Hello everyone, and welcome to another of my reviews. In this article, I’ll review a new suit commission from the Bangkok tailor Tailored by Luis.
I’ve reviewed nearly a dozen tailors in Bangkok across various areas, including Sukhumvit, Asok, Thong Lor, Bang Rak, and even Phra Khanong. Recently, however, I’ve received several messages asking for affordable recommendations in the Khaosan area. For those unfamiliar with Bangkok, Khaosan is widely regarded as the city’s party district—much like Clarke Quay before COVID—and is popular among tourists who wish to stay close to the nightlife. Interestingly, some of these visitors are also keen on commissioning a suit during their stay. On my latest trip, I decided to explore this request by visiting a tailor in Khaosan. I settled on Tailored by Luis, drawn by its flawless Google rating backed by over 1,200 reviews. Here’s how the experience turned out.
Tailored by Luis – the Video
For hands-on footage of my experience with Tailored by Luis, do watch the YouTube video below:
Tailored by Luis – the Experience
Tailored by Luis actually has two locations in the Khaosan district, both within walking distance of each other. I first visited the Banglamphu branch, which is located along the river.
The Banglamphu branch is next to an Indian restaurant, along the corner of the street. Look for the big signboard with the brand’s name – you can’t miss it.
The showroom is intimate—certainly one of the smaller spaces I’ve visited—but what it lacks in size, Luis (the namesake of the brand) more than makes up for in hospitality. From the moment I stepped in, I was warmly welcomed and offered a selection of cold Thai beers (I opted for Chang) to help beat the heat. Acknowledging Bangkok’s sweltering weather, Luis explained that he makes it a point to ensure customers feel at ease right from the start, beginning with a refreshing drink.
After I took a few sips of the delightful Chang beer, Luis showed me his website, where prices are transparently displayed. This is in stark contrast to many affordable tailors in Bangkok (especially those in touristy areas like Khaosan), where unscrupulous tailors may arbitrarily increase their prices or pay commissions to middlemen (like the Tuk-tuk driver who may have driven you there). At Tailored by Luis, five suiting qualities are offered, ranging from US$167 (5,500 THB) to US$758 (25,000 THB).
As this was my first time at Tailored by Luis, I opted for the second-cheapest range, priced at US$273 (9,000 THB). Luis promptly showed me the relevant fabric rows, and I was drawn to both a light grey and a tan fabric.
Interestingly, Tailored by Luis’ website displays the brand’s entire catalogue of fabrics, categorised by pricing tiers. If you have a particular shade/texture in mind, you can visit their website beforehand to check if they offer a similar fabric that meets your needs and is within your budget.
Sensing my indecision, Luis and his staff proceeded to drape both fabrics on me, allowing me to visualise the look better. Instantly, I gravitated towards the light grey – I felt the tan came a tad too close to my skin tone, therefore washing me out.
With the suiting fabric decided, we proceeded on to selecting the shirting and lining fabric. Luis recommended a textured purple shirt, which I felt provided an interesting contrast to the light grey suiting fabric. As for the lining, I was instantly drawn to one that evoked Van Gogh’s iconic Starry Night, and felt it was a fun way to add colour and fun to an otherwise conservative suit.
We then proceeded to the measurements, which were taken by Luis’ brother, Marcos. Like many tailors in Bangkok, Tailored by Luis is a family business with specialisation of skills – Luis handles the initial customer interaction, while Marcos mostly oversees the measurements. Marcos has experience in measurement (he has been doing this for almost 25 years), though the process itself is fairly standard.
After the measurements were taken, I sat back down with Luis to discuss the customisation options (collar, cuffs, pockets, etc). As this was a light grey suit (and therefore more casual), I decided to opt for buttoned shirt cuffs (instead of French cuffs for cufflinks), and a monogram of my name on both the shirt cuff and the interior of the suit. As always, I also opted for side-adjusters on the trousers, along with a casual, more modern no-break length.
With all options settled, Luis then offered me a tour of his workshop, which was also located nearby. Unlike some Bangkok tailors (and most Singaporean tailors), Tailored by Luis has an in-house production team, which in theory should translate to higher quality standards and a quicker turnaround time. As I’ve never been to a Thai tailoring workshop before, I decided to take Luis up on his offer.
At Tailored by Luis, tailoring is still done the traditional (some would say proper) way – the tailor drafts on the fabric itself based on the client’s measurements.
Next, the tailor cuts the drafted pattern using specialised fabric scissors.
Another tailor then takes over, attaching the chosen lining to the cut fabric, before preparing the various components for the basted fitting.
Finally, another tailor finishes the garment by sewing the seams, attaching the buttons, and snipping away loose threads, among other tasks.
Tailoring in Bangkok is often likened to “fast food,” thanks to its quick turnaround of just a few days. Yet my visit to Luis’ workshop was a reminder that true tailoring remains an intricate, painstaking craft. Here, no shortcuts are taken—the processes are entirely manual, with no reliance on machines—and each suit is the result of skilled work from a team of seasoned professionals.
The next day, I returned to Tailored by Luis for my fitting. As it was a Friday, I decided to visit the Erawan House outlet instead, which is just a stone’s throw away from the nightlife of Khaosan Road.
For those uninitiated in tailoring, a basted fitting process involves trying on a skeleton jacket, held together by temporary white basting stitches. To learn more about the basted fitting, read this educational article here. Personally, I believe that a basted fitting is essential to a true tailoring experience. To quote a line from the article mentioned above: “It’s the difference between flying first class and flying on a private jet.”
The basted fitting was supervised by Ken, who specialises in fittings. He’s also been doing this for over three decades, and was thus very experienced in identifying the necessary areas for alteration.
