Universal Tailor Business

Ronnie (Kuljit) has been in tailoring for over 35 years. He migrated from Mumbai, India, at age of 20 and worked under his uncle for 3 years as an apprentice. He picked up these skills in the factory and his uncle’s atelier through the initial years. His friendliness and charisma made him stand out. This made him new connections while working for his uncle, and after a couple of years, he decided to start his own company.

In 1985, Ronnie started Universal Tailors. Over the years, he successfully served and built relationships with international and local clients for over 3 decades. Raj, Ronnie’s son, joined the business 7 years back. Raj brought in new technology, upgraded the factory, and invested in new ideas. He brought in the necessary media attention, and all the press releases the company deserved.

Men that enter Universal Tailor not only seek the best of bespoke artistry and personalized service but also discover a world of quality, attention to detail, and a passion for fabrics. We at universal Tailors always strive to create an “unmatched tailoring experience” in Bangkok for every client who drops by.

We take pride in being one of the best bespoke tailors in Bangkok by keeping things fresh through balancing tailoring tradition with modern designs, cuts, and innovative creativity. This core philosophy allows us to fulfill our aim to raise the standard for an unmatched tailor-made experience appreciated by both the unseasoned and the enthusiast.

The universal tailor takes pride in our brand’s 35 years of family history, serving customers who have become friends with decades of dedicated service to their tailoring needs. We guide our clients through the process of creating a suit that is cut and created just for them. Our dedicated team will help you choose the ideal fabric and lend an expert hand for the perfect design and fit. Our clothes are not made exclusively for anyone but exclusively for you through your choices. Each of our suits does come with Universal Tailor’s legendary style and levels of comfort and service.

While we are primarily known for our bespoke suits, we can do much more for your sartorial needs. Here at Universal tailors, we make bespoke shirts, overcoats, smoking jackets, summer jackets, morning coats, and dinner jackets. Our tailoring team comprises the finest specialist coat-makers, trouser-makers, vest-makers, alteration tailors, finishing tailors, and pressers trained in their craft. Making a single suit can involve up to five artisans, up to 14 hours of work, and will take days to complete.

We are thrilled to be recognized by various media outlets awarding us a high level of sartorial success. Publications like Bangkok magazine, BKK101 magazine, Business Traveller magazine, Marcopolo magazine, and prestigious GQ magazine named us Bangkok’s best tailor. Moreover, we were selected as Dusit Thani Hotel partnered tailor and featured on the Momondo Bangkok city guide.

We have gathered many praises and accolades, which is why our suits are worn by some of the world’s most stylish men in business, media, and the arts. Style and the confidence to wear it are sewn into every UT suit.

Press

The struggles started before the pandemic. The decades-long drift from formal wear has wounded this retail strip known for elegant, hand-sewn garments that take up to 90 hours to produce. Plus, the cultural cachet of the suit has waned.

New orders aren’t difficult for existing clients whose sizes and measurements are kept on file, as face-to-face consultations have transitioned to video meetings via Skype or Zoom. However, bespoke orders for new clients prove trickier for tailors that pride themselves on exacting precision. “We had one prospective client ask if his wife could measure him while taking instructions from me via a video call, but I had to decline politely. “It’s a lot harder than it seems to take the 40-odd measurements we require and also notice subtle differences in the client’s body shape. We call this ‘The Cutter’s Eye.'” Where a bespoke fitting is near impossible to recreate virtually,

Covid has adversely impacted luxury retail with so many big-ticket names shutting shops. However, now that we are slowly moving out of the pandemic maze, it’s time to assess the future of handmade, customized, and bespoke clothing. Considering there’s been a conversation about responsible shopping and slow production, the importance of bespoke tailoring can’t be overlooked, with customers favoring quality over quantity and repeat value instead of something trend-driven.

“Bespoke tailoring has been on the rise in the last decade or so, and will become even more so prevalent in the times to come, considering men are becoming more aware, fashion forward and most importantly, fitness focused so the design aspect, detailing, and the fit most importantly is becoming oh so important

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What’s Next for Suits?

Even before the pandemic, recent years have not been kind for the business suit.

While the traditional concept of the suit and tie remains entrenched in courtrooms and investment firms, the postmillennial style was already frowning on the slacks and jacket look before Covid-19 drove millions of former office denizens’ home to their T-shirts and sweatpants.

These trends hit business or formal wear designers and retailers below the belt, but the savvy players in that group see ways forward to keep tailors in business.

We see the lockdowns due to the pandemic as only the latest blow to the traditional business suit. The popularity of more formal menswear declined in particular during the pandemic. However, it’s a trend that’s been happening for several years. The pandemic has now accelerated a popular trend of casual, informal dressing.

The sartorial style is” becoming less popular with each generation, with most young men and women wearing a tailored suit only if required.

“As a business owner, it’s now a question of adapting and giving the consumer what they like, which may not necessarily align. The world is rapidly changing, which means fashion businesses now need to pivot and reinvent their offering to suit today’s world.”

“If we were just in the business of making suits for guys to wear to work, we would be in trouble,”

“Custom tailoring is a rare retail segment where people still value the in-person experience. That said, we were pleasantly surprised by how well we could still serve clients remotely. If there has been a silver lining in all of this, we were forced to start offering video fitting—something we should have been doing pre-pandemic and which will continue to be part of our channel strategy going forward.

“If we were just in the business of making suits for guys to wear to work, we would be in trouble “But that has never been our business. We’re in the business of helping men and women dress to look their best every day. That’s not limited to the office, and it’s certainly not limited to suits.

We had expanded product offerings before and after the pandemic’s peak, offering custom shirts, chinos, jeans, and accessories.

“Our first move was to focus on increasing our social media presence and pushing online sales. Once things got going again, we offered a special price on bespoke suits coincidentally with the opening of our new London store. Since then, business has been great for us.”

“One of the best things about the shift from suits to separates such as sport coats and trousers is that coats can be made in a much broader range of colors, patterns, and styles than a suit. While a multicolored plaid suit would be too much for most people to pull off, a sport coat in the same fabric—paired with a solid color pant—doesn’t push any sartorial boundaries. You have much more room for creativity when it comes to separates.”

Fashion experts believe the suit will remain in part-time use, even if less popular in the workplace. Fashion options will increase as the suit becomes more of a style choice than a uniform.

“I think people will focus more on style now,” he says. “People are definitely looking to dress up more, certainly if they are stuck working from home. We noticed more people coming to us that are only just starting to consider investing in a great suit rather than just because they have to wear one for work.”

Pop culture still affects menswear styles and will continue to feed a collective desire to dress up on occasion.

“It’s human nature that once we have the basic needs met, we like to embellish our lives and communicate who we are through our dressing. Menswear and fashion will constantly be changing along those lines as long as human society evolves.”