Nestled up an old walk-up building in Central, Best Shirtmaker Co. has been around since the 1960’s (although this was not their original location). Our first attempt to visit however, was a failure. Despite us calling ahead to check his business hours, he still closed up shop earlier than he stated.
First impressions are not impressive as there are stacks of fabric and shirting materials stuffed around the already cramped shop and the renovation is definitely more reminiscent of a workshop than a storefront.
The proprietor was up for a chat and obviously he is a man that takes pride in his work. Taking an apprenticeship in his teens and working his way up, he’s been in the Hong Kong tailoring scene far longer than most of us have been alive.
After a lengthy discussion with him, we were willing to try a softer collar not often seen on Hong Kong shirts. Always a gamble to try something new from just a reference photo, but we thought it would be worth a shot.
Our choices for fabric selection were considerably more comprehensive than most. They stock local, Japanese, and other European fabrics such as CISTES. An uneventful measure up later, we were on our way with a one week turnover time promised.
We liked that he was friendly and seemed knowledgable but the untidiness of the shop was off-putting. For a shop with so much history, they could do much better in displaying their heritage and presenting their products.
The owner mentioned that he had already downsized multiple times due to rent increases but we felt there was a lot of potential if a little TLC went into it. A definite shame as just from a quick glance at the shirts scattered around, their quality seemed high.
+ Knowledgable frontman
– Presentation
More Info:
- Turnover time 1 week with phone call
- MOP buttons at no additional cost, but no thickness options
- $550 and up for 2 ply cotton fabrics
Address: 1/F, Fortuna Building, 63-69 Wellington Street, Central
too many tailors 