Hello everyone, and welcome to another of my reviews. In this article, I’ll review a new suit commission from the Bangkok tailor Patrick & Co.
I was in Bangkok recently for year-end festivities and decided to check out a few more Thai tailors, including Patrick & Co. Unlike most Thai tailors who boast cheap and fast suits, Patrick & Co positions itself as a premium offering, carrying rolls from esteemed mills such as Ermenegildo Zegna, Dormeuil, Holland & Sherry, Drago, Loro Piana, and VBC. First established in the 1960s, Patrick & Co. have carved out a stellar reputation for themselves over the decades. In fact, when you Google for “tailors in Bangkok”, Patrick & Co. appears as one of the first search results – which was actually how I first chanced upon the brand. Let’s see if they are any good.
Patrick & Co – the Video
For hands-on footage of my experience with Patrick & Co, do watch the YouTube video below:
Patrick & Co – the Experience
Patrick & Co isn’t located in the tourist-heavy Sukhumvit area, unlike most Thai tailors. Instead, the boutique is located in the upscale area of Thonglor, which the brand describes as a “trendy neighbourhood that attracts a more sophisticated audience”.
Upon entering the showroom, I was warmly greeted by Navin, who is the third-generation tailor of Patrick & Co. He took over the reins of the business from his father in 2017 and set about modernising the shop and the style. Navin also spearheaded the move from Sukhumvit to Thonglor, believing the latter area to be better aligned with the brand’s values of prioritising quality over quantity.
Navin describes his showroom as a “gentlemen’s club” where clients can sit comfortably and have a drink. This is a stark contrast to most Bangkok tailors, whose showrooms are designed to have you in and out as quickly as possible.
I appreciated the classy nature of Patrick & Co’s showroom – it’s definitely the most upscale one I’ve been to in Thailand thus far. It reminds me of a proper tailor shop in London, where tailoring is an experience, not a product.
The Saville Row vibes of the showroom translate to the fabrics – Patrick & Co has an impressive collection of fabrics from all the famous European mills you could ask for. Again, this is uncommon for Bangkok tailors, most of whom only carry cheaper “house” fabrics. And unlike Singaporean tailors where you can only interact with little fabric swatches, Patrick & Co has full rolls of these premium fabrics available in-store.
If you don’t find what you’re looking for in the rolls, Patrick & Co also have the usual books from VBC, Drago, Dormeuil, etc. I’m impressed by the wide selection of books and rolls available – there’s definitely something for everyone here.
Navin first showed me a pair of blue and green VBC hopsack fabrics. While I liked the feel and texture of the fabrics, I wasn’t sold on the colour, and asked Navin if they came in other colourways. Navin then broke out the VBC Montecarlo Jacketing fabric book, allowing me to browse to my heart’s content.
I eventually narrowed down my choices to two colours, one in chocolate brown and another in beige brown. Both fabrics come in 21-micron wool and are eminently breathable due to their 280g weight. After deliberating between the two, I decided to opt for the chocolate brown – Navin chimed in that it would contrast against my skin tone better, and I agreed.
With the jacket fabric settled, it was time to decide the jacketing options, with Navin handily whipping out a customer’s order for reference. As I initially intended for the jacket to be a more casual sports blazer, I decided to go with wider peak lapels (like on the customer’s jacket), with functional sleeve buttons.
Patrick & Co carry Bemberg cupro lining, which is a significant step up from the generic polyester linings offered by most Thai tailors. As compared to polyester linings, Bemberg linings are substantially more breathable, making them more suitable for tropical climates like Thailand and Singapore.
As for shirting fabrics, Patrick & Co also carry top of the line Egyptian cotton fabrics from distinguished European mills such as Thomas Mason and Soktas. These are not the fake “Egyptian cotton” that some Thai tailors try to upsell – these come in proper books, with certificates (and a price tag) to match.
Although I was initially only planning on making a blazer, I was so impressed by Patrick & Co’s offerings that I decided to get a shirt and a pair of trousers done as well. In fact, I told Navin that I would leave the choice of fabric for the shirt and pants to him – it’s clear that Navin (unlike most Bangkok tailors) has a strong sense of style, and I wanted to see how that translated into a full outfit.
