Postcards form a Backpacker

Suits You Sir

Posted in South East Asia, Vietnam, Hoi An

Hoi An is a town set half way down the coast of Vietnam and is famous for its textile industry. With white sandy beaches a few kilometers away, that I have not had a chance to visit, its an ancient town and feels like it, especially from its architecture. This morning I took a trip out to ‘My Son’ an area designated a world heritage site by the UNESCO. My Son was a religious centre for the region between the years 900 and 1300. Although mostly ruins devastated by the years of war, the temples are still worth a visit.

The other attraction to Hoi An is the shopping. You are able to buy copies of loads of things in Hoi An. There are book stalls that sell photocopied versions of all the latest best sellers and Lonely Planet guide books. The copies come with coloured covers and are bound, but you can tell the pages are copied not printed on closer inspection. Also, bags of all descriptions like ‘North Face’ backpacks and ‘Nike’ bags litter the market stalls along with the usual t-shirts and shorts. The markets also contain local delicacies such as dogs heads, eels and frogs.

I am not one for shopping but while in Hoi An it would have been stupid of me not to do as most do here, and have a suit made. I had been recommended a tailor in the town by an English couple from London that I had met treking in Northern Thailand. Mr Xé who’s motto is “Imagination is the only limit” was the recommendation and yesterday morning his shop is where I made for. A suit in Hoi An can cost as little as $40, but as with everything, you get what you pay for. My bill came to almost $200 but my shopping list ended up being quite extensive.

1 Light Coloured Suit Jacket
1 Light Coloured Waistcoat
2 Light Coloured Trousers
1 Dark Coloured Jacket
2 Dark Coloured Trousers
5 Tailored Hand Made Shirts
1 Pair Brown Leather Shoes with Leather Uppers and Soles
1 Suit Carrying Bag

Some of this I intend to ship back home from Bangkok, and I will keep a suit and the shoes for job interviews when I reach Sydney. You can kit yourself out with a whole new wardrobe for just over ~£100. At first you are measured form all angles, then sent to his brother’s shop, so he could re-measure me to make sure the measurements were correct. Next you chose the material wanted for the suit, the linings and then the shirts. After this its on to consulting the stack of Next Directory catalogues to select the style you like, how many buttons, slits in the back, cuffs etc. 24 hours later they have a suit ready for a fitting. This is where I am on my way to at this moment. The shoes come from a different shop. Again you chose a style from last year’s Next Directory, with the leather you want. Then they draw around your foot and take some more measurements. My shoes will be ready at 8pm tonight and I have arranged to pick them up after dinner. The shoes cost $30 for a full pair of leather shoes, that’s very cheap! My only other purchase has been some copied DVDs of the latest blockbusters that I will watch tonight, as I will be going to bed early ready for my 6.30am start in the morning for a 24 hour bus ride.

Mr Xé’s cloth shop and tailors can be found at 71 Nguyen Thai Hoc Street, Hoi An, Vietnam. The shop is located on a corner just behind the river front. You can contact Mr Xé by telephone on 0510 910388 or e-mail at nguyen_van_xe@yahoo.com.

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