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As you like it

Lili Tan

Finding a tailor in Hong Kong is not difficult, but custom tailors who can think past pinstripes to design fashion-forward creations and push your style boundaries are rare.

Custom-made designs are generally not an issue for men - their silhouettes are largely set and patterns are easier to cut. But for women who want to set themselves apart from their off-the-rack counterparts, finding a tailor who can whip up a pair of this season's cropped peg leg trousers isn't as simple.

It's easy to spot a traditional tailor, with the bolts of cloth lining their walls, but the more fashion-conscious variety tend to be incognito and are often disguised as regular boutiques. They're not like the shops across the border that will happily reproduce designer wear using cheaper fabrics. These boutiques boast fashion consultants such as Alex Daye, managing director and designer of menswear label J.A. Daye and soon-to-be-launched women's line Gertrude Pudding. Unlike a typical tailor, Daye's designs come with a distinct point of view - in the form of a ready-to-wear collection to use as a starting point.

'When I first came to Hong Kong, I left tailor's shops not feeling 100 per cent satisfied - not with the work, but with the styles that were available,' Daye says. 'By having a line to choose from, there's less noise - piles of fabric swatches and choices of collars and cuffs. It makes it easier to customise when you can start with something great looking.'

Such tailor shop-boutique hybrids 'blend the craftsmanship of a traditional tailor with fashionable designs,' says Daye.

'We design the collection that we love, but even if other people love it as well, they still have the freedom to say: 'I love this shirt, but I don't want this collar.''

Although J.A. Daye is a menswear line, the designer says his female clients can choose from men's pieces and add feminine details.

'We have this really beautiful navy tuxedo for this collection and women were buying off the sample at our show in Paris,' Daye says.

Wu Lai-fan, a designer at Fang Fong boutique and a design graduate from Polytechnic University, also uses a base collection. Her line is Asian-inspired as seen in kimono lining dresses and qipao-collared halter tops made from non-traditional supple silks.

What also sets Wu apart from a traditional tailor is that she speaks to customers and asks them what they are looking for. After a lengthy consultation, she then sketches various silhouettes that will suit the customer's body type and recommends accessories to create a 'total look'.

Her clients often bring in magazine clippings or photos from the internet for ideas, although Wu says she uses these 'as inspiration, not as templates'. Others go empty-handed, willing to defer to Wu's fashion expertise.

'I have a few shy clients who know what they want, but don't know how to explain it, so I help guide them,' she says.

Even before the economic downturn, her customers sought to maximise their wardrobes, bringing in pieces for her to customise and alter. 'Many women don't want to wear the same dress twice, so I'll update it according to the designs of the current season or by adding details such as handmade trim,' she says.

Ricky Fung, a San Francisco-based designer, and fashion consultant Zuey Lam opened Suri Collection in Quarry Bay, featuring a line of customisable vibrantly-coloured party dresses and chic work outfits. Their spring collection reflects all the big trends seen on the catwalks, including the ethereal floral and ethnic print dresses.

'Ricky's style is more feminine but he likes to use sharp colours and patterns,' says Lam. 'Our clients tend to add detailing such as appliqu? flowers or crystals, so we often pare down the in-store styles.'

Fabrics, such as those from markets in the Old Western Market, Sham Shui Po and Shenzhen, can also help stir design ideas, especially since many custom tailors encourage clients to bring in their own materials without imposing any extra charges.

'In tailoring, I'm inspired by the fabrics we find, and then just let the shapes come,' Daye says. Unlike a standard tailor's shop, he and his partners traverse India, Japan and Hong Kong, scouring markets for unusual patterns and luxurious fabrics to ensure clients end up with unique pieces.

The right fabric can also keep the price down, but Lam warns against choosing something that is of lesser quality.

'I have to stress from the beginning that lesser materials will yield a different final product,' she says. 'Sometimes when the client gets it back, she says, 'It looks different now!' We'll change things a few times until she's satisfied.'

Cut to the chase

Blanc de Chine, 201-203A Pedder Building, 12 Pedder St, Central, tel: 2524 7875

Blanc de Chine mainly customises for special occasions, and prices range from HK$6,000 to HK$60,000.

Fang Fong, 67A Peel St, Central, tel: 3105 5557

Off-the-rack dresses from HK$1,000, while custom pieces range from HK$1,500 to HK$2,000.

J.A. Daye, 2/F Lee Wah Mansion, 171-177 Hollywood Rd, tel: 2545 8955

This hip design studio houses label J.A. Daye fashions, which range from HK$1,500 to HK$5,000, and is soon to feature women's collection Gertrude Pudding.

Suri Collection, 2A1 G/F Hoi Kwong Court, 13-15 Hoi Kwong St, Quarry Bay, tel: 6056 2621

Chic cocktail dresses, skirts and coats in store run about HK$500 to HK$800. Tailor-made creations with simple fabric swatches or colours often don't cost more, while altering the silhouette is an extra HK$100 to HK$200.

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