Hello everyone, and welcome to another Singaporean review! On this shiok Sunday, I’m returning to the sartorial world of tailoring with a review of Edit Suits Co.
In this article, I will be chronicling my experience of having a three piece suit (and shirt) tailored at Edit Suits. In Part 2 (published next week), I will examine the fit and craftsmanship of the finished garments.
Without further ado, let’s see what getting tailored at Edit Suits is like!
Edit Suits Co. – the Brand
Edit Suits Co. was founded by the duo of Patrick Jungo and Reto Peter back in 2013. With storefronts in both London and Singapore (though the Singapore outlet came first), they have now grown to one of the biggest made-to-measure tailor in both countries. They describe themselves as “a high-end made-to-measure menswear company that is revolutionising the way men shop for clothing…using an innovative combination of e-commerce and direct sales to offer our high-quality products and are dedicated to offering the best customer experience to our customers.”
In my opinion, the best parts about the Edit Suits brand are their styling and convenience. At Edit Suits, the styling veers heavily towards a more Italian/English fit, with a slimmer cut. This is in contrast to other tailors that I’ve visited in the same price range, such as HST Tailors and Meiko Tailor – both of whom possess a more traditional cut. In addition, Edit Suits is big on convenience as well. Not only do they do away with the basted fitting process (so that customers don’t have to drop by multiple times), they also boast a brilliant online shop, whereby customers can customise and place subsequent orders based upon the initial measurements taken during their first order. Thereafter, customers can either opt to collect it from the Edit Suits showroom, or have it delivered to their home for free! For busy individuals looking for a contemporary styled suit, Edit Suits should fulfill your needs with ease.
With that said, let’s see how my tailoring experience went at Edit Suits!
Edit Suits Co. – the Experience
Edit Suits is located at the heart of Tanjong Pagar, along Duxton Road.
Edit Suits recently did some light renovation of their showroom – it looks better than ever as a result. The cozy showroom is brightly lit by natural light (streaming in from the windows of the shophouse), instantly setting one at ease. In particular, I like the British Colonial pieces of furniture (the couch and the lamp above) – very nice touches. Edit Suits conveyed to me that they are in the midst of bringing in more pieces of furniture to jazz up their showroom, so don’t be surprised if you see new pieces of furniture when you drop by!
Mannequins donning some of Edit Suits best stylings (tuxedo, 3 piece suit, summer jacket) are scattered throughout the showroom, providing you with inspiration if necessary. Also, I just want to say that I love the Asian aesthetics of the mirror (pictured in the background) – looks like something out of a Bali villa!
Right from the offset, Syafiq greeted me warmly (with a chilled bottle of water) and guided me through the various offerings of Edit Suits. This he did expertly – Syafiq is one of Edit Suits’ longest standing employees. He also has experience lecturing in fashion, and has had his past work exhibited at fashion shows before. Regarding both menswear (and womenswear), Syafiq knows what he’s talking about.
I was in two minds when I came to Edit Suits, in the sense that I didn’t really know what kind of suit to get. Eventually, I was inspired by the mannequin in the shop (pictured in the photo above), whereby a gorgeous 3 piece suit was displayed. Some of the suits I’ve commissioned lately have been more towards the flashier/formal side, and I wanted something more versatile and classic. A navy 3 piece suit is just that – worn together, it’s a strong statement; worn without the vest and it becomes slightly more casual; and worn with just the vest it becomes smart casual. In addition, I’ve heard great things about the 3 piece suits from Edit Suits – many commission them for weddings. As such, I decided to have a 3 piece suit made, and Syafiq promptly broke out a few fabric books for me to choose from!
