Hoi An Custom Made: Everything You Need To Know!
We are just 14 weeks away from our 2024 Asia trip and excitement is high! Some of the most frequent questions we get asked by our travellers relate to what to buy in Hoi An, Hoi An custom made items and Hoi An tailors. This will be my fourth visit to Hoi An and this tiny town is literally one of my favourite places on this planet to shop. I’ve always been very picky and can never seem to find exactly what I want in store. Hoi An shopping solves that problem nicely because I get to design exactly what I want, have it made quickly by skilled artisans and pay a fraction of the cost of what I would at home. If you, like me, are excited by the idea of having clothes, shoes, jewellery, bags and more made to your exact specifications read on for all the details …
Hoi An Custom Made Items
Hoi An is known as the tailoring capital of Vietnam, but clothes are not the only thing you can have custom made in Hoi An. Custom made leather goods including shoes, boots, bags, belts and jackets are abundant. I also recently discovered Hoi An excels at custom made jewellery and I am an instant convert. Deciding what to buy in Hoi An can be daunting, but this guide will have you shopping with confidence in no time.
Bebe – The Best Tailor In Hoi An
As with anything, not all tailors are created equal. The skill required to create a perfect garment takes years to master and choosing from the over 500 tailors in Hoi An can be a minefield. The old adage that you get what you pay for is as true in Hoi An as anywhere else and the cheapest price rarely garners the best result. I don’t travel to Hoi An for the cheapest, I go for the best. If you are looking for a quality end result with exceptional service, at a reasonable price you simply cannot go past Bebe Tailor.
Bebe have three stores in Hoi An, each one filled to the brim with a never ending selection of fabric. They hire only the best staff and service is a priority. I visited Bebe in 2017, 2019 and 2023 and I’m thrilled with everything I purchased. My preference is to visit BeBe 1 (05 – 07 Hoang Dieu St) as the flagship, and largest, store in the fleet. Bebe specialise in suits (for both men and women) and have their craft down to a fine art.
Every time I visit Bebe I get about a dozen tops tailored. I have a trusted design that I replicate in as many different colours as I can. It’s so versatile, can be dressed up or down and transitions between work and play effortlessly. Of course it features my favourite style, a halter cut. I couldn’t possibly include pictures of them all, but I have added a few below.
On my last trip I had a very special dress made. The Hubs and I celebrated 30 years of marriage in April 2023 and decided to renew our vows on a cruise. I wanted this dress to be everything my first wedding dress was not. Simple, elegant and timeless. I just need to find another occasion to wear it!
I was going through a baby blue phase in 2023 and was a bit obsessed with the icy hue. The satin I chose for my second dress was lighter-weight than the anniversary dress to ensure the ruffles sat nicely. I prefer the neckline on the anniversary dress, but this one also turned out great.
Winter coats also feature heavily on our shopping lists and between us we have quite a few from Bebe. Robin ordered three amazing coats from Bebe in 2019. The muted tones of the monochrome is a perfect everyday staple, but the vibrant red is Robin’s favourite. The combination of cut, intensity of colour, button placement, fit and fun lining make it the standout. The quality of all three coats are far superior to anything you can purchase off the rack.
Other Highly Recommended Hoi An Tailors
Bebe is the not only tailor I have tried in Hoi An. They were my first and my last, but I did try a few others in the middle. All in the name of research you understand. In 2023 I decided the best way to differentiate would be to take that trusted top to three different tailors and have them all make one. I visited Bebe (of course!), Yaly Couture and Mr Xe. All three are in the centre of town, come highly recommended and are at the higher end price wise of Hoi An tailors.
Mr Xe has just one store and it’s tiny in compassion to Bebe. I was looking for a cheaper alternative to BeBe without compromising on quality when I decided to give Mr Xe a try for the first time in 2023. In addition to the top, I ordered a baby blue winter coat (right below) and Vietnam’s national dress, an Ao Dai. My timing was super tight as I needed the Ao Dai for a planned photo shoot and Mr Xe did not disappoint. He is a genuinely lovely man who is in the store often and truly wants every one to leave completely satisfied. So much so that when he was unhappy with the quality of the fabric for the blue coat he insisted on giving it to me for free and remaking the coat in black (centre below) in a much higher quality of fabric than I chose at no extra charge, You simply can’t argue with that. The quality of the items I ordered are fabulous and rival Bebe (purple pictured right). I would not hesitate to return.
