Wander + Share ✈ Wanderlust takes us to faraway places. Love brings us home.

Hoi An and Tailor made clothes, shoes & bags

VIETNAM | Saturday, 5 January 2013 | Views [1435]

Having shoes made to fit :)

Hoi An is one of Vietnams most wealthy towns and we had heard this was the top spot for Tailor made clothes and boy did we use it to our advantage.

After just a few hours of being there Jodie and I had found a shop where we would have our clothes made to fit. Phuong was the owner at just 21 years old and she knew how to get the custom. She was like an excited child, at first I thought she must have had some sort of learning disability since she had attached herself to my arm and was stroking me... but now I realise she just wanted me to get my purse out and spend money. Ha ha!

We returned the next day and I took in a play suit and skirt and asked for them to be copied. I chose the fabric. I also asked for them to make me a couple of headbands using the design I already had. Phuong then asked if I wanted any shoes and I had needed a new pair of sandals since I broke my being thrown into the sea in Koh Tao, so with that she held my hand and took me to her sisters shop across the road. I showed her sister the design I wanted and she said they would be ready the following day.

Everything from the clothing shop came back perfect the following day... It was amazing what they could do. I got pretty excited and then decided to have more things made. I designed my own outfit to wear for when I return for a night out in Exeter. I designed my own bikini and I had a jumpsuit made and a dress for my friend Mandy.

Meanwhile I had gone back to the shoe shop and asked to have sandals made for my mum from a picture she sent me and I really wanted a new black bag. Emily had said she would like a bag and with that in mind I thought of a design and took it to them. I chose the length, height and depth of the bag, the leather, the size of the strap, the fabric for the inside, the fastening on the bag and I wanted the infinity sign made from studs on the front. My bag was to be black with leopard print lining and Emily's brown with black lining.

The bags came back perfect. Better than I could have ever imagined. I am so happy with the quality and can't wait for Emily to have hers.

The sandals were not so easy. We ended up staying much longer than we expected in Hoi An going backwards and forth to the Tailors to have things altered daily. The bikini proved a nightmare and got me really stressed out because they tried to get away with making material rings instead of putting in metal rings like I had asked for and the tie straps came back in the wrong colour twice and then not long enough despite me giving them a bikini to copy from!!

In the end, everything was perfect and I would recommend to anyone to have things made as they do such a very good job and it's perfect for a gift or for something extra special to take away from your travels.

Peace and Love

Zoe xxx

Tags: asia, hoi an, tailors, vietnam