A wide variety of fabrics are available at Edit Suits, including fabrics from esteemed European mills such as Loro Piana, Holland & Sherry, Dormeuil, VBC, and even Scabal! However, while their higher end fabrics are stunning, it was the quality of some of their cheapest offerings that impressed me. Unlike other tailors I’ve visited within the same price range, Edit Suits’ starting ‘House Fabric’ is 100% wool – no mixed wool fabrics here! As a result, they are light and comfortable on the skin, though full wool fabrics do require a tad more care. After pondering over the fabric choices, I decided to go with the ES (Edit Suits) VBC Collection, priced under $1000. To get a canvassed (Edit Suits jackets are half-canvassed by default, though full-canvassing is also available at a price premium) VBC suit for 3 figures is incredibly rare in today’s tailoring market – you’re usually looking at mixed wool, or at best full wool suits at this price range!
Now, I have to admit, the ES VBC collection is a tad limited in terms of variety – you’re mostly looking at solid shades of blue, grey and black. If you’re searching for patterns, or more exotic colours such as pink/brown/maroon etc, you would have to go for the regular VBC collection which would be in the 4 figures. That being said, I thought the ES VBC collection was sufficient, especially considering that I wanted to go for a contemporary, versatile look. Again, taking inspiration from the mannequin behind me, I ultimately decided on a navy suit, with a contrasting midnight blue vest underneath. I felt that the contrasting shades of blue would result in a subtle, yet elegant look.
After deciding upon the fabric, we moved on to the inner linings. There are a ton of inner linings to be chosen at Edit Suits – one would likely be spoiled for choice. However, I suggest avoiding polyester linings, which sometimes make the inner of the jacket feel hot. As such, I opted for a blue floral cupro lining – cupro is a natural fiber fashioned out of cotton waste. In addition, I thought the blue lining complemented the blue suit fabric nicely, with the floral patterning adding a touch of flair on the inside to keep it from being too stale and boring.
For the vest, I went with a mosaic patterned cupro lining. Given that I’ve already opted for something floral with the suit, I wanted to go with a differently patterned lining for the vest for some contrast. Again, the lining chosen here has blue undertones to it (which complements the midnight blue vest), but is bold enough to add a little spark to the vest.
For the shirt fabric, Syafiq recommended I go for a classic white shirt – a white shirt never goes out of style, and will look good with almost all suit colours. Again, it’s something that is contemporary, but also versatile. The shirt fabrics are mostly 100% cotton – no polyester here, as one might find on lower-end tailors!
Moving on to the buttons, I decided upon natural horn buttons for the suit/vest. I almost always opt for horn buttons when it comes to suits – nothing else, in my opinion, comes close to the understated elegance of horn. That being said, Edit Suits does offer more striking button options, such as those with a lion engraving, or skull buttons – attractive perhaps, now that the Winter is here (that’s a Game of Thrones reference, for those that didn’t get it).
As I’ve stated multiple times in previous tailoring reviews, I simply love going for mother-of-pearl buttons for my shirts. It’s understated, elegant, and opulent all at once – the perfect icing on the cake for dress shirts. Edit Suits offers mother-of-pearl buttons in various differing looks (see photo above), but I went with the whitest one for a more subtle look.
Unlike other more traditional traditions, customisation is done in a rather modern fashion at Edit Suits. Firstly, customers will have to create an online account on the Edit Suits website (password is personal and won’t be known to the staff). Thereafter, the stylists (Syafiq in my case) will guide you through the various customisation options, which one makes on the Ipad. I have to say, I found this quite refreshing and effective. The beauty of this is that for repeat orders, you can order via the Edit Suits website from the comfort of your home, and make the customisation options yourself! Tailoring is generally viewed as a traditional industry, but Edit Suits is certainly harnessing technology to make life easier for customers in this 21st century.
For the suit, I went with more contemporary slim notch lapels, straight pockets, double vents at the back, pic stitching along the lapels, and a monogram on the inner of the jacket. As seen in the photo above, the monogram is offered in three distinct styles, with a variety of colours to choose from.
For the vest, I chose to have straight pockets, a pointed button, and a belt at the back. For my trousers, I opted for side adjusters (I hate belt loops), and went for a modern no break styling for the length.
To top it off, I went for a slim cutting on my dress shirt, with a small spread collar, fitted collar stays (I always forget to remove the collar stays before washing my clothes if the stays are removable), angled French cuffs, and plain plackets without pockets.