From the second I stepped into Patrick & Co’s showroom, there was an easy camaraderie between Navin and me. Not only were we closer in age, but Navin also speaks perfect English, having spent his tertiary education in the United States. This meant we could communicate easily on a host of topics without the awkward language barrier that I sometimes encountered with other Thai tailors. As such, this also meant Navin could push me further stylistically – he asked if I would be comfortable with pleated Gurkha trousers, to which I replied in the affirmative.
With the choices settled, it was time to get measured. Here, Navin makes way for Krishna, who has been measuring clients for the better part of two decades.
Krishna was confident in his measurements, with a decided assurance to his actions that only comes with bountiful experience. For example, he buttons up my collar (in the picture above) to get an accurate measurement for the shirt – it’s clear he doesn’t cut corners when measuring.
After two days, I returned to Patrick and Co for my basted fitting session. I got my first look at what Navin chose for me: a bold white shirt with a brown paisley print and a pair of blue linen trousers. It’s a striking look that exemplifies Navin’s adventurous style – he could easily have gone with matching chocolate brown hopsack trousers and a solid white shirt but opted not to take the “safe” route.
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. 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 aforementioned article: “It’s the difference between flying first class and flying on a private jet.”
Krishna supervised the fitting and attached the sleeve onto the basted fitting jacket separately to achieve the best possible sleeve pitch. Throughout the fitting, he was able to identify spots that required rectifying even without my input.
As always, the back caused the most trouble. Krishna was able to identify the cause and used pins and chalk – quintessential tools of the trade – to mark the necessary areas for alteration.
He also measured my shoulders again to ensure that the shoulders fit perfectly. This is paramount, as the shoulders are one of the areas of a jacket that cannot be altered after it has been completed.
As for the trousers, Navin and I found them to be too short, especially as I was looking to wear them with loafers. Navin promised that he would have them lengthened and told me to come back in two days to collect the garments.
Interestingly, it was after the basted fitting that Navin directed me to choose the buttons for my suit. He shared that he finds it easier for clients to visualise the look with the basted jacket present, as compared to having clients choose buttons based on a small fabric book or even a fabric roll.
After some consideration, I chose a unique-looking horn button that had shades of dark and light brown. Against the chocolate fabric, the button is subtle but still striking.
I returned to Patrick and Co after two days for the collection. I was very happy with how the brown jacket turned out – the fabric looked amazing, and the fit felt good too.
Patrick & Co – Suit Review
Now that I’m back in Singapore, let’s take a closer look at the suit from Patrick & Co, starting with its fit.
Firstly, the front of the jacket fits nicely, with the shoulders lying flat without any fabric bunching. Patrick & Co’s house style (one of the changes Navin made upon taking over) incorporates softly padded shoulders, which gives the jacket a more natural, less boxy look and allows the sleeves to drape better. Furthermore, there’s significant tapering around the waist (just look at the photo above), which provides the wearer with a slimming effect.
Secondly, the sleeve pitch is good, with the sleeves draping nicely without much wrinkling. The jacket also lies flat on the shirt collar without an unsightly collar gap (an obvious sign of an ill-tailored suit).
The back of the jacket is good, and it’s clear that Krishna has rectified some of the areas that were identified during the fitting. It’s not perfect, but I would say that it’s satisfactory.
I’m also pleased to report that the shirt and trousers fit great. The shirt fits like a glove and makes me look broad-shouldered. The trousers have also been noticeably lengthened and drapes cleanly with a clear taper.
The details of the garments are outstanding too. For one, I love how the wide peak lapel turned out – it gives the jacket a touch of pizzazz that I was really looking for in a sports blazer.
However, the star of the show is undeniably the VBC hopsack fabric. The three-dimensional texture of the fabric is incredible and exudes sophistication in spades. I love the chocolate brown colour as well, which gives the jacket a slight retro vibe.
Up close, the softly padded shoulders of the jacket enhance its elegance. Notice how there are no shoulder divots (the cardinal sin of tailoring), with the jacket having a soft, natural look that allows the wearer’s physique to shine.
I also like the subtle contrast that the genuine horn button provides. It’s important to highlight that Patrick & Co offers genuine horn buttons – at more affordable tailors, some may try to pass off plastic buttons (or resin) as genuine horn.
For a more eye-catching look, we decided to opt for Italian-style slanted pockets, which pair beautifully with…
…the slanted sleeve buttons of the jacket. Again, it’s a subtle touch that will likely go unnoticed by others, but it’s these details that matter to the wearer and elevate Patrick & Co from mainstream Thai tailors. The sleeve buttonholes are also functional – a typical hallmark of quality tailoring.
