Hello everyone, and welcome to another Singaporean review! On this shiok Sunday, I’m reviewing a 3-piece suit that I commissioned from Ehkay Corner Tailors.
I visited Ehkay Corner Tailors over a year ago to get a tuxedo done. If you would like to see how the experience of commissioning a suit at Ehkay Corner Tailors is like, do read my article here. I also reviewed the fit and craftsmanship of the resulting tuxedo here. As it has been quite some time since my initial visit to Ehkay Corner Tailors, I decided to go back, this time for a 3-piece suit. Let’s see how it turned out!
Update: I’m pleased to offer curated tailoring packages from Ehkay Corner Tailors on The Shiok Shop. If you’re looking for bang-for-buck deals, do check out the webstore.
Ehkay Corner Tailors – Video
For those who would like to see some hands-on footage, do check out the Youtube video below!
Ehkay Corner Tailors – the Fit
Despite their affordable price tag, Ehkay Corner Tailors incorporate a Muslin fitting process. This, combined with their decades of experience – Ehkay Corner Tailors has been in operations for over three decades – resulted in a well-fitting suit.
Let’s start with the front. Firstly, the shoulders are spot on – they lie neatly, without any visible wrinkling or bunching. This is terrific since the fit of the shoulders is probably the most important component of the jacket as bad fitting shoulders are almost impossible to alter. Secondly, the tightness of the jacket is perfect as well. One doesn’t see the “dreaded X” around the jacket button here, which usually pops up when a jacket is too tight. Thirdly, one can see some slight tapering around the waist, giving the jacket a bit of a slimming effect. Lastly, the jacket is of just the right length too, with it ending near the middle of my palm and not exposing any of the dress shirt/vest underneath.
Moving on to the sleeves, I would say that the sleeve pitch is good. The entire sleeve drapes naturally, and one doesn’t see much wrinkling throughout, indicating that the sleeve pitch is spot-on. We don’t see the presence of the dreaded shoulder divots here – one of the cardinal sins of tailoring, in my opinion. In terms of length, the jacket sleeve ends right before my wrist-bone and exposes half an inch of the dress shirt underneath. Furthermore, one can see that the jacket collar fits well too. It rests on the dress shirt nicely, and there isn’t an unsightly gap in between.
The fit of the back impressed me as well. I’ve stated in numerous of my tailoring reviews that the back is often where I faced the most trouble – I have a severely arched back, and thus fabric often gets bunched up there. I once again reflected this to Dinesh during my visit, and he took great pains to ensure that the back drapes as cleanly as possible. In particular, Dinesh – after consulting with his in-house cutter – decided to increase the allowance at the back of my hip area to prevent the majority of the wrinkling from happening. Definitely satisfied on this front!
I love the fit of the trousers – it drapes cleanly without much wrinkling throughout. The length is just right too, with the ends of the cuffs just brushing against the top of my lovely monk-straps from La Patine.
I’m glad to report that the vest fits great as well. Firstly, the shoulders of the vest are terrific – like the jacket, the shoulders lie flat here without any visible bunching or wrinkling. Secondly, the snugness of the vest is good too, as we do not see much wrinkling around the buttons. Lastly, the length of the vest is spot on – it’s long enough to cover the waistband of the trousers, but remains shorter than the suit jacket so that it does not protrude underneath.
Lastly, I would say that the shirt fits decently. The shirt is of the right tightness, and the length of the sleeves is pretty good as well, ending right at my wrist bones. The shoulders of the shirt end at my natural shoulder bones too, thus making me look more broad-shouldered than I actually am. However, one does still see some slight wrinkles near the left shoulder of the shirt (right side of the image above), which I suspect is caused by my shoulder’s uneven slope which wasn’t fully accommodated for.
Overall, I have to say that I’m mightily impressed by the fit of the garments from Ehkay Corner Tailors, especially the suit and the vest. Compared to the tuxedo I got from them previously, the fit of this new 3-piece suit is substantially better in almost all regards – the shoulders, sleeve pitch, back, trousers all drape much cleaner here. In fact, I will say that this fit is easily the best that I’ve tried at this price point.
Ehkay Corner Tailors – the Suit
The inspiration for this suit actually came from Brian Sacawa of He Spoke Style. I read an article of his on the versatility of three-piece suits and loved the brown houndstooth suit that he was wearing. I sent that article to Ehkay Corner Tailors to ask if they could do something similar, to which they replied in the affirmative.
To Ehkay Corner Tailors’ credit, they managed to find a similar brown houndstooth fabric in mixed wool. I think this is a testament to how if you have an idea for a suit, you can simply go to them and they will try their best to accommodate your requests. Personally, I loved how the brown houndstooth fabric came out. I think it has a rich, earthy tone, one that has a timeless, classic look with a slight vintage touch. It’s distinctive, but not in an ostentatious manner.
One doesn’t get to specifically choose their buttons over at Ehkay Corner Tailors (there isn’t a box of buttons for you to choose from, for example) though you can indicate to Dinesh if you have any preferences. I told Dinesh that it might be best to opt for dark brown buttons, much like the horn buttons Brian Sawaca went for in his own 3-piece suit. I think the buttons turned out well and complemented the lighter brown houndstooth fabric nicely. I should also highlight that Ehkay Corner Tailors actually took the extra step to integrate brown buttonholes into the suit. It wasn’t a detail that I asked for, just something that they thought would look nice on the suit – and I agree.
They say the devil is in the details, so I was really pleased to see that the buttons on my Ehkay Corner Tailor’s suit are shanked. Shanking provides the fabric space to drape in when buttoned, and is a feature more commonly seen in higher priced tailors. It renders the button more durable, which should mean that you don’t have to worry about your button dropping off.
