Hello everyone, and welcome to another Singaporean review! On this shiok Saturday, I’m reviewing the fit and craftsmanship of the suit and shirt I commissioned from Mohan’s Custom Tailors.
If you had not yet done so, do read part 1 of the review here first, whereby I chronicled my experience of having a suit and shirt commissioned at Mohan’s.
Without further ado, let’s see how the fit of the garments turned out!
Update: I’m pleased to offer curated tailoring packages from Mohan’s on The Shiok Shop. If you’re looking for bang-for-buck deals, do check out the webstore.
Mohan’s Custom Tailors – the Fit
Given that Mohan’s has been measuring customers for nearly half a century, I’m pleased to report that the fit of the garments is actually pretty good!
I think that the front of the suit looks great! Firstly, the shoulders fit nicely – they lie neatly, without any visible wrinkling or bunching. This is paramount as the shoulders are almost impossible to alter once crafted. Secondly, the jacket is of the right length as well, ending just past the middle of my crotch. Thirdly, the jacket is of the right tightness too, with little to no visible wrinkles emanating from the jacket button. If I’m were to nitpick, I do think that the waist of the suit can be tapered more to give the wearer a better slimming effect. However, I do have to state that this is subjective – some prefer the comfort of a roomier, more “American” fit. For those familiar with the American/British/Italian forms of fit, I would say that Mohan’s definitely leans more towards the American style, which makes sense given that they cater to a significant amount of American tourists and expats.
The fit of the sleeves is good. The sleeves are of the appropriate width, with the sleeve pitch nailed as one don’t see much wrinkling throughout. In fact, I’m quite impressed by how cleanly the sleeves drape! We also don’t see the presence of the dreaded shoulder divots here – one of the cardinal sins of tailoring, in my opinion. Elsewhere, the jacket collar fits well too, with it resting on the shirt collar nicely without an unsightly gap in between. However, I do think that the jacket sleeves are a tad too long, as it doesn’t expose enough of the shirt cuff. That being said, shortening the sleeves is a relatively easy alteration to do – I will probably bring it back to Mohan’s for them to alter it slightly.
The back of the suit from Mohan’s drape decently. It’s not the cleanest back that I’ve ever worn, but it’s far from the worst as well. I would say that it is generally clean throughout, except for the wrinkles on the concave of my back. I’ve a severely arched back, and this unfortunately makes it hard for tailors to nail a clean drape for me at the back.
I was actually pleasantly surprised by how good the trousers felt, and looked. The length of the trousers is absolutely nailed – it just caresses the top of my dress shoes, which is just how I like it! The upper portion of the trousers drape beautifully as well, though there are some visible wrinkles at the lower portion.
Lastly, I found the shirt to fit satisfactorily. The shoulders of the shirt fits nicely, ending at my natural shoulder bone. The sleeve length fits right, ending at the base of my palms, while there’s also a slight tapering of the shirt which gives the wearer a nice slimming effect. However, I would say that the shirt didn’t take my slant shoulders adequately into considering, therefore resulting in wrinkles. This can be seen specifically in my right shoulder (left side of the photo above), which is steeped significantly lower than my left. However, let’s be real – for a free shirt (after promo code below), I can’t complain much. It definitely fits better than something off-the-rack. If I wanted a shirt that accommodates and accounts for my unevenly sloped shoulders, I probably would have to go to a bespoke tailor and pay $200 or more!
Overall, I’m pretty impressed by the fit of Mohan’s, especially considering its price point. I’ll say this – out of all the affordable (sub-$400) tailors I’ve tried thus far, Mohan’s has one of the best fit. Overall, the suit drapes cleanly, and the experience of Mohan’s really shine through. The suit sleeves are a little too long, but Mohan’s is happy to do further alterations (for free) should you be not totally satisfied with the fit of the end product!
Mohan’s Custom Tailors – Craftsmanship
Unlike most other affordable tailors who outsource their production overseas to places such as Bali/Thailand/Vietnam, Mohan’s keeps their production in-house, and in Singapore. As such, the craftsmanship is actually pretty decent for the price!
Let’s start with the fabric. It’s a beautiful shade, and as I mentioned in Part 1 of the review, its Burberry-like pattern instantly caught my eye. I love how the checks has a subtle shade of blue, which gives the look intrigue and also a regal feel. As a fabric, it’s good quality mixed wool – light and breathable on the skin.
As mentioned in Part 1 of the review, one doesn’t really get to choose the buttons for their suits – this is usually left in the hands of the tailors, unless the customer already has a specific design/colour in mind. Here, Mohan’s decided to pair mocha coloured buttons on the suit. There’s nothing wrong with it – it doesn’t come across as tacky or cheap – but it’s certainly a more conservative look. Personally, I would have went for amber horn buttons for heightened contrast and more of a statement.
They say that the devil is in the details, so I was really pleased to see that find the buttons on my Mohan’s jacket 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.
Functional buttonholes can also be requested at Mohan’s, though at a slight top-up. Personally, I always try to go for functional buttonholes whenever possible. While functional cuffs serves little practical purposes today, it is often a sign of a well-made suit, showing an attention to detail and craftsmanship.
I decided to go for some peronalisation on the suit by having my name monogrammed on the interior. It was my idea to have it in gold – I thought it would complement the regal vibe of the fabric – but unfortunately it did not turn out as well as I had hoped. There’s simply not enough contrast, and in hindsight I should have probably went for a colour that would have provided higher contrast, such as red. If I’m being honest, I do feel a tad disappointed that Mohan’s didn’t provide me alternative styling advice upon hearing my request for a gold monogram. To me, the tailor should be unafraid to correct the customer. Elsewhere, Mohan’s has also decided to pair a mocha coloured lining with the suit. As with the buttons, the choice of inner linings is usually up to the tailors at Mohan’s, unless the customer has a specific fabric/colour/design in mind. There’s nothing wrong with the mocha lining but again it’s definitely more towards the “safe” and conservative side stylistically. Personally, I would have went for a patterned lining.