Yaly Couture Hoi An Tailor
Yaly Couture also has a good reputation as one of the best tailors in Hoi An. They have three locations and I visited the flagship store (47 Nguyen Thai Hoc). I didn’t like the vibe the minute I walked in. It felt disorganised and hectic. I couldn’t find what I wanted without assistance and despite an abundance of staff it was hard to catch their attention as it was jammed with customers. My trusted top turned out just fine and the price was great, but Yaly is just not for me.
Tips For Getting Clothes Made In Hoi An
Having purchased tailor made clothes in Hoi An a number of times now, here are my top tips for first timers …
Allow Enough Time
It takes a minimum of 24 hours to tailor a simple item. Most items will take 2 to 3 days and require at least one fitting in between measuring and collection. Make a beeline for your tailor the minute you arrive to allow maximum time. Rushing artisans rarely ends well, so if they say there isn’t enough time pushing them may result in an inferior product. Do so at your own risk.
Know What You Want
Don’t walk into any Hoi An tailor totally unprepared. I’ve seen many a perspective shopper wandering around in a bewildered daze only to leave empty handed. The best results are always achieved if you have a rough idea what you want and you are less likely to be ‘upsold’ something you don’t really need.
Take Pictures
While Hoi An Tailors will design something for you from scratch, the process is far easier (and quicker!) if you have pictures of what you want. These don’t need to be exact and you can have multiple pictures as inspiration. When designing the anniversary dress, I took four different pictures along to create the final design, the neckline from one, the train from another, the keyhole back from another and the front from another still. I love how it came together.
Take Examples
Hoi An tailors are master copiers. If you have something you love take it with you and they will produce a fabulous copy.
Fabric Matters
Fabric choice is critical. It determines the price and outcome. The same Ao Dai can be as little as USD$80 or as much as USD$200 depending on the quality of fabric you choose. Fabric choice goes beyond picking a colour you like. The weight of the fabric determines how a garment will fall. Don’t choose a heavy fabric if you want the garment to fall in soft waves. Once I have settled on a design, I always ask to be shown a selection of suitable fabrics at different price points. When comparing prices across multiple tailors make sure you are comparing apples with apples and you have chosen a similar quality of fabric to get a true comparison.
Lining – Yay or Nay?
Anything fully lined hikes up to the price. All my trusted tops are fully lined which almost doubled the price of the same top unlined. Bebe tried to talk me out of the lining saying I didn’t need it, but that’s what I wanted so that’s what I got. A thicker, darker fabric without lining will be far more cost effective.
Buy In Bulk
While it’s prudent to buy an item at a time to see what the quality is like before fully committing to a new tailor, it rarely gets you the best price. I have done this in the past, but I did so with the full knowledge that I was paying a premium for the first single item. Having used Bebe now many times, I trust the quality so I have no hesitation placing a large order from the get go.
Negotiate
I’m not suggesting for a minute you haggle as hard as you would in a Thai market, but it doesn’t hurt to ask for the ‘best price’. They can usually nudge it down a bit. When traveling with others, negotiate together for a better price across all orders.
Fittings
Wear the bra that you will wear with the outfit as this can make a massive difference to the fit. You are not going to be able to squeeze a wonderbra under a tight fitted bodice that you tried on with a t-shirt bra. With pants, consider the shoes you will wear with them when determining the hem height. Trying on with flats and wearing with heels can be disastrous if you don’t make adjustments. Be fastidious in checking everything from all angles and ask for adjustments where needed. Most good tailors will identify what needs changing without prompting, but don’t hesitate to point out anything that needs tweaking. You came for the perfect fit and now is the time to speak up.
Upsize Winter Coats
It’s weird trying on a winter coat in sweltering Hoi An, but I’ve done it many times. Be mindful of the fact that you will be wearing much thicker clothes underneath your coat at home than what you wear to the fitting. Ask your tailor to allow enough wiggle room (especially in the sleeves) to accommodate the winter woolies you will be wearing when you return to reality.
