Hi all, i need your opinion about tailors in Nigeria. I travelled from London and brought loads of trouser wool fabric to make and shirt and chiffon fabrics for blouses. From experience for a number of years now, i know that the standard sizes in the shops don't fit us African women, on account of more curves, hips and chest. Sometime i am horrified when i see an African women squeezed into a pair or trouser and its so tight around the bum (rear) and the thigh area, and this shortens the length of the trouser because it fold at the waist. Not their fault if the standard size 12 or 14 was cut putting into account that african women have more curves then allowance would be made.

[I took] my trouser to the tailor in Lagos (reputable i was told). To top it off i gave her a pair that i sewed for myself and have worn for a year - just copy thesame thing (size, style, stitches for stitches). When i went to collect she sew total crap, crap, crap!! all she was good at is all this Ankara, the sewing construction she got it wrong even though she has one to copy from - how difficult can that be.

How do you get your trousers tailored in Lagos with such bad tailors like this one i have experienced, actually there were two tailors - both disasters. They sew waistbands without interfacing/stay.

Do you think there is a market for a clothing manufacturer that would make tailored suits, trousers for work and casual dressing - custom made. This would be like buying Next quality but made to your size??

If you go to Savile row with Ankara and other African material you shouldn't be suprise if they sew it differently

you should have worked with them or asked if they can show you anything similar

Loverbwoy. any good tailor/seamstress should be able to take a piece of clothing
pull it apart and should be able to make a duplicate base on the method used
to construct the original.

The quality of the fabric is irrelevant as a good tailor should be able to adjust the machine's setting to
make the desired stitching for the cloth.
finally a good tailor will always have the necessary accessories to complete a well made garment.

Phoenixman, thanks that was my sentiments exactly. they are tailors/seamstress and they cant copy a skirts, the stitching, i can go on, it was a total disaster. And to top it all, she has staffs that are learning from her.

Then, i tried to find a manufacturer or seamstress (if need be) that specialises on bespoke officewear - just your everyday trousers and skirts. Not that many could vouch for western wear. May be there is a market for a saville row quality in Naija then.

If you want the real best in office wear in Naija, I think you should try the Aba tailors. They are the bomb.The quality of their sewing is comparable to Saville Row.

Alternatively in Lagos,I think you should try male garment makers

They understand the nitty gritty of office wear design, not the so called 'Obioma' that turn any error into design

Thanks for the advise, i will check them out when i am in naija again.

It is disappointing though that at the rate at which sewing is demanded, some seamstress or tailors have not even perfected anything. Just a few good ones. And now everyone is a designer!

you have 2 remeber, this is naijavery few of these people can do quality work without CLOSE supevision.they will tell you 'i have been doing this job for 15 years' .it's their counterparts that build houses that fall down.

my advise is-give your tailor close marking the first time around.if the guy/gal is smart, they'll pick up if not, you'll just have 2 keep looking.cheers.

oyb thanks, its just baffles the mind that at such high rate at which we nigerians sew clothes, all this seamstress are not competent, so people just manage them. And you hear of other going to them for training and graduating. Now you have people being employed from other parts of africa to do the job, because they have no patience to do a good job. By now we should have major manufacturers not just tailors, i hope things turn out better and very soon.

U get what you pay for. There is a difference in skill and competence, just depends where and who you go to. Most mass produced ready wear are actually made in ABA with labels worthy of both Venice and Saville Row.

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Attention to detail is what is lacking in most nigerian tailors.I have concluded that buying ready made clothes is the way to go.That way i don't get heartbent see'g what my material or design is turned into.

thanks akara, hola2ng and diyobdw for your advise. I am just a bit disappointed that one can proclaim to have a skill and its less than what a homesewer is capable of. A few mistakes, yes, but not sewing like its physics.
Like hola2ng said, there are good ones out there known through referrals.
Diyobdw is on the money - its heart wrenching to see your fabric abused! you fantasise about a style and then you get it and its like they ripped your heart out for like 10 minutes.
thanks guys.

There is a Textile Dealer on Lagos Island His name is TONY TIGANA

He has an army of tailors and most of them are ok

The only Problem is that they dont usually stick to deadlines

It's near Tinubu Square Just check the place out

Thanks Lance will give it ago - can you tell me what sort of clothes they make. Ankara, suits (female), bespoke/custom tailoring.

thanks

Each tailor has his own area of Specialization some Like (IGWE) is a Master at suits He Picks the suit materials I just show him what I want from a Catalogue and He sews it.
Others Like seedorf Are handy when it comes to Shirts Oke handles my Trousers.

Dont risk Trying to explain cos they handle so much work and they might forget or put your esign on someone else's clothing
Take a colour Print out of what you want and show it to them

Hi all, i was interested in reading all your comments. Just wanted to let you know, that i own a tailoring company in Kano, i manage a team of great tailors, we supply many hotels in Nigeria and abroad. We are known for sewing suits, wedding dresses and evening gowns. So if at any time any of you of happen to be in the neghbourhood, feel free to pass by and see our work. Our company is called , SARA, we are located at BOMPAI ROAD, oppsite THE FOUNTAIN INN HOTEL. People are always impressed with our work!!!! Regards to everyone .

I dont trust naija tailors at all

I dont wear trads anyway and i cant see a tailor sowing my jeans or boxers even if i was mad!

Abeg most of naija tailors are not fashion designer but fashion destroyer.
I have never liked any cloth of mine that was sewed in naija

I

I stuck with a rubbish tailor for 6 years because I was too scared to go to another one thinking that they would sew something even worse.He made a fortune out of me making stupid dresses that I aways ended giving out or throwing away.

Then just by word of mouth I found another tailor in Lagos. He works from a tiny shop on Polo Road in Ikoyi (very close to Ikoyi Prisons) and when I got there I wasn't too sure whether I should run or stay as it was only a 2 man band in a tiny stuffy room.

My husband said to me just give him a try and I was extremely glad I listened to him. The dresses will be in Februarys Ovation and were sewn really nicely. He is extremely neat and prices very reasonable at N18,000 for 2 attires for me, 1 for my daughter and one for my son. This included all extra material he bought plus express fees. We collected the dress in 48 hours.

I will certainly go back there and I have told my other tailor to go to hell after yet sewing another stupid, ill fitting lace material that cost over £130.00 to buy.
[quote][/quote]18,000 for two pieces of clothing and you call that cheap did he layer it with Gold?

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I guess it depends on the individual tailor one is going too, . . .

i have aunts and female cousins that can swear by the tailors they've been going to for decades, . . . . .

and i see the works of their hands, they are nothing short of Talented, to say the least!!

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a trial will convince you our tailors used to write on their sign boards.

the "Mrs" tailor is  a professional. she will give you every design you can think of.

there are good old tailors that can sew without measurements.

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there are some serious good taylors in naija. expensive but good. i am amazed at what they produce

I have to make some uniforms for my office staff & i would be needing a good tailor to help with these, do you have any GSM #s you could have call me