General stuff, tailor, food stores

[LivinginSG]

Hi all

Just moved to SG

Can anyone recommend a good tailor as well as food stores (fresh produce, cheese, cured meats, etc...)?

Cheers

[rajagainstthemachine]

For fresh produce:

check nearest wet market where you live.

for other groceries:

Fair Price and its variants
Cold Storage
Market Place
Mustafa Center

cold storage and market place are a bit on the pricier side,but you will find a bit more variety.
Mustafa is another world by itself, you can get almost everything there, but if you want to avoid the crowds, do not go there on weekends.

[ComingSoon]

Hi all

Just moved to SG

Can anyone recommend a good tailor Cheers

Finding a good tailor is REALLY hard. There are no shortage of shops but I think most of them get their work done outside the country. There isn't a lot of 'tailoring' - just a few measurements and you get what you get.

There are lots of comments online about the various shops and who is good and who isn't. As staff come and go I think people's experiences vary quite a bit. From searching online I ended up at:

http://www.modeetcreation.com

I'm happy with my shirts and will go back to them. I haven't had a suit made with them yet.

For any tailor I'd recommend getting small items made to test them out before you order a bunch of expensive suits.

If you find someone you like let us know.

[rajagainstthemachine]

I have seen a lot of tailor stalls at the Seah Inn Food court at HarborFront Bus Interchange, I can't however vouch for their quality or expertise but I guess its a place you could consider checking out?

[nutnut]

For everyday shirts, I use https://www.marcellacustom.com/ it's easy, cheap and I've not had too many issues.

Other tailoring, let me know cause my tailor stopped working a while back and I need some reasonable priced pants.

[JR8]

Hi all Just moved to SG
Can anyone recommend a good tailor as well as food stores (fresh produce, cheese, cured meats, etc...)? Cheers

In your shoes I'd now be expecting Private Message spam re: tailors. ... so beware...

We just had a discussion here within the past week or two re: grocers. Collectively trying to compile a list from top of the scale outlets, right through to the bottom. Maybe you can find it? (I tried but failed, but am no expert).

I can recommend a tailor. He does much of the high-end tailoring for a local relative's posh boutique. Indeed he did my 'tropical'/beige lighweight suit that I wore at my wedding here (my wedding suit, as opposed to my birthday suit ).

A lot of tailoring here pitched at tourists is rip-off crap. They know you likely haven't time for even a single fitting. Whereas you really need maybe a month to get the most out of the process.
- Measure up
- +1-2 weeks, go and try on the 'shell' (maybe no sleeves on yet!)
- They will mark required adjustments with pins etc.
- +2-3 weeks. Comes back with sleeves on etc. They'll then pin to exact sleeve length. And only then chalk on where the buttonholes need to go etc.
- +4 weeks, final check, and any adjustments (hopefully not needed).

That got a MTM 'tropical suit' to my own specs, with two pairs of trousers, for something like £250. Total bargain, cheaper than off-the-peg back home in say M+S !

Find someone, maybe who you work with, who has been here a few years that is wearing a good looking MTM suit, and ask them who their tailor is.

[the lynx]

By StrongEagle's recommendation, a friend had suit done in Christian Armani (I know, how dodgy the name sounds!) at Far East Plaza, Scotts Road. Just did fitting last weekend. So far so good. Will collect the suit next week so will keep you guys updated.

[Strong Eagle]

By StrongEagle's recommendation, a friend had suit done in Christian Armani (I know, how dodgy the name sounds!) at Far East Plaza, Scotts Road. Just did fitting last weekend. So far so good. Will collect the suit next week so will keep you guys updated.

As I write, I've gotten home from dinner, wearing one of my Christian Armani shirts. Tailoring is still excellent and after more than 3 years of repeated washings, still look very good. Teflon cotton has to be the way to go.

I really want to hear about the suit.

[bgd]

As I write, I've gotten home from dinner, wearing one of my Christian Armani shirts. Tailoring is still excellent and after more than 3 years of repeated washings, still look very good. Teflon cotton has to be the way to go.

I really want to hear about the suit.

Why teflon cotton? Just for its stain resistence or does it last longer?

My cotton shirts generally wear at the collar and cuff. And in this climate discoluration under the arms.

[Strong Eagle]

As I write, I've gotten home from dinner, wearing one of my Christian Armani shirts. Tailoring is still excellent and after more than 3 years of repeated washings, still look very good. Teflon cotton has to be the way to go.

I really want to hear about the suit.

Why teflon cotton? Just for its stain resistence or does it last longer?

My cotton shirts generally wear at the collar and cuff. And in this climate discoluration under the arms.

My first set of shirts were silk cotton... great for being wrinkle free in a suitcase, but not so great for heat... no breathability. Also had the same issues with underarm discoloration.