Details
Hoi An tailors typically don’t have a massive selection of buttons or embellishments. If you want something very specific, bring them with you or swap them out when you get home. I love making bold choices with my coat linings. Most of the time it’s unseen, but every now and then you get a flash of colour which adds a playful touch to a rather formal garment. This also works a treat for men’s suit jackets.
Ship It
The weight of your new clothes can add up quickly, especially the coats which can be a couple of kilos each. I travel with a half empty suitcase to allow for new purchases, but if you are tight on luggage space, ask for shipping. The cost is generally reasonable and takes a few weeks.
Credit Card Fees
Most Hoi An tailors will charge a 3% credit card surcharge. I just consider it the cost of doing business. I’m simply not prepared to carry around wads of Dong or pay the hefty ATM fees to obtain the cash required for my purchases. Be aware and factor it into your budget so there are no surprises.
Try EVERYTHING On!
It’s very tempting when you have ordered multiple items of the same thing to just try on one and assume they will all fit exactly the same. Don’t do that. These are hand made items without a pattern and even a slight difference can impact the finished article. Always try on every single item to avoid disappointment when you unpack.
Hoi An Custom Made Shoes
I’m just as fussy about shoes as I am about clothes. As I get older. I’m less worried about fashion and more worried about function and fit, but I’m not completely ready to sacrifice looks. Getting a tailored made pair of shoes that fit like a glove was once a luxury reserved for those with very deep pockets, but in Hoi An everyone can afford a pair of bespoke shoes.
Over the years we have tried three different custom made shoes stores in Hoi An, Friendly Shoes, Song Da and Thuy Thanh. Our first foray into custom made shoes in Hoi An was in 2019 when Robin and I visited Friendly Shoes during our free time. I visited Thuy Thanh and we both visited Song Da in 2023. Which is the best custom made shoe store in Hoi An is one of the only things that Robin and I disagree on. Regardless of which store you choose, be mindful of colour choice. While the unusual pretty colours may be tempting, the black staples are the ones that will get the most wear when you get home.
Friendly Shoes
Friendly Shoes is one of the most renowned shoe stores in Hoi An. They offer a good choice of leather colours in different qualities and therefore price points. Robin and I both chose a higher quality leather for all our purchases which were still very affordable.
Friendly is Robin’s favourite and she will advocate for them every day of the week. She ordered three pairs of flat dress shoes that she has worn religiously over the last four years. The quality of the shoes is evident in the detail, particularly the stitching on the brogues. She is currently counting the days until October 2024 to order more.
I ordered a pair of heeled work pumps, a cross body bag and a pair of heeled boots. My one disappointment with Friendly is that customisation is limited. I was specifically looking for an almond shaped toe to replicate a favourite pair of Prada work shoes (pictured below) that I have worn to death. Friendly have set options based on the lasts and pre-made heel blocks which didn’t replicate exactly what I wanted. The toe shape was far too rounded for my liking. I did tell you I was fussy lol. They also didn’t have any black patent leather in stock at the time so I had to settle for matte. I can’t fault their service as they remade the pumps when the cut of the originals was not quite right. And they did it in under 24 hours. I love that the boots are exactly the right height at mid calf, as I find off the rack boots are either too short or too long. I would have preferred a black zipper, but that was not an option. Both pairs of shoes I ordered held up well and I love the bright blue lining. I used the bag to death daily for a couple of years and it’s no longer in the rotation. I will be back to Friendly in 2024 to give them another try.
Thuy Thanh Leather
Thuy Thanh was a mistake. I took a Grab from our hotel to Song Da and I didn’t notice they dropped me a few doors down. I simply walked into the first store I saw and didn’t realise my mistake until I spotted Song Da while walking away. Oh well, you live and learn. While my sandals from Thuy Thanh are fine, they don’t compare to the quality of Song Da or Friendly. I won’t be returning when I know there are better options out there.