However, I have to complement Mohan’s for opting for brass side-adjusters on my behalf here! As always, I indicated to Mohan’s my preference for side-adjusters over belt loops, but the actual material of the side-adjusters I left it to the hands of Mohan’s to pair. I’m pretty pleased with this pairing – I think the brass side-adjusters add a nice vintage feel to the trousers.
Moving on to the shirt, I actually quite liked the design and feel of the fabric. It has a sheen to it, and comes textured. It’s a subtle pattern though – from a distance the shirt would look like a plain white shirt, and it is only up close that the texture reveals itself to the discerning eye. Similar to the suit, the choice of buttons for shirts is again usually left to the hands of the tailors of Mohan’s, unless the customer has a special request. Here, they decided to go for a cream plastic button, meant to resemble the look of a mother-of-pearl button. I’m fine with that – given that the shirt is free (readers get a free shirt with every suit purchase of at least $350), I can’t complain much!
Lastly, one can also choose to personalise their shirt, specifically in the form of monograms. Here, I chose to have my initials monogrammed in gold on the shirt cuff. I like the gold threading here – it provides a nice pop of colour! I also appreciate that the shirt cuff on my left wrist was made slightly larger to accommodate a watch.
Overall, I would say given Mohan’s price point – mixed wool suits starting at just $350 with a free shirt – I pretty pleased with the craftsmanship of the garment. As aforementioned, Mohan’s does their production in-house locally under the supervision of Mr Koh, so their quality is comparably better to the other affordable tailors in Far East Plaza which outsource their production overseas. However, the style of Mohan’s is definitely more traditional and conservative, which is something worth noting.
Comparison: Mohan’s Custom Tailors vs Stitched Custom
Stitched Custom offers suits at a similar, sub-$400 price point, as well as a similar 1-2 weeks lead time. As such, I shall be comparing Stitched Custom with Mohan’s Custom Tailors for today!
Let me start by highlighting the areas which – in my opinion – Stitched Custom shines brighter than Mohan’s. Firstly, the showroom is more modern, as well as more spacious. There’s not one, but two fully furnished fitting rooms where one can change comfortably in, as well as numerous sofas and couches where one can sit and read the magazines provided whilst waiting. In contrast, the store at Mohan’s can be a bit cramped and crowded at times, and it isn’t an uncommon sight to see customers loitering around the shop while waiting to be served. Secondly, customers get to customise their clothing to a much more extensive degree at Stitched Custom. Things like buttons, linings, thread colour etc are all default customisation options over at Stitched Custom, so if you’re someone who loves to customise, Stitched Custom would undeniably be better than Mohan’s for you. Lastly, the “house cut” of Stitched Custom can be said to be more contemporary, definitely on the slimmer side (as seen above). If you’re someone who prefers a slimmer fit, Stitched Custom may be more suitable.
On the flip side of the coin, Mohan’s has more than 4 decades worth of experience over Stitched Custom, and it shows in the fit. Comparing the fit of both suits, I have to say that the suit from Mohan’s fit better – the suit and trousers drape cleaner overall, with significantly less wrinkles than the Stitched Custom suit. Part of the reason is because of the additional fitting processes (both the muslin fit as well as the baste fit) that Mohan’s employs, which result in a better fit. In addition, despite the decades of experience, Mohan’s is actually more affordable than Stitched Custom! After the promo code below, a mixed wool suit and shirt from Mohan’s cost just $350. In comparison, a mixed wool suit starts at $429 from Stitched Custom – getting an additional shirt would push the amount to over $500! As such, if you’re on a budget, Mohan’s would definitely be a better option.
Conclusion – so Mohan’s Custom Tailors “shiok” or not?
I think that Mohan’s Custom Tailors is a great value proposition. For just $350, you get a mixed wool suit, as well as a shirt (after the promo code below) – that’s cheaper than Benjamin Barker, and comparable to the price of G2000 clothing! Their garments are well-crafted, and fits rather well too. It’s not perfect – one might have to wait to be served whilst in the store, there isn’t much customisation options available, and the fit/style can sometimes be more on the conservative side. However, at the price, these are in my opinion minor quibbles. Mohan’s get the important stuff – fit and craftsmanship – right, and in these two aspects they really shine.
Just for my readers, Mohan’s is offering a free shirt with every suit purchase from $350 and up! Simply quote “WAHSOSHIOK” whilst making your appointment or flash this post at the store to enjoy the complimentary shirt. While suits at Mohan’s start at $250, I recommend topping up for the $450 half-canvassed mixed wool suit, which comes with a free polyester cotton shirt. For those looking for better material (important if you’re planning on wearing the suit/shirt frequently), my advice would be to go for the $650 half-canvassed full wool suit, with a free full cotton shirt included. The $200 increment may be substantial, but it is definitely worth it.
Curated package deals from Mohan’s can be found here. In particular, I recommend the $900 Full Canvassed Reda Suit package, and the $750 Back to Office package.
Read Part 1 of my review of Mohan’s here.
View Mohan’s website here.
Book an appointment at Mohan’s by calling (+65) 6732 3892.
Mohan’s Custom Tailors Location:
14 Scotts Road, #02-73 Far East Plaza, Singapore 228213
Opening hours
Mondays to Saturdays : 9am – 9pm
Sundays and Public Holidays : 9am – 7pm
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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