Firstly, Ken noted the creases caused by my sloping shoulders and used chalk to denote the necessary rectifications.
Next, Ken attached the sleeve to my basted fitting jacket. I’ve noticed that Bangkok tailors tend to attach the sleeve separately to achieve the best possible sleeve pitch.
As a result, the sleeve draped nicely during the basted fitting session. This is important, as sleeve pitch is often a challenging aspect to get right, as it depends on the wearer’s posture.
Ken then measured my shoulders again to ensure that his alteration for my sloping shoulders would be spot on.
Lastly, Ken pored over the fit of my trousers. As can be seen from the photo above, the trousers drape smoothly, with little wrinkling visible. Nevertheless, Ken suggested that I could take in the trousers slightly for a more tapered look. Given the more casual nature of the light grey suit (as well as the shorter, no-break length), I agreed.
The next afternoon, I returned to Tailored by Luis’ Banglamphu branch for the finished suit. The first thing Luis did was to show me the Starry Night lining – he said it was one of the most beautiful patterns he had seen on a customer’s suit.
I then tried on the finished suit, which fit great. In particular, the sleeve pitch is exceptional – as you can see, the sleeve drapes cleanly in the above photo.
However, I did feel that the jacket could be a tad shorter, especially given the shorter length of the trousers and the suit’s smart casual vibe. In general, I prefer shorter jackets because they showcase more of the trousers, giving me a taller appearance. I communicated my desires to Luis, who conveyed that it was a quick fix and requested that I return in the evening.
Since I was returning in the evening, I decided to collect the suit at the Erawan House branch and hit up the nightlife on Khaosan Road (again) thereafter.
Tailored by Luis – Suit Review
I’m back in Singapore, so 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, giving the wearer a slimmer look. The jacket has also been shortened (at my request), yet remains long enough to cover the dress shirt underneath or the waistband of the trousers. However, there is some wrinkling on the right side of my suit (left side in the photo above), which indicates that my sloping shoulders have not been fully accommodated.
The sleeve pitch fits great, with the sleeves largely draping smoothly without any wrinkling. It’s also short enough to expose about half an inch of the shirt cuff.
The fit of the back is decent, but not perfect. There’s slightly more wrinkling on the right side of the suit (especially below the shoulders), which again shows that my sloping shoulders were not properly accommodated for.
However, the trousers fit well, though I regret not going for cuffs since this is a slightly more casual suit.
As for the fabric, it’s still on the cheaper end of the spectrum, meaning that it is mixed wool. It’s actually not bad for the price, and is definitely better than the Tecron or full polyester suits that you’ll find with local tailors at this price point (~S$360). There’s even a bit of texture to the fabric, as well as an in-built pocket square for added convenience. I also like the wide peak lapels, which add a touch of pizzazz to the light grey suit. There’s even pick stitching along the lapels, which is a nice sartorial touch.
In fact, pick stitching can also be found running along the edges of the entire jacket, including the pockets. This represents nice attention to detail, which isn’t always the case with affordable Bangkok tailors. As this is meant to be a smart casual suit, I opted for slanted pockets to keep things different.
The jacket features functional cuffs, which are a rarity at this price point. Also known as surgeon’s cuffs, functional sleeve cuffs are typically seen as a sign of quality workmanship. Furthermore, the buttonholes are cleanly cut and finished, showcasing good workmanship. I also like the brown faux horn buttons, which complement the light grey suiting fabric nicely.
The monogram on the shirt cuff turned out well, subtly stating that this is custom-made. I find the lavender shirt pairs well with the light grey suiting fabric, with its subtle dotted texture adding visual interest to the look.
That being said, my favourite aspect of the suit is definitely the Starry Night lining, which is eminently striking and lovely. If anything, the light grey suiting fabric served as the perfect canvas for the vibrant lining to shine. I’ve made many suits, but this is definitely amongst my top three favourite linings that I’ve had. Additionally, I also went with a simple monogram of my name in matching blue on the inside of the suit.
As always, I went with side-adjusters (instead of belt loops) on my trousers for a cleaner look.
As for the house cut of Tailored by Luis, I would classify it as somewhere in between Italian and British, with the closest comparison being Narry Bespoke Tailors. The armholes are cut higher, the trousers are no-break, and the jacket is shorter than usual (though at my request). It’s a sharp-looking suit that looks modern, despite its traditional construction.
Conclusion – so Tailored by Luis “shiok” or not?
If you’re looking for a tailor in Khao San, I would highly recommend Tailored by Luis – I can see why they have such a high Google Rating. The workmanship is good, the suit fits decently, the pricing is transparent, and Luis’s service is exceptional. I especially love the Starry Night lining, which has actually gotten me many compliments from friends and strangers. For the price point, Tailored by Luis certainly punches above their weight.
Suits at Tailored by Luis start at 5,500 THB/~S$218, while shirts start at 980 THB/~S$39. This particular suit costs 9,000 THB/~S$360. Those interested in commissioning a suit from Tailored by Luis can quote the promo code “WAHSOSHIOK” or flash this post in-store to enjoy a 10% discount on all orders. Amongst the tourist traps in Khao San, Tailored by Luis is a hidden gem.
Book an appointment with Tailored by Luis here.
Tailored by Luis Erawan House Location: 17/1-2 Erawan house Phra Athit Road, Chanasongkran, Paranakon, Chanasongkram, Phra Nakhon, Bangkok 10200, Thailand
Tailored by Luis Banglamphu Location: 258 Samsen Road, Talat Yot, Phra Nakhon, Bangkok 10200 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.