With the customisation options settled, it was time to move on to the measurement!
Edit Suits Co. – the Measurement
I’ve said many times before – the measurement process is probably the most important aspect when tailoring clothing. Without accurate measurements, the fit is bound to be off. Luckily for me, it was apparent that Syafiq was more than adequately skilled at this!
First, Syafiq takes my initial measurements the old-fashioned way – using tape and paper. Again, as this is a procedure that requires skill, you want to make sure that the person measuring you is experienced and confident.
The usual measurements are taken: shoulder, chest, collar, etc. Like other experienced tailors that I’ve visited, Syafiq was able to recognise the uneven slope of my shoulders, my arched back, and what he calls my “asset” – my big bum – as areas to be noted.
Thereafter, Syafiq proceeded to meticulously record down my lower body measurements, such as the width of my thighs, as well as the length of my legs.
As aforementioned, Edit Suits describes themselves as made-to-measure, instead of bespoke. As such, there’s no basted fitting process as there usually is in this price range, as they pride convenience over tradition. Instead, based upon the initial measurements taken, the stylists of Edit Suits will let you try on a fitting garment for you to get a sensing of how the eventual garment will fit. As pictured above, Syafiq took out a fitting garment for me to try on, and thereafter explained at length to me the areas where my made-to-measure shirt will be different from the fitting shirt – such as the shoulders, the length of the sleeves, etc.
After trying on the fitting shirt, Syafiq proceeded to take out a fitting jacket for me to try on. Similar to the shirt, he meticulously explained to be the areas that will be different when it comes to the finished product, such as the shoulders.
Throughout the measurement process, I was really impressed by Syafiq’s dedication to the details. For example, he even pinned up the bottom of the jacket to make it shorter, so as to give me a better idea how the fit of my actual garment would look like! He didn’t just say: “Oh, it will look shorter”. He took initiative, and went the extra mile. Kudos to Syafiq for that!
After four weeks, I dropped by again to try out the actual garments. After greeting me warmly, Syafiq first proceeded to inspect the fit of the dress shirt. Here, his stickler for details is shown through again – he was unsatisfied with the way the sleeve draped, the little bumps caused by my uneven shoulders, as well as the excess fabric around the waist. He duly noted these down for alteration, and even assured me that he will be overseeing the alterations himself.
Thereafter, I tried on the vest and jacket. Again, Syafiq pointed out the areas which they have nailed (the shoulders, in this case), but also bluntly raised areas that he felt can be done better, such as the length of the sleeves and the drape of the back. With the knowledge that Syafiq has identified numerous areas for improvement under his watchful eye, I went back with confidence.
Conclusion – so Edit Suits Co. “shiok” or not?
I definitely enjoyed my tailoring experience over at Edit Suits. The entire process was seamless and efficient, and I didn’t feel overwhelmed or lost at any point in time. I have to say, a big part of that was due to Syafiq – his experience shines through, and there’s a sort of je ne sais quoi to him that sets you instantly at ease. Furthermore, given Edit Suits’ modern back-end system, the stylist attending to you (even if he/she is different from the original stylist you had) would know the details of your previous purchase orders, such as your measurements, purchase history, favourite customisations, etc even before you come for your appointment! The online shop system was an eye-opener as well, whereby I could place subsequent orders (and customise them to my liking) thereafter from the comfort of my home. However, that modern convenience comes with a trade-off – the traditional basted fitting being a victim. Given Syafiq’s meticulousness during the measurement process, I’m pretty sure that the fit will turn out great. However, the basted fitting process is more than just the fit – it’s an experience in itself, seeing the tailor unravel the baste stitches that they have painstakingly stitched. That being said, if you don’t have a particular passion for tailoring, and simply want some great fitting clothes and convenience, I’ll definitely recommend Edit Suits.
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.
Read Part 2 of the review here, whereby I reviewed the fit and workmanship of the finished garments!
Edit Suits Co.’s Location:
35A Duxton Road
Level 2
Singapore 089499
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Photo Credits:
Matt Lai