Song Da Shoes
Song Da have a great reputation among shoe stores in Hoi An for fitting difficult feet including high or low arches. As this is something important to Robin, we hit up Song Da in 2023. Song Da are now my go to custom made shoe store in Hoi An. They had a vast array of leather choices in various colours, quality and price points.
Robin ordered a pair of loafers and a pair of sandals from Song Da. Her sandals perfectly match her Ao Dai and looked amazing in our photo shoot. While they were a hit, her loafers were most definitely a miss. Robin ended up donating the loafers as they were simply not her style.
I ordered a number of pairs of shoes from Song Da. They are all fabulous, but my Choo inspired heels are the hit of the bunch. I recently bought a pair of Jimmy Choo Azia’s that set me back AUD$1,250. The first time I wore them the lining dislodged. I took them back for repair and they did exactly the same thing next wear so I demanded a refund. I loved the design and was still mourning the loss when we headed to Vietnam. We created a similar design, careful to change just enough so as not to impinge on the originals. I wear them often. They are buttery soft, fit me like a glove and are so comfortable, unlike the pair that were their inspiration. I’ll be back in 2024 to create something fabulous.
Hoi An Custom Made Jewellery
I left my jaunt into the custom made jewellery scene until the last day of our trip in 2023 when I visited Bac Viet to conduct research for the next trip. A mother and child bangle caught my eye immediately. My delight turned to disappointment when I tried it on and it was far too big. She promised to alter it before I left town in three hours. Measurements were taken, money changed hands and I was on my way with the promise of imminent delivery. True to their word they were right on time, but the bangle was still too big. 40 minutes later she was back again with a perfectly fitting bangle just as Robin and I were at reception checking out. You can bet I will be returning to Bac Viet in October with more time. The Georg Jensen earrings below will be my inspiration.
Hoi An Custom Made Prices
As I said earlier, you get what you pay for. Bebe was by far the most expensive, Mr Xe was the cheapest and Yaly was somewhere in the middle. All three shoe stores were very similar in price. Here is the exact breakdown of what we paid. And yes I kept the receipts! All conversions are approximate.
Hoi An Tailor Prices
Bebe = Anniversary dress VND4,800,000 (USD$200 or AUD$295), Evening dress VND3,500,000 (USD$145 or AUD$215), 5 Tops VND4,800,000 (USD$200 or AUD$295), 1 Long Winter Coat VND3,100,000 (USD$130 or ~AUD$190). 1 Ao Dai (Robin) VND3,700,000 (USD$150 or AUD$220).
Yaly = 1 Top VND708,000 (USD$30).
Mr Xe = 1 Long Winter Coat VND2,200,00 (USD$90 or AUD$130). 1 Ao Dai (Allison) VND2,000,000 (USD$80 or AUD$115). 1 Top VND650,000 (USD$25 or AUD$35).
Hoi An Custom Made Shoe Prices
Song Da – 3 pairs custom designed heels VND4,000,000 (USD$155 or AUD$230). 1 pair sandals VND500,000 (USD$20 or AUD$30). 1 pair work heeled pumps VND1,400,000 (USD$55 AUD$80).
Thuy Thanh – 2 pairs sandals VND2,700,000 (USD$100 or AUD$150).
Friendly Shoes – 1 pair boots VND2,900,000 (USD$115 AUD$170). 1 pair work pumps VND1,500,000 (USD$60 or AUD$90). 1 cross body bag VND1,400,000 (USD$55 or AUD$80). 3 pairs dress flat shoes VND3,400,000 (USD$135 or AUD$200).
Hoi An Custom Made Jewellery Prices
Bac Viet – 1 heavy Sterling Silver Mother & Child bangle VND1,700,000 (USD$67 or AUD$100).
Hoi An Custom Made Shopping Guide All Wrapped Up
Whew! That was a long one. If you have made it this far with me, I hope that I have helped to navigate the minefield of Hoi An custom made items. Make sure you let me know in the comments below what you buy!
Disclosure Statement: This post is not sponsored. We paid for all our purchases in full. The information provided is based on our own personal experiences and has not been influenced in any way by the brand(s) featured. This post may contain affiliate links and any purchases will earn us a small commission at no additional cost to you.
