Hello everyone, and welcome to another of my reviews. In this article, I’ll review a new suit commission from Bangkok tailor Narry Bespoke Tailors.
I was searching for a tailor in Sukhumvit, Bangkok, and chanced upon Narry Bespoke Tailors due to its impressive Google rating of 4.8/5 (with over 360 reviews). Named after its founder, Narinder Narry Suriya-Amrit, Narry Bespoke Tailors has been operating since 1977, with a wholly in-house production. With such a pedigree, I decided to pay them a visit – let’s see how my experience went.
Narry Bespoke Tailors – the Video
If you’re interested in seeing some hands-on footage of my experience with Narry Bespoke Tailors, do watch the YouTube video below:
Narry Bespoke Tailors – the Experience
Narry Bespoke Tailors is located in the heart of Sukhumvit, a stone throw’s away from Nana BTS station.
It’s sandwiched between Ramada by Wyndham Bangkok Sukhumvit 11 Hotel and a lovely Japanese restaurant called Yuna. In case you’re having difficulty finding it, there’s an illuminated signboard that shines brightly even during nighttime.
Upon arriving, I was greeted by Ram, who has over two decades of fitting experience. Having previously tailored at a few Bangkok tailors, I conveyed to Ram that I wanted a unique fabric that I’ve yet to tailor in Singapore and Thailand. Specifically, I asked if they had anything “branded”, to which he recommended the Cavani Black Ice fabrics – a collection of 100% Australian wool flannel.
Initially, I was sceptical about flannel, which seems too hot for Singaporean weather (it’s usually meant for winter clothing). At this point, Chad – who’s Narry’s son – overheard our conversation and reassured me that the Cavani Black Ice would be appropriate for Singapore, albeit in air-conditioned environments. He pointed out that even though it’s flannel, the Black Ice is relatively lightweight at 290 grams, with its 100% wool composition ensuring breathability. I decided to take him up on his suggestion and commissioned a suit in a maroon flannel fabric.
Afterwards, we decided upon a few more customisation options, such as the lining, shirt, and trousers. Ram also took my measurements, which he did promptly and expertly. I cover the process in detail on YouTube, so do check out this video if you’re interested in seeing what the tailoring experience is like at Narry Bespoke Tailors.
I returned to Narry Bespoke Tailors the next day for my basted fitting. 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. For more information on the basted fitting stage, read this educational article here. To me, a basted fitting stage 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.”
Given the longstanding heritage behind Narry Bespoke Tailors, I was expecting a more traditional cut. I was pleasantly surprised to discover that was not the case – the suit featured an ultra-modern cut, with a highly tapered waist, shorter jacket length, and no-break trousers.
However, I did feedback that the armhole felt uncomfortably high, and also reflected that the back could be improved as well. Ram took note of my evaluation and highlighted the importance of communication with the tailor. He said: “We can make adjustments based on what we see, but it’s not as important as how you feel“.
After two days, I returned to collect the suit. As I was in a rush to get to the airport, I decided to just try on the suit jacket. It was immediately apparent that the necessary alterations had been made – the armholes felt much more comfortable, and the back (see picture above) also drapes much cleaner.
Narry Bespoke Tailors – Suit Review
Let’s now take a closer look at the fit and workmanship of the suit.
As mentioned earlier, the jacket is on the shorter side, ending near the base of my palms. I find it still acceptable, as the dress shirt underneath isn’t showing. More importantly, the shoulders lie flat without any bunching of the surrounding fabric, which is impressive given my significantly sloped shoulders. Furthermore, there’s a substantial tapering around the waist, giving me a slimmer look. There are also no shoulder divots – one of the cardinal sins of tailoring.
The sleeves drape nicely with little wrinkling, which is not easy given that the sleeve pitch depends on the individual’s posture. This highlights the benefits of a basted fit, where the tailor can adjust for individual characteristics. The sleeve length is good too, ending near my wristbone and exposing a quarter-inch of shirt cuff. The jacket also lies neatly on the shirt collar without an unsightly collar gap.
