One of the greatest compliments I’ve received about my personal style came last summer at an Hermès fragrance party in Manhattan. A woman admired my soft-shouldered, moss-green linen suit trimmed with blond horn buttons—and asked where I had bought it.
This suit, a workhorse by day and show pony at night, was custom-made for me for $1,200 while I was living in Hong Kong, one of the last places on earth where a man can still acquire a quality wardrobe without risking personal bankruptcy. The British and Shanghainese traditions of bespoke suiting remain deeply ingrained there. Many office workers still wear suits and are slavishly loyal to their tailors.
Bankers, real estate developers, and politicians favor the classic pinstripes and windowpanes of W.W. Chan & Sons, established in 1952, or Jimmy Chen, in operation since 1948. Media and entertainment types, meanwhile, dress like modern-day Cary Grants in meticulously nipped jackets and high-waisted trousers from the Armoury or the Italian-leaning soft tailoring of newer entrants like the Antng kology and Prologue.
Courtesy of The Block
While the city’s retail climate hasn’t fully rebounded from the pandemic and social unrest, smart tailors have adapted with made-to-measure and ready-to-wear. The legendary William Yu was reimagined as Rojol in 2023, with a contemporary vibe that leans in to denim shirts, exaggerated collars, and biker-inspired jackets. The Block looks like an atelier imagined by Jony Ive: glass storefront, natural woods, and few garments on display. My husband bought a form-fitting plaid blazer in blue cashmere off a mannequin for $2,500.
Still, I prefer suits that are truly bespoke. I now own five of them, one for each year I lived in Hong Kong. Early on, I was tipped off to Il Sarto, on Queen’s Road, where I have going to ever since. It offers a broad array of fabrics, including some that are more affordable, such as the one I chose for the first suit I bought as a reward for making the move from New York City.
I found the wardrobe fittings to be as decadent and fetishistic as they appear in James Bond and Kingsman movies. Flipping through samples of superfine wools, cashmere blends, and linens (popular in steamy Hong Kong), I pointed to a midnight navy so luxurious that I should not have been surprised when the estimate jumped by several thousand dollars. I opted for a less extravagant fabric made by Caccioppoli that was the color of an overripe blueberry.
The process takes four to six weeks and involves three or four fittings. Yes, high-quality tailors will accommodate a rush order, but the results will not be nearly as nice. If you’re pressed, order a custom shirt instead, and if you love the results, the tailor will keep your measurements on file so that you can order more anytime.
On my second fitting, I donned a half-constructed blazer made of plain cloth and pants that had no fly, while the tailor made adjustments. On the third, the suit appeared to be finished, but when I put it on, the tailor marked chalk lines along my thighs and hips to correct flaws I could not detect. It took him a few more days before he was ready to release it.
The following year, I splurged on a formal black suit that can pinch-hit as a tux. The Loro Piana super 170s wool I chose drove the price closer to $3,000. Then came a double-breasted Prince of Wales check linen suit (Solbiati) lined with a tropical jungle print, and then the green linen suit (also Caccioppoli).
This spring, as I readjusted to life back in New York City and finished the first draft of a book (which took me back to Hong Kong), I bought an office-friendly suit in an Officine Paladino fabric that looks dark gray when worn indoors but reveals a subtle orange check in bright daylight. I’ve learned to trust the tailor, so I took his advice to add shoulder pads, widen the lapels, and do away with the ticket pocket for a slimmer look.
I wore it out for the first time when I went to see the smash-hit revival of Sunset Blvd. on Broadway. Hardly anyone dresses up for the theater anymore, but my suit and I were ready for our close-up.
A version of this story first appeared in the October 2025 issue of Travel + Leisure under the headline “The Perfect Fit.”