Teflon cotton is also wrinkle free... travels great in suitcase. Lighter, much easier to wear in a hot climate... and I've not had any discoloration in the armpits in over 3 years... and please do remember I'm now back in Houston with equal or greater humidity and temperature.

I can't say for sure if Teflon cotton holds up better but my subjective view is that my current crop of shirts are in better shape than my silk cotton at an equal age.

Downside... about the most expensive cotton fabric you can get to make a shirt... but in my estimation, superior to all other options.

[bgd]

My first set of shirts were silk cotton... great for being wrinkle free in a suitcase, but not so great for heat... no breathability. Also had the same issues with underarm discoloration.

Teflon cotton is also wrinkle free... travels great in suitcase. Lighter, much easier to wear in a hot climate... and I've not had any discoloration in the armpits in over 3 years... and please do remember I'm now back in Houston with equal or greater humidity and temperature.

I can't say for sure if Teflon cotton holds up better but my subjective view is that my current crop of shirts are in better shape than my silk cotton at an equal age.

Downside... about the most expensive cotton fabric you can get to make a shirt... but in my estimation, superior to all other options.

Thanks, that's interesting. I'm wearing linen shirts these days, good in the heat but wrinkle free they are not. Although the wrinkled appearance of linen is a little more acceptable than that of cotton.

[Mi Amigo]

+1 for Christian Armani. Still using my suits, shirts, etc. from there - very good quality IME.

[LivinginSG]

Hi all Just moved to SG
Can anyone recommend a good tailor as well as food stores (fresh produce, cheese, cured meats, etc...)? Cheers

In your shoes I'd now be expecting Private Message spam re: tailors. ... so beware...

We just had a discussion here within the past week or two re: grocers. Collectively trying to compile a list from top of the scale outlets, right through to the bottom. Maybe you can find it? (I tried but failed, but am no expert).

I can recommend a tailor. He does much of the high-end tailoring for a local relative's posh boutique. Indeed he did my 'tropical'/beige lighweight suit that I wore at my wedding here (my wedding suit, as opposed to my birthday suit ).

A lot of tailoring here pitched at tourists is rip-off crap. They know you likely haven't time for even a single fitting. Whereas you really need maybe a month to get the most out of the process.
- Measure up
- +1-2 weeks, go and try on the 'shell' (maybe no sleeves on yet!)
- They will mark required adjustments with pins etc.
- +2-3 weeks. Comes back with sleeves on etc. They'll then pin to exact sleeve length. And only then chalk on where the buttonholes need to go etc.
- +4 weeks, final check, and any adjustments (hopefully not needed).

That got a MTM 'tropical suit' to my own specs, with two pairs of trousers, for something like £250. Total bargain, cheaper than off-the-peg back home in say M+S !

Find someone, maybe who you work with, who has been here a few years that is wearing a good looking MTM suit, and ask them who their tailor is.

Hi JR8, mind advising the name of your tailor? Cheers

[BillyB]

I'd be very, very careful about Tailors here - it's a shady industry and an arbitrage play on people not having a clue about the process and materials used. Many shops just take measurements, and outsource the cutting and stitching to a sweatshop (that's why many tailored suits look exactly the same - double vent, slim lapels, same colour of lining and pocket shapes despite what you ask for). You're paying for something bespoke - a good tailor should be flexible enough to accommodate your specific requests..

Given a tailored suit takes on average 30-50 man hours to make, used between 3-4 yards of cloth and a decent wool can cost between $50 to 1000 per yard, do the maths and then you should realise the corner cutting that goes on if you are paying 300-500 and getting some spiel that it's 100% wool.

The material is also one of the biggest con opportunities for the tailors. You'll get a great selection of different materials available for the suit - ranging from $300 to 5k for Zegna processed wool and merino wool. I've seen many people choose something higher-end and have this swapped out for some manmade, artificial low-grade polyester blend when the suit comes back, that creases, goes shiny in a few months and isn't breathable.

If suits form an important part of your life, the old adage is still true - you get what you pay for and i'm yet to find a tailor here that ticks all the boxes!

[JR8]

Agreed Bunter, there seem to be some bad apples, that spoil the barrel. It reminds me of the crap that goes on at Sim Lim, for electronics.

When you spec your suit, small swatches of the chosen cloth/lining (even buttons, if they're above the default) should be stapled to your receipt, together with a precise description of the make/blend.

Most physical tailoring gets outsourced, much to Batam/Bintang. But as with much in life you have the whole spectrum there, from 14 year olds in sweatshops, to very very highly skilled seamstresses and tailors.


@LISg, I'd have to look up his contact details. It's the kind of thing I'd share down at one of the forum beer-nights rather than publishing details in public here... either ways: like I suggested, a personal recommendation from a 'local' who has made an informed choice, seems to be the way to go...