The benefits of the basted fitting can also be seen in the drape of the back, which is one of the cleanest I’ve tried so far. The back has always been the most problematic area for me, so I have to commend Narry Bespoke Tailors for doing an impressive job here.
Even the trousers drape cleanly, with a lovely no-break look that complements the modern styling of the jacket.
However, my favourite aspect of the suit has to be the lovely maroon fabric from Cavani. The flannel has a lovely texture that exudes sophistication, while the peak lapels add to its striking nature.
The jacket also features pick stitching, which runs not just along the lapels but throughout the edges of the jacket. And like most Thai tailors, the jacket comes with an in-built pocket square (made from the lining of the suit), providing convenience for the wearer.
The brown button complements the maroon fabric, giving it a tone-on-tone look. The buttons are also hand-shanked, which provides the fabric space to drape in when buttoned. A sign of quality workmanship that increases the lifespan of the buttons, hand-shanking is usually only found in more expensive tailors such as HST.
Another hallmark of quality tailoring is surgeon cuffs, which refer to functional sleeve buttons. Notice how the buttonholes are cut neatly, without any fraying or loose threads. I like the angled shirt cuff as well, which is another modern touch to the look.
I also liked the Burberry-inspired lining – the red windowpane pattern matches well with the maroon flannel. There’s also pipe stitching running down the edges of the inner lining, which is a lovely detail to see.
For the trousers, I stuck with side adjusters for a cleaner look.
I also found the suit to be relatively lightweight and breathable (for flannel), largely due to its pure wool construction as well as 290 grams weight. It’s definitely still meant for indoor wear, but I took a few photos outdoors (see above photo) and didn’t find the experience unbearable.
In fact, I found myself falling in love with the eminently striking maroon flannel fabric. I wanted something different, and this suit from Narry Bespoke Tailors certainly delivered. There’s nothing wrong with a standard grey/navy suit, but as someone with over 40 suits in his wardrobe, this maroon flannel suit stands out. It’s a unique fabric in an uncommon shade, and the result is simply stunning.
I also grew to appreciate the cut of the suit. Classical tailoring generally falls into three branches of “cut” – American, English, and Italian. This suit follows the Italian style closely, including traits such as higher armholes (which I mentioned earlier in the article), shorter and fitted jacket, and a no-break look for the trousers. Given the rakish nature of the maroon flannel fabric, I find the Italian styling to be perfect for the occasion.
Overall, I love my maroon flannel suit from Narry Bespoke Tailors. The fabric is amazing, the slim cut is refreshingly modern, the suit fits well, and it’s well-made as well. It’s also important to note that this suit was completed within 3-4 days, so I find it highly commendable that Narry Bespoke Tailors can deliver a suit of this quality in such a short turnaround time.
Conclusion – so Narry Bespoke Tailors “shiok” or not?
If you’re looking for a tailor in the Sukhumvit area (i.e the downtown area of Bangkok), I would highly recommend visiting Narry Bespoke Tailors. It’s a short walk away from Nana BTS station, and has a relatively short turnaround time, making them perfect for tourists. I love the fabric of my suit (which is stylish but also still practical), the contemporary fit, and the relatively high level of workmanship. That being said, they may not be the best choice if you’re looking for an American/British fit – if you’re used to a more traditional fit, I would recommend some of the other Bangkok tailors I’ve visited instead.
Suits at Narry Bespoke Tailors start at 8,800 Baht/~S$325, while shirts start at 1200 Baht/~S$45. This particular Cavani Black Ice flannel suit costs 18,000 Baht. Those interested in commissioning a suit from Narry Bespoke Tailors can quote the promo code “WAHSOSHIOK” or flash this post in-store to enjoy a free shirt with every suit purchase. I love my suit, which radiates both style and substance – it has become a standout in my very crowded wardrobe, and that’s no mean feat.
Book an appointment with Narry Bespoke Tailors here.
Narry Bespoke Tailors Flagship Location: 155/22 Sukhumvit Soi 11/1, Klongtoey Nuea, Wattana, Bangkok, Thailand, 10110
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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.
