It can be pretty daunting for many trawling through the HUNDREDS of tailor shops around the Old Town in Hoi An. There are so many and they all seem to be producing the (more or less) the same designs, the same fabrics, and all seem to be able to create any requested design in a short amount of time.

Price-wise, there’s very little difference between them all. They know what everyone else is charging and so bargaining can be a little difficult unless you’re purchasing multiple items. When I first came to Hoi An in 2013, I came in low season and the general asking price for a simple little summer dress seemed to be around $15USD. And when I went again this year, in 2014, I went in high season and the general asking price for the same garment, was around $25.

And if anyone didn’t like the given price and tried to walk away in the hope that the price would lower, then the tailors weren’t going to beg. In fact, I found that when I told a tailor that I wanted to go away and think about it, maybe look around a bit first, then their demeanor changed from overly friendly to totally hostile. They wouldn’t even make eye contact with me, which of course would discourage anyone from actually returning.

Same fabric as other red dress, but slighty different style (neckline, waist etc.)

In the end I only got a couple of little ready-to-wear summer dresses on each visit to Hoi An, though that was mostly due to the amount of time I was spending in Hoi An (it should be expected that your item won’t be perfect the first time you get your garment, and should allow time for alterations).

That being said, there are some wonderful tailors with a really good reputation that I did visit, and the quality of their garments were exquisite. Here’s a little list of those ones that I would recommend taking a look in for sure:

–          Kimmys – probably the most famous tailor shop in Hoi An. 70 Tran Hung Dao Street

–          Beli Fashion. Tran Hung Dao street.
–          Hoa Nang Sunny Cloth Shop. 9 Tran Phu street
–          Tailor Phuong Nam.15 Tran Phu Street.
–          Hoang Kim. 57 Nguyen Thai Hoc street.
–          Blue Eye Tailor. 48 Nguyen Thai Hoc Street.
–          Bebe Cloth Shop – Tailor. 11 Hoang Dieu

Best streets for tailors (in my opinion):

–          Tran Phu
–          Nguyen Thai Hoc
–          Le Loi
–          Tran Hung Dao

Remember, it doesn’t just stop at clothes. In Hoi An, you could have anything you want made, from shoes to bags; bedding to household textiles; book covers to laptop cases; jewellery and other accessories. The list is endless.

Red dress #2 (different)