On the inside, I opted for a blue paisley cupro lining from Bemberg, which feels premium and breathable even in Singapore’s tropical climate. There’s also pipe stitching that runs down the edges of the lining and a buttoned triangular pocket flap – nice sartorial touches. And as this is a VBC Montecarlo jacket, the label is prominently sewn onto the lining as well.
As for the shirt, the brown paisley print is striking, especially when worn without the jacket. I’ve gotten a few comments that I looked like a datuk, and it is a look that I’m considering re-wearing for Chinese New Year. It’s certainly something that I wouldn’t have picked for myself, so I appreciate Navin pushing me out of my comfort zone. I’ve over 50 dress shirts in my wardrobe, and this stands out nevertheless.
I should also point out that the shirting fabric is easy-iron and crease-resistant, so it’s nice to see that Navin factored in practicality as well. He also chose mother-of-pearl buttons – a subtle adornment for an otherwise visually busy shirt.
While I like the shirt, I absolutely love the linen Gurkha trousers. For those unfamiliar with the style, Gurkha trousers refer to trousers with an extended buckled waistband, as seen in the photo above. The style takes its name from trousers worn by Gurkha soldiers, and is one of the most striking trouser styles you can commission today. The vintage utilitarian feel of the Gurkha trousers pairs nicely with the retro sporty brown hopsack blazer, so kudos to Navin for coming up with this combination.
Traditionally, Gurkha trousers are pleated, so I’m glad that Navin kept that detail here. Given the smart casual nature of the outfit, I’m also a fan of the linen fabric, which is breathable and easy to wear in the humid heat of Thailand and Singapore. Furthermore, linen is also more affordable and easier to maintain, though it does crease easily.
The blue trousers also pair nicely with the chocolate brown jacket and loafers. Brown and blue is a tried-and-tested colour combination – that’s why brown shoes are the go-to for a navy suit. Although the reverse pairing (brown top, blue bottom) is rarer, it is no less complementary. In particular, the blue trousers prevent the outfit from looking too old-fashioned – an all-brown suit can look too conservative and professor-esque.
I’m a fan of Patrick & Co’s slim-fitting silhouette, which veers more towards an Italian cut. The tapering is prominent, and the jacket uses little padding with soft shoulders. This makes their fit closer to a tailor like Narry Bespoke Tailors, though I would say Patrick & Co uses less padding for a more natural look.
All in all, this is a great smart casual outfit from Patrick & Co. Firstly, I love the VBC Montecarlo hopsack fabric – it’s one of the top 3 jacketing fabrics that I’ve commissioned to date (and I’ve made over 45 jackets). Secondly, I adore the pair of blue linen Gurkha trousers, which provide the right amount of contrast to the chocolate jacket and is also a statement piece when worn on its own. Lastly, the paisley-printed shirt adds a dose of flair to the look without coming across as ostentatious. The elements come together beautifully, creating an ensemble that oozes sophistication.
Conclusion – so Patrick & Co “shiok” or not?
While there is certainly no shortage of Bangkok tailors who cater to those on a tight budget and timeline, there are also options like Patrick & Co, which specialises in serving more discerning clientele. I was thoroughly impressed by the wide variety of premium European fabrics on offer, as well as the posh showroom. More importantly, I appreciated Navin’s hospitality – he asked about my itinerary and suggested food and nightlife spots – and his distinct style. The result is a sharp outfit with beautiful detailing that I’ll be proud to wear to any event. The only downside to Patrick & Co is its relatively lengthy lead time of at least 4-5 days, so if you’re only in Bangkok for a weekend trip, you will have to find other tailoring options.
Suits from Patrick & Co start from 15,500 THB(~S$600), while shirts start from 1,600 THB(~S$60). My particular outfit costs 26,800 THB in total: 18,500 THB(~S$730) for the VBC Montecarlo jacket, 5,500 THB(~S$215) for the linen Gurkha trousers, and 2,200(~S$85) for the printed cotton shirt. Just for my readers, Patrick & Co is offering a free shirt with every suit purchase. Simply quote “WAHSOSHIOK” when booking an appointment, or flash this post in-store. While prices at Patrick & Co are admittedly on the higher side for Bangkok tailors, the premium fabric and sharp style make it worth every penny.
Book an appointment with Patrick & Co here.
Patrick & Co’s Location: 89 Soi Sukhumvit 57, Thong Lo Place, 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.
