The Future of Style is Bespoke, Says Ascot Chang

A perfectly tailored suit of robust quality may feel like a tall order to go out and shell out money for over readily available fast-fashion off-the-rack options. But if you ask Hong Kong-based bespoke tailor Ascot Chang, modern bespoke options are the future of a stylish new generation intrigued with personal expression. Don’t look now but it could even be making a comeback in tropical climates like the Philippines.

“I think Hong Kong and the Philippines are actually quite similar, especially the weather,” Justin Chang, Deputy Managing Director of bespoke tailor Ascot Chang, told Esquire Philippines in an interview. “So, we're kind of well-versed in how guys want to dress for this type of weather. The first thing we always say is to start with the fabric,” he said on the sidelines of a special three-day trunk show at Rustan’s Makati.

He noted that many bespoke tailors give high twist, open weave options for a more breathable and lightweight fit suited for humid climates.

“Maybe strip away some of the shoulder padding,” Chang said. “Just to make it feel lighter on the shoulders. And then just to do like a quarter lining type, half lining type, details that make the suit more breathable, more enjoyable to wear.”

With roots founded in 20th century Shanghai and its tailoring tradition following the First Opium War, Ascot Chang Chi-bing brought this storied tradition to Hong Kong in the 1940s.

The tailor started his business with just tad more than $10 to his name before his brother Johnny opened a shop on 34 Kimberley Road in 1953. The bespoke sartorial business did quite well as they were able to set up shop in 1963 at the Peninsula Hotel in Hong Kong, with the evolution of menswear just around the corner.

Justin is a third-generation Chang as he underwent a tailoring apprenticeship at 18 years old and joined the family business in 2008 after getting a degree in fibre science and apparel design at Cornell University.

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Ascot Chang’s services have been available at Rustan's for more than a decade and recently launched a ready-to-wear shirt collection for the luxury department store.

For context, the Changs first refined their bespoke tailoring expertise in Shanghai before cementing their legacy-defining family business.

Ascot Chang is all about a comprehensive range of high-quality menswear, silk ties, cashmere sweaters, among other accessories available via ready-to-wear or custom-made arrangements. The compny is currently being run by Ascot Chang’s son Tony as chairman, Lincoln Chang, and Justin.

The bespoke tailor is known for its meticulously chosen, precisely fitted seams, such as a single-needle French selection of ultrafine 22 stitches per inch shirt. Other signature details include mother-of-pearl buttons, and the signature collar design that stay upright even without a necktie.

Ascot Chang has retail locations in Hong Kong, New York City, Shanghai, and Manila with their dress shirts being exclusively stocked at ultra high-end menswear boutiques including the Armoury, The Decorum, and Oak Room Taipei. It has been recognized as one of the world’s best shirtmakers by publications such as The Financial Times. The tailor’s clientele includes global luminaries including former US President the late George Bush, Sr, Hollywood actor Leonardo DiCaprio, Chinese-American architect I.M Pei, and Hong Kong movie star Andy Lau.

Tony Chang

The evolving shirt collar, suit jacket and self-expression

Justin Chang and the signature Ascot Collar

A gentleman’s attire also signals to onlookers what the person is about when it comes to style and their respective personalities,  and these come in the finer details of the outfit.

“The shirt collar, we always say, really frames the face,” Justin Chang said about how crucial a pristine shirt collar is to the overall ensemble of a suit. “And that's where people are looking when they talk to you and I think a nice shirt collar that really kind of supports the face shape and it leads the lines up to the face is kind of very crucial to a whole man's wardrobe.”

There has also been a resurgence of wearing a nice suit jacket for the millennial market, but we have yet to see a discernible trend for the emerging Gen Zs, he noted.

Ascot Chang in 2022 developed a bespoke-only solution in what it calls the “Ascot Collar,” which can maintain structure and elegance when worn openly without a tie. This collection from the tailor addresses the perennial problem of the “collapsing collar,” and ensures a consistently crisp and refined form.

The one-piece collar band flows into the dress shirt’s front placket, which is combined with a separate collar leaf to keep it upright.

This feature ensures a consistently elevated and dapper appearance without the aid of a tie or jacket. It is also available for all bespoke and made-to-order shirts placed through Rustan’s

Another look at the Ascot Collar

“Now, I think a lot of customers can express themselves a bit more with color, with pattern,” Chang added. “And there's a lot more fabrics that are available for that type of look. And so, there's a lot more variation than even when I joined the business 15 years ago.”

These days many men typically still go to fast-fashion and off-the-rack options when they need suits, jackets, and other menswear articles due to their obvious accessibility and convenience. These also have trendy silhouettes that make it more attractive for especially younger individuals to chase after. Despite this, Justin Chang still wholeheartedly believes in the personal expression associated with bespoke.

“I think what I have found is that most guys, they end up gravitating towards something that works for their body shape and certain trends work for some people, and maybe not others,” he said. “Bespoke kind of gives you that option to make something that's really for yourself.”

The third-generation Chang cited the overwhelming options that social media platforms such as Instagram throw at you and the trends that are tempting to chase after.

“We feel like once something's made for you, and it fits you, and you're comfortable in it, then you're confident,” the deputy managing director told us. “And then, after that, trends only matter a little bit, but they're not really the main source of the confidence that (men should have).”