Hello everyone, and welcome to another of my reviews. In this article, I’ll be reviewing a new set of garments from the local tailor Edit Suits.
It’s been over a year since I last visited Edit Suits. Since then, masks are no longer compulsory, and the tailor also has had a change in its store manager. As such, I decided to head down again recently to get a new set of garments done. Let’s see how that went.
Edit Suits – the Experience
The showroom has generally remained the same since my last visit, as have the tailoring and fitting processes.
It’s still a warm and cosy space that makes you feel at home, although Edit Suits tells me that they are still planning on adding a few bits of new furniture in the upcoming months.
As I’ve previously covered the customer experience at Edit Suits, I won’t talk much about it in this article. If you would like to read more about what it’s like to tailor a suit at Edit Suits, do read my previous article here.
Instead, I’ll focus the first half of this article on Edit Suits’ new store manager, Glenn Lee. The store manager, as its name suggests, manages all aspects of the store’s operations, including customer satisfaction and employee training. In other words, Glenn plays a pivotal role in shaping the Edit Suits experience. As such, it’s great that Glenn actually has a wealth of experience in the tailoring space, having previously been the atelier manager for local bespoke tailor Kevin Seah.
The first thing that struck me about Glenn was his impeccable dress sense. I promptly asked him for suggestions, and he recommended that I go for a separates look – a nice wool jacket, with a pair of contrasting cotton chinos. He pointed out a lovely navy blue fabric (with a basket weave) from Reda, as well as a stone grey cotton fabric from Holland and Sherry. Both fabrics are stretched, and medium weight for greater versatility. I liked the navy/grey colour combination – it’s also one that I haven’t done before – and readily agreed to it.
After three weeks, I returned for my fitting session. Right off the bat, I was impressed by how well the jacket fit – one can see how lovely the sleeve pitch is in the photo above.
Still, Glenn’s keen eye spotted a few areas for adjustment. One of the areas was the back, which had excess fabric due to my concave back. He promptly pinned up the fabric for further alteration.
Another area Glenn paid close attention to was the shoulders, which he says “makes or breaks the fit”. In particular, he focused on the slope of my shoulders (my shoulders are unevenly sloped), and wanted to ensure that the jacket rests evenly on both sides.
I was impressed by his attention to detail – he poured over minute details, as if we were at a bespoke tailor. It’s important to note that Edit Suits is a made-to-measure tailor (MTM) that fits based on a template system, so expectations have to be managed. However, Glenn relayed to me that he does not believe an MTM, template-based fitting system should be an excuse for an imperfect fit.
The same level of care and detail was applied to the fit of the trousers as well. I conveyed to Glenn that the trousers felt a tad too baggy – probably as I’ve lost some weight since my last visit – and he quickly pinned up the necessary areas to be altered. That wrapped up our fitting session, and I returned three weeks later to collect the garments.
Edit Suits – the Fit
I’m pleased to report that the fit of the garments is great – in fact, I would say it’s my best-fitting Edit Suits clothing to date.
The front of the jacket looks great. The length of the jacket is appropriate, ending near the middle of my palms. One can see that the sleeves are of good length too, ending right at my wristbone. Most importantly, the shoulders lie flat without any bunching or wrinkling.
Furthermore, the sleeve pitch is spot-on, without any visible wrinkling throughout. That’s highly impressive for an MTM tailor, given that the nailing of the sleeve pitch is dependent on observing the individual’s body posture – we all rest our arms in differing positions. It takes attention to detail to nail this, and I’m pleased to report that Edit Suits delivered in this regard.
The back is relatively clean, though some wrinkling can still be seen. That’s where the management of expectations comes in. As mentioned previously, Edit Suits is a MTM tailor, not a bespoke one. That means it uses templates during cutting, instead of an individual, unique template. Certain elements – such as the arch of one’s back – can be adjusted for, but not resolved completely. Still, for a MTM tailor, I think Edit Suits did a pretty good job.
And as for the trousers, they are of the correct length, with the cuffs just brushing the top of my loafers. I like the slim fit look – one can see evident tapering, though it doesn’t look constricting unlike say, skinny jeans.
From afar, the jacket looks like a plain solid fabric, but up close, the details of the fabric reveal itself. The basket weave really shines, giving the fabric a striking – but not ostentatious – texture.
Complementing the fabric are gorgeous horn buttons, as well as patch pockets for a more casual look.
The sleeve buttons are made from horn as well, with working buttonholes. I highly suggest opting for surgeon’s cuffs – not only does it elevate the look, but it is also more convenient as it allows one to roll up the sleeves for a more relaxed look.
Since this was meant to be more of a casual jacket, I decided to opt for an unlined construction. The result is a less structured look, but a more breathable wearing experience – which is a godsend in tropical Singapore. I also like the triangle inner pocket, which is a nice aesthetic touch.
In addition, I went for monograms on the inside. I also appreciate the numerous pockets – including a pen pocket – available, which I have found very useful in everyday life (perfect for tickets, name cards, receipts, etc).
As usual, I opted for side adjusters for the trousers. A variety of different buckle materials are available, but I went for standard stainless steel for a more versatile look.
Overall, I love the separates look. For one, I think the colour combination of navy and grey works superbly. It encapsulates the ethos of smart casual – formal enough for business meetings, but also casual enough for drinks at the bar (especially when paired with a white tee).
In fact, I found myself unbuttoning the jacket (thereby exposing more of the white tee) on occasions when I wanted to dress the look down, and buttoning the jacket when I wanted to look more formal. I really appreciated the versatility of the look.
Edit Suits often caters to the wedding/corporate crowd, which was why my previous commissions (such as my 3-piece VBC suit, and my double-breasted Loro Piana suit) veered towards the more formal. This time around, I’m pleasantly surprised that Edit Suits is able to pull off a smart casual look too, showcasing its versatility to aplomb.
All in all, I really enjoyed this separates look from Edit Suits. I think it looks striking and intriguing, and is also stylistically versatile to cater for a variety of situations. The unlined Reda 100% wool jacket is eminently comfortable, while the 100% cotton trousers from Holland & Sherry are easy to maintain and pair. It’s a thoughtful look, and one that I now wear often.
Conclusion – so Edit Suits “shiok” or not?
Definitely so – in fact, I think this set of garments may be my favourite from Edit Suits to date. Not only is it the best fitting, but it is also the most stylistically versatile. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed the previous VBC 3-piece suit and the double-breasted Loro Piana suit too, but there just weren’t many occasions to wear them. In contrast, I can wear this separates look to work, events, dinner, etc. I can even wear the Reda jacket and the Holland & Sherry trousers independently, pairing them with other pieces from my wardrobe.
A 2-piece house fabric suit at Edit Suits starts from $749, with canvassed premium suits (VBC, Loro Piana, Dormeuil, etc) starting from $1099. Shirts start from $129. Just for my readers, Edit Suits is running a promotion that will entitle readers to a free house fabric shirt (worth S$149) for every suit order (min. spend $1099). Simply quote “WSS_shirt_2024” while booking your appointment or flash this article in-store.
Interested customers can book their appointments here, and choose “Wah so Shiok” as the referral option when prompted.
Edit Suits Co.’s Location: 35A Duxton Road, Level 2, Singapore 089499
Book your appointment here.
P.S: Check out The Shiok Store here – it serves as a curation of my favourite products from my favourite brands.
P.P.S: Do check out the new “Discounts!” page for exclusive discounts for Wah so Shiok readers! More brands will be added very soon – stay tuned!
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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.
