Vietnam custom tailors tour
19/06/07 (GMT+7)
Vietnam custom tailors tour, tailors are reaping the profits of increased tourism in Vietnam, with more visitors taking advantage of the reasonable prices and fast turnaround of seamstresses' shops.
The traditional Vietnamese costume, the ao dai, is especially popular. Well-known shops such as Chi, Thuan Viet, Miss Ao Dai, and Sy Hoang have offered prompt services to deliver finished clothes within 12 to 24 hours.
Shops are also stocking a better variety of fabrics to please the varied tastes of tourists.
Japanese customers, tailors say, prefer bright colours and embroidered clothes, while European customers like light colours and silks with traditional decorations. Overseas Vietnamese are more demanding and ask for special decorations.
Ngoc Thuan, owner of Thuan Viet Tailor's shop on 78 Pham Ngoc Thach Street, District 1 in Ho Chi Minh City, said the number of customers who order outfits that require a quick turnaround accounts for 20% of his business.
An average cost for traditional ao dai outfit is about VND1mil, which covers fabrics, tailoring and decoration (which could include embroidery).
The price varies from VND500,000 to VND600,000 depending on the kind of fabrics.
Some shops have launched websites to make clothes for busy customers, who can send via email their choice of fabric, their measurements and pay online as well.
The tailor shops deliver the finished products either by hand or by mail.
Nee Siew Kieng, a Singaporean tourist said: "I'm quite pleased with the prompt tailoring service in Ho Chi Minh City. I'm satisfied with the high quality and clever tailoring."
The Phuong Giang shop at 96 bis Nam Ky Khoi Nghia, District 1, has employed more than 10 tailors and prepared embroidered silks to cater to this type of customer.
Most tailor shops in the backpacker area of Pham Ngu Lao, District 1, have made suits and dresses within 24 hours.
Dao Phuong, owner of the Sy Tan tailor shop in District 1, said more than 30 high-fashion styles of suits for males and females were available in her shop.
She said her shop delivered about 90 suits every week on schedule.
The Nha Be Tailoring Company in Ho Chi Minh City, a major garment exporter, also offers prompt deliveries.
Dinh Van Thap, head of the company's business office, said European customers prefers suits made by a tailor's hand.
The shop's lowest tailoring cost was about VND3mil ($182), as the company uses imported garment materials and Italian fabrics.
The company also makes suits for export to Japan and European market, he added.
(Source: Viet Nam News)
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