Need a suit made in Shanghai? EuroBiz researched the best tailors the fi nancial capital has to offer so you can conquer your business in style

Name Dave¡¯s Custom Tailoring
Address Shanghai: No.6, Lane 288, Wuyuan Road
Phone 021 5404 0001
Website www.tailordave.com
Email service@tailordave.com
Average suit RMB4000-9000
Average shirt RMB400
Waiting time Suit: 2 weeks, shirt: 1 week
Years in business 7-8 years
Years of experience over 10 y
Number of tailors more than 20
English-speaking tailors? No
Bargaining allowed? No
Credit cards Accepted? Yes
Hotel/ home fi ttings? No
Hotel/home delivery? It all depends
Rush service? Yes

Name Eleganza Uomo
Address 1116 West Yan¡¯An Road
Phone 021 6115 9677
Website www.eleganzauomo.com
Email bespoke@EleganzaUomo.com
Average suit RMB3800
Average shirt RMB380
Waiting time 1 week
Years in business 4 months
Years of experience about 30
Number of tailors 6
English-speaking tailors? Yes
Bargaining allowed? No, but 10% discounts
Credit cards accepted? Yes
Hotel/ home fi ttings? Yes
Hotel/home delivery? Yes (by express)
Rush service? Yes

Name W.W. Chan & Sons Tailor
Address 129-A02 Maoming Nan Lu
Phone 021 5404 1469
Website www.wwchan.com
Email sales@wwchan.com
Average suit RMB6000
Average shirt RMB680
Waiting time 3 days (with appointment)
Years in business 3
Years of experience 15-40 (by tailor)
Number of tailors More than 20
English-speaking tailors Yes
Bargaining allowed? No
Credit cards accepted? Yes
Hotel/ home fi ttings? No
Hotel/home delivery? Yes
Rush service? Yes

Hong Kong connection

Raymond Kiang is the founder of the custom tailor shop Eleganza Uomo in Shanghai. The son of a Hong Kong tailor, Kiang began plying his trade in the Peninsula Hotel 20 years ago before coming to Shanghai in 2002. He spoke to EuroBiz about Shanghai¡¯s tailoring reputation, local tastes and more.

EuroBiz: Why did you come to Shanghai?

Raymond Kiang: I came together with [W.W. Chan & Sons owner] Peter Chan, who I worked for in Hong Kong for 15 years. We were told there was a big market for custom-made tailors in Shanghai. It looked like there was lots of demand, so we did a little research and then we came and opened a shop in the Hilton. We did fairly well and then a year later we opened a shop on Maoming Lu.

EB: Up until the late 1940s, Shanghai had a well-known tailoring tradition. Has any of that survived?

RK: Well, that was a long, long time ago, and a lot of the designs, the styles from that period are long outdated nowadays. Even though it was a very classic style, we still have to follow the trends of today. EB: How would you characterise your Shang- hainese customers¡¯ sartorial tastes? RK: My customers are about half and half between locals and internationals. The locals tend to wear their jackets and jacket sleeves very long, but mostly they come in and ask me what design and fi t they should get.

EB: Is Shanghai a dressier town than most in China/Asia?

RK: My impression is that Shanghai is relatively casual. It¡¯s not dressy like New York or London ¨C people aren¡¯t really looking for the real formal charcoal grey suit or blue chalk-stripe suit. People here like their suits a little more stylish, a little more colourful. We¡¯re using a lot of Italian material and coloured stripes, like blue on blue or red on red.