Dressmakers in Vietnam

Reported dress prices run from US$15 to US$400, so it pays to compare. A cotton dress at Bao Diep Tailor cost 1,700,000 VND, around US$68, and one reviewer puts dresses at Pink Lotus Tailor at around US$100. A dress at Ny Central Tailor cost US$120 and a silk dress at Be Li Tailor US$125. At the top end, three pure silk dresses plus an ao dai set at 45 Thu Tailor came to about US$600 as a bundle.

Dresses are often quick. The most common turnaround is 24 to 48 hours, listed by 70 shops, and 26 work same day. Lusi Tailor Shop has made a dress in 8 hours, and at Blue Eye Tailor on Nguyen Thai Hoc a double-lined silk dress was ready in under 24 hours. At 45 Thu Tailor a rush dress made in two days cost US$80.

Whatever you pay, check the finish. 41 Tailor Hoi An Cloth Market charges roughly US$35-70 a piece, but seven of its 89 most recent reviews report uneven quality, including a copied dress that shrank after a hand wash. At The Vy a 2-star review found the fabric thin. Ask to see the fabric before you agree a price, and confirm the final figure in the shop, lining included, before the cutting starts: at one shop the in-person price for a top and dress was higher than the one quoted by message. Free adjustments are offered by 227 of the 271 shops. For more figures, see the tailor prices guide.