All suits from Ehkay Corner Tailors are half-canvassed – regardless of price point – so one can see the slight lapel roll that is present. For the uninitiated, suits generally come to three tiers of construction, namely fused, half-canvassed, and full-canvassed in ascending order of quality. Canvassed suits are not only more durable than fused suits, but also drape better.
With a three-piece suit, it is best to opt for wider peak lapels as it gives the look the “big boss” presence that it needs. I’ve commissioned three-piece suits before, and one of my past regrets is not opting for wide peak lapels on those suits. I made sure to highlight that to Ehkay Corner Tailors, and I think it turned out well! Like the buttonholes, the lapel hole is outlined in an identical brown. Again, it’s a nice subtle contrast, nothing too ostentatious. In addition, all suits from Ehkay Corner Tailors feature an in-built pocket square, which usually will be of the same pattern as the inner lining. I think this is a great touch, especially for those who find it inconvenient to purchase an additional pocket square, learning how to fold it, etc.
For the inner lining, Hina (Dinesh’s wife, co-owner of Ehkay Corner Tailors) suggested this light paisley print, which I think complements the brown houndstooth fabric perfectly. Its lighter shade provides a nice contrast to the rich tone of the brown fabric, while the brown paisley prints accentuate its warm nature. Kudos to Hina for recommending this!
You can also opt for a monogram of your choice (name, initials, etc) on the interior of the suit. I went with my name, in the same subtle brown stitching that adorned the buttonholes. There are also multiple inner pockets for one to keep their phone, wallets, pens, perfume, etc.
For the vest, we decided upon a more conventional 5 button vest. It’s a more conservative look, but one that in my opinion allows for more versatility – it looks good both with the suit jacket and on its own. Like the suit jacket, we went for peak lapels on the vest for added presence. Here’s a quick tip – if you’re planning to wear the vest on its own, always opt for lapels. If not, wearing a vest without lapels can sometimes make you look like a waiter instead of a sartorialist!
Lastly, the back of the vest is actually fashioned from the same suit lining that Hina recommended for the suit jacket! Like on the suit, using the lining for the back of the vest provides a great contrast to the warm tones of the brown houndstooth fabric. It’s certainly eye-catching as well! In addition, we decided not to have any adjusters at the back of the vest (as you might find on some off-the-rack vests) so as to achieve a cleaner look.
We went with cuffed pants for a couple of reasons. Firstly, I really liked Brian Sawaca’s look and felt that he pulled off his own cuffed trousers superbly well. Secondly, Dinesh also felt that opting for cuffed pants would temper the inherent formal nature of a three-piece suit. Lastly, I felt that cuffed pants would result in a more rakish, sartorial look as well – a sort of vintage throwback that fits with the theme of the suit.
All in all, I really liked the look of the three-piece suit from Ehkay Corner Tailors. I knew what I wanted (something like Brian Sacawa’s suit), and to their credit, I think Ehkay Corner Tailors managed to deliver. I really like the look of the suit, and how everything manages to come together in a cohesive package. Dinesh even managed to find a brown knitted tie to complement my dress shoes! I think the brown tie acts as the perfect icing on the cake for what has become one of my favourite suits to wear!
Ehkay Corner Tailors – Masks
Due to the current COVID-19 pandemic, Ehkay Corner Tailors is also offering tailored masks to their customers!
If you commission a suit from Ehkay Corner Tailors, you can request for a matching mask to be made as well. The mask will be tailored (Dinesh/Hina will take the necessary measurements during the fitting process), so it will fit your face perfectly. It’s definitely the best fitting mask I’ve worn to date!
In addition, you can request for a reversible mask as well! In this case, I decided to have a reversible mask made, with the reversible side being fashioned out of the same lining that lines the suit. I think this is an ingenious touch – the mask reflects the personality of the three-piece suit perfectly. It’s a fun idea as well, as one could wear one side for work, and reverse it for after-work drinks at the bar.
Conclusion – so Ehkay Corner Tailors “shiok” or not?
Definitely so. I absolutely adore this three-piece suit from Ehkay Corner Tailors – I like it more than the previous tuxedo I got. I had an idea, relayed it to Dinesh, and I think it turned out fabulously. The suit fits well, and I love the rich earthy tones of the suit. Granted, you’re not going to find details such as functional buttonholes, Barchetta pocket, Milanese buttonhole, or a luscious lapel roll over at Ehkay Corner Tailors – those are generally reserved for pricier tailors. However, if you’re looking for an affordable, no-frills suit, I highly recommend checking out Ehkay Corner Tailors, especially if you already have an idea in mind. In my opinion, this three-piece suit would actually be a perfect wedding suit, so if you’re on the hunt for an affordable wedding tailor, do consider them!
For those interested in commissioning a garment from Ehkay Corner Tailors, simply flash this post for a 10% discount! After the discount, a three-piece mixed wool suit from Ehkay Corner Tailors starts at $432, which is a very accessible price point for a three-piece suit. For those looking for a standard two-piece mixed wool suit, prices start at just $315 (after the promo code). At that price, you’re getting a no-frills, well-fitting suit that punches above its price point. Given that a three-piece off the rack suit from Benjamin Barker costs about the same (if not more), Ehkay Corner Tailors is certainly a strong value proposition.
Curated package deals from Ehkay Corner can be found here. In particular, I recommend the $580 Three-piece Suit + Shirt package, as well as the $980 Tuxedo Suit package.
Book your appointment here.
P.S Do check out the new “Discounts!” page for exclusive discounts for Wahsoshiok readers! More brands will be added very soon – stay tuned.
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P.S.S.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.
