Go to London Sastreria in Quito
If you are like me it has never crossed you mind to have a suit tailor made. You go to JC Penny or Macy's and find the best fit you can from the rack. Or you purchase from a specialized store and and have alterations made for a better fit.
If you actually went to Steed Bespoke Tailors on Savile Row, London, the starting price for a tailor made two-piece suit is about $4,000. At Gieves & Hawkes prices start at almost $7,000. I'm sure there are less expensive options closer to home, but you get the idea.
I recently had a suit made at London Sastreria in Quito, located on Calle Vargas at Manabi:
London Sastreria - Quito
Maestro and Propietario Leonidas Andarango took initial measurements and told me how much fabric I needed, and his price to make my suit - $80. I went to a fabric shop a few blocks away and selected a charcoal grey pinstripe wool material imported from Chile - cost $50 (after some negoiation). I took the fabric to the Maestro.
The next afternoon I returned for further fitting. I put on the rough outline of a suit and Maestro Andarango made some chalk marks on the fabric. Then I had to wait about four days. I went back and tried on the suit; it looked good to me, but the Maestro wanted to do a little fine tuning - a few more chalk marks. It was ready the next morning.
Maestro Leonidas Andarango at Work
Here is the result for a total of $130. How does it compare to Savile Row - I have no idea; I don't plan on having a suit made there anytime soon to compare. Back in Atlanta it looks good and feels good to me.
This Mannequin is not Very Life-Like
You Can Work on Your Own Ideas with the Disenadora
London Sastreria does more than just suits. They also do tailor made shirts, and Disenadora Delia Andrango will work with you on your ideas. She helped my wife, Dalynda, design a jacket just using some left over fabric that Dalynda had. They started with one of Dalynda's jackets as the basic idea and then talked through the modifications for the new jacket. Dalynda will go for a final fitting when we return to Quito in a couple of months.
Disenadora Delia Andrango Working with Dalynda's Fabric
Would you like to visit Ecuador and and have a Suit Tailor Made?
Find Out How at Live Well Ecuador: