Be warned that a surprising number of both corporate executives and urban babes come equipped with sensors that detect even the smallest traces of polyester.

I have had tailored suits hacked together in Hangzhou’s fabric market for RMB 300 (USD 42), churned out in 24 hours next to Chungking Mansions in Tsim Sha Tsui for HKD 2,500 (USD 320), measured by a teenage shop assistant at Beijing’s Yashow Market for RMB 500-1,100 (USD 70-155), and handmade from English and Italian fabric by an assertive Frenchman and a graying Shanghai gentleman for RMB 4,000+ (USD 560 or more).

No tailoring experience so far has been perfect, although this has been partially my fault, as until recently I tended t ......e a plus, though, for those seeking a traditional suit that will get them through life in the corporate world. The internal construction, measuring process, and finishing work of tailors like Dave’s in Beijing and, especially, W. W. Chan of Shanghai is light-years beyond what you find at cheap tailors.

In these shops and others, clients make a lifetime investment. With so much cheap and trendy clothing floating around these days, it is wise to set oneself apart with quality and elegance.