowing the tailor to observe posture and body idiosyncrasies that may not have been obvious or recorded during the initial measurements.
Three weeks later, I returned to Stitched Custom for the fitting, which covered the suit alone—the shirt had unfortunately been delayed. From the moment I put it on, the fit felt spot on, and more importantly, it looked undeniably cool.
Ying Tong then explained that, rather than the single fastener typical of an oblique suit, she proposed a dual-fastener design to add visual interest to the otherwise monochrome suit. She suggested a different fastener style—still in gold to remain complementary—and noted that pairs carry meaningful symbolism in Chinese culture, making the choice even more fitting. Naturally, I agreed, and she promptly marked the new fastener positions on the suit with chalk.
QQ then took over the fitting and proudly showed me the tiger lining on the inside, which turned out even better than we had anticipated.
He also mentioned that, thanks to the suit’s relatively slim cut, the double-breasted jacket could be worn unbuttoned, giving it a smart-casual, runway-ready vibe.
As usual, the fit around my back was the main area of concern, which QQ quickly pinned for adjustment.
Stitched Custom – Suit Review
Let’s now take a closer look at the fit and finish of the finished garments.
To begin with, the front of the jacket fits impeccably, with the shoulders lying smoothly and free of any wrinkles. Importantly, there are no creases beneath the shoulder line, showing that Stitched Custom has correctly accounted for my naturally sloping shoulders. Overall, the front of the suit drapes flawlessly, without any noticeable creasing. The waist is tapered just enough to create a refined, cinched silhouette, and the jacket length is perfectly proportioned, ending just below my thumb bone.
The sleeve pitch is expertly executed, letting the sleeves fall smoothly with minimal wrinkling. While the jacket sleeves are shorter than conventional tailoring standards, this was intentional—to evoke the style of a traditional Changshan, the classic Chinese menswear often worn at weddings, which typically features cuffed sleeves.
The back drape is generally good, though some wrinkling remains on the right side. I suspect this is partly due to the stylistic choice of a single vent—a double vent would have provided more room around the lower back, resulting in a smoother drape.
The fabric comes from Stitched Custom’s entry-level $499 tier, but it serves its purpose well as a canvas for Ying Tong’s design. While it’s not the most luxurious material, it’s more than adequate for a suit that won’t see daily wear—I’ll likely reserve it for special occasions just once or twice a year. The absence of a breast pocket and lapel buttonhole adds an intriguing touch, enhancing the minimalist design while giving it a distinctly oriental flair.
Naturally, the most striking feature of the suit is its oriental-style fasteners. The designs are distinctive—I doubt you’d find anything like them at other tailors—and they stand out beautifully against the sleek black fabric. I agree with Ying Tong’s view that the dual fasteners add considerably more visual impact.
Since the jacket lacks sleeve buttons, Ying Tong designed the sleeves to be short enough to reveal the elegant dark mother-of-pearl buttons on the shirt cuff. It’s a subtle touch that adds a bit of flair, and I’m all for it.
As usual, I opted for side-adjusters on my trousers—this time in bronze, perfectly complementing the golden accents of the suit jacket.
All in all, I’m thrilled with my latest commission from Stitched Custom. I wanted something both affordable and distinctive, and the sibling duo of QQ and Ying Tong have more than delivered. The suit fits beautifully and makes a strong visual statement without feeling overdone. Given that I now have close to 60 suits in my wardrobe, this is one of the most distinctive pieces I’ve ever tailored. The oriental inspiration is unmistakable, and I couldn’t be happier with it.
Conclusion – so Stitched Custom 2025 Tailoring “shiok” or not?
In short, Stitched Custom delivers a runway-worthy look at an incredibly accessible price—you don’t need to splurge on luxury fabrics to look like a million bucks. Despite its affordability, this suit turns heads; I received more compliments on it (including one person saying I looked like a K-pop idol) than on my $1,000+ suits. Importantly, there’s no extra charge for the unique design, aside from the standard $50 surcharge for a double-breasted style. If you’re after distinctive designs on a budget, I highly recommend seeking out QQ and Ying Tong at Stitched Custom.
Suits at Stitched Custom start at $499; this particular suit costs $549 ($50 surcharge for the double-breasted design). For my readers: Stitched Custom is offering a free shirt with every suit purchase and 20% off all accessories. They also provide free alterations and repairs (i.e. if your shirt button drops off), so you can tailor with peace of mind.
Stitched Custom’s location: 193A Kitchener Rd, Singapore 208534
Book an appointment with Stitched Custom here.
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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.
