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THE KNOWLEDGE
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LIFE IN DUBAI
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Some people come to Dubai for the prime reason of tailoring their clothes. Some even make a business out of it. If you want tailored clothes, Dubai can make to measure, from colourful Indian outfits, to tailored suits.
Many tailors exist all over Dubai, but the big concentration of them is at
Mina Bazaar. For the average Joe getting a tailored suit is a luxury in the West, so getting one made while on holiday is a luxury and an experience. We give you the knowledge of what you need to know before you part with your hard earned cash.
First off, you need to get to Mina Bazaar, which is also known as Cosmos Lane, and is located close to Bank Street which is also known as Computer Street, sometimes. It all sounds confusing but it’s easiest to take a taxi there, since they will all know where to go and parking usually is a tad traumatic. Worst case, you can try and get to the Sheraton 4 points or Astoria Hotel, ask someone the direction and walk there in less than five minutes.
For suits, some tailors will copy your items, while some prefer to measure you up from scratch. Copying of items usually takes more time, but in the main, you can expect to get a suit tailored between 3 days to one week – you may need to have up to
3 fittings, so if you are visiting the UAE rather than residing here, make sure that the tailor is aware of your urgency.
Prices will be split between material and labour, though many shops will provide you with an all in service. For a regular tailor in Mina Bazaar, the price for tailoring the suit should not be more that 400Dhs, and then the material cost by yard will depend on your taste. Material to make a suit will cost anything between 50 to 150Dhs per yard, and for the average size man, 2 and half yards is what you need for a jacket and trousers. So, for about 650Dhs you can have a tailored suit that fits you perfectly, which is less than an average off the peg in the West. The standards are more or less pretty decent, and you can make your alterations until you have your perfect fit.
You could also consider getting shirts produced, either copied or measured up from scratch. Labour should be about 25Dhs per shirt (or 30Dhs for double cuffs) and along with the material would give a price per shirt of around 80Dhs. You’ll get all the options from whether you want cut away collars to types of buttons, so make sure you are very specific, or the cheap option will be assumed.
We recommend Mina Bazaar in Bur Dubai, although others would recommend going to the Afghani market in Deira as supposedly there is more choice of material. If you have time, then check them both out. Which store should you go to for your tailoring? Well, it really is best to look around and see who you feel comfortable with, and who can fit you in. An option would be to go to
Al Nahda Tailors or Kucheen for men, and Dream Girl Tailors or
Grace Tailors for women, all located at Mina Bazaar. Once you are there, ask around and you’ll be pointed in the right direction.
If you have concerns about quality, and want to spend the extra buck on some top end tailoring, then we would recommend Parmar Tailors. While the other tailors produce good value for money,
Parmar have established a reputation for themselves as the best. You will be paying a lot more; typically 300Dhs for a shirt and 2000Dhs for a suit on average, but the quality can not be questioned. They also have a separate women’s shop located a few doors away.
In Abu Dhabi, prices are similar. There is also a Parmar Tailors located on Hamdan Street. But in the main, your worry will be finding a tailor that speaks English. The best place to get your suit and shirt material at a reasonable price is a textiles store called
Mohans which is located on the first level of the Madinat Zayed shopping centre.
They don’t do tailoring themselves, but will recommend a number of places, including the long standing
Abu Dhabi New Tailors. Abu Dhabi Tailors is located in a small store in the back streets behind the HSBC building on Airport Road. Mohans can direct you once you have your material or you can call them directly on 02 622 6636 or 02 634 4990.
While we have mentioned suits and shirts in the UAE, anything goes, from designing your wedding outfit to hemming that trouser that you have been meaning to do for so long. This is also your opportunity to try your hand at being a designer, or simply to get a copy of your Kenzo Suit.
Many come to Dubai looking for Indian clothes, in which case Sheetal in Mina Bazaar is the place to go. There are two Sheetals - the original Sheetal from Mumbai or the duplicate. The second one seems to have lived life on the reputation of the former, but has established its own niche. Other places for Indian clothes include
Roopam and Ratti, where you can get your material and then go to one of the tailors for stitching. For something a little moe reasonable, "She" is a good option. In Abu Dhabi, there are many places for Indian Material, but many are pricier, including material from
Abdullah Hussain Khunji and Paris Textiles in the Khalidiya area. A good tailor near these is Wahid tailors, just around teh corner from them. Other material can be obtained from the area near the former New Souk, near Khalifa Street.
Here are some final common sense pointers for you:
- If you want to design something from scratch, it makes sense to bring a magazine with you to demonstrate what you want.
- If the tailor does not speak English, then they are not going to understand what you want. Go elsewhere.
- Consider getting an extra pair of trousers if getting a suit done.
- Only put down a maximum deposit of 50%
- Be aware that shops close in the afternoon for a break
- You probably will not be able to get much more of a discount than the figures quoted unless you order a number of items
- If you think you will wear a waistcoat, you are in the minority
- There are so many options with suits, so try and come with a picture of what you want. Options to consider on a jacket are: a two part back, single or double breasted, two or three buttons, height of lapel, any extra inside pockets for mobiles etc, how many buttons on the arm, a hook, the colour of the lining.
- With trousers, consider: whether you will want lining if you are from a colder country, pleats or no pleats, number of belt hooks, number of back pockets, money pocket.
- With shirts, consider: the type of collar, the hardness of the collar, single or double cuffs, whether you want a pocket, initials on the cuff, stitching next to the buttons, a slightly looser cuff for the side you wear your watch.
- And finally, make sure you get what you asked for, and do not pay until it is perfect, but most of all, wear your clothes with pride. Ahem.
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