How to suit up in style in Bangkok

Among business travelers, nothing else from Bangkok has had the universal acceptance as the suit. It might not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of The Big Mango – golden buddhas, bucket cocktails and street food tend to dominate. However, commute from Sathorn to the suburbs of Sukhumvit on the BTS in summer (or rainy season), and you’ll realize how important your choice of clobber is. 

While Bangkok might not have the same storied history as London’s Savile Row or Florence’s Pitti Uomo, high-quality tailoring and bespoke suits have been part of the city’s fabric (excuse the pun) for hundreds of years. And while Thailand was never colonized or occupied by any European country, it did embrace aspects of English culture, notably the suit,  an invention largely credited to Beau Brummell, the spiffy toff of Regency England.

A quick rewind to the late 1700s, the beginning of Modern Rattanakosin period: it was then that the adoption of a more Euro-leaning appearance began to form, firstly within the Royal family, and then into the wider Thai population. From around 1860, Thai royals selectively adopted Victorian corporeal and sartorial etiquette to fashion contemporary personas. Almost 100 years later, Field Marshal Plaek Phibunsongkhram issued a cultural mandate to westernize Thai dress. Until the early 20th century, men primarily dressed in either a pakama, a large rectangular piece of fabric wrapped around the waist, or a phraratchathan, the traditional shirt and sash.

By the 1960s and ’70s, Thailand had begun to open up to international travelers, including visiting politicians and diplomats. The suit traveled with them, crinkled and crumpled out of the suitcase. Savvy Thais and industrious Chinese and Indian immigrants recognized the opportunity and looked to service men with bespoke tailoring and a quick turnaround. Fast forward to the present, and fashion in Bangkok rivals the best in Asia — a “Made in Thailand” label gaining a global following and securing the respect of tailors and fashionistas worldwide.

The Bangkok tailoring scene also continues to increase with options in an already competitive industry. Thattaworn “Vvon” Sugunnasil of his eponymous store is considered to be one of the city’s best. His tastes lean towards luxurious French tailoring, influenced by time spent apprenticing at a Parisian couturier.

Pinky Tailor in the Mahatun Plaza Arcade, on the other hand, has been a capital favorite with a devoted clientele since 1980. The boutique, family-run empire has been crafting custom-made suits since 1978. Narin Bowonnaowarux of Narin Couture studied at Paris’s Chambre Syndicale de la Couture Parisienne, whose alumni includes Yves Saint Laurent and Issey Miyake. His suits are made with full-canvassing, meaning a floating inner lining is created rather than gluing or fusing fabrics.

Meanwhile, Amit Fashion on the bustling Khao San Road is more inconspicuous. The rigid mannequins in the window and faded photographs torn from magazines extend a kind of comfort. For over 30 years they have serviced discerning customers, visiting them during annual pop-ups across the globe, including their Brick Lane store in London’s East End. “It’s about the construction of the suit,” says Adam Ali Amit, Amit’s Managing Director. “A skilled tailor can make an ordinary fabric seem extraordinary.”

The Decorum, at 3 Ari Samphan 5 Alley (a Singapore outpost opened in April 2022), understands a gentleman’s need to look and feel his best. Beyond clothing, the shop offers a head-to-toe sprucing up experience, from artisan-made footwear to accessories. A relative newbie on the capital’s tailoring scene, The Decorum was born of an idea between friends Sirapol “Guy” Ridhiprasart and Warong “Ball”  Phattharachaikul. Their changing rooms have now seen men enter as one thing and emerge as another for five years. Labeling themselves “The Finest Menswear Shop in Bangkok” suggests particular aplomb; however, there’s evidence to support such a swaggering assertion, with international artisans exporting their wares to be sold in-store. These include footwear by Crockett & Jones (UK), Kamakura Shirts (Japan), Casa Del Sarto (South Korea) and tie collections by Drake’s (UK) and Shibumi Firenze (Italy). 

“Working with tailors and artisans from across the world, we can curate the best items,” says Charles Yap, who had been one of The Decorum’s most devoted customers before taking the concept back to his home country of Singapore as a partner. “We’re a little different — our items aren’t made in Bangkok. Instead, we are the window to the world — a small store in Bangkok that curates the best items from everywhere.”

High glass windows partition The Decorum Bangkok’s industrial housing space. Enter, and a world of sophistication and dapper flair reveals itself; a profusion of fabrics and blazers, tape measures looping over rails. “The way we run The Decorum is similar to how we have grown our wardrobes over the years, combining quality and luxury that make it work for everyone with discerning taste,” says The Decorum’s co-founder, Sirapol. “It’s about dedication to craftsmanship, perhaps more so in Bangkok as the fabrics must be light and versatile to be worn in the tropical climate.”

A bespoke suit is a gentleman’s armor, permitting its owners to present themselves in a certain way: preparing them to start the day (think James Bond), instilling confidence for an interview (think Mad Men) and making them stand taller for a date (think Cary Grant). Bangkok has been waking up to this fact for a while now, and with a dedicated legion of tailors measuring and stitching new boundaries, Savile Row and Pitti Uomo may well be looking over their shoulders.