Hidden Gem: Classic Bespoke by Southern Asia’s Tuk Clothing

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Tuk Clothing is “inspired by the wonderful colours, tastes, smells and personalities of South Asia. We believe in garments that fit well, that have a strong emphasis on bespoke tailoring, and that personify our beliefs, inspirations and brand ethos.”

What really intrigued us about the label is their mix of moral values and love for creating high quality pieces. There is no mass production and no unethical labour, as all the clothing and accessories are handmade by local tailors and craftsmen.

Recently, we got in touch with Tuk Clothing to see what the South Asian label is all about. Mark is the designer behind the project and told us everything we wanted to know.

The round of questions after the jump.  

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So you’re a British designer. Why South Asia of all places?

I am based over in South Asia where I was working for a fashion company doing their marketing campaigns etc. Tuk Clothing started off as merely a side project, or a creative outlet, as the job i was doing was particularly dull! And besides, with the wealth of interesting and colourful cloths surrounding me it would of been a shame not to utilise that…

I am actually a graduate of a Fashion Marketing degree, where design and product development were a small element of the course. My passion for bespoke,  fitted clothing, is something that has been with me for the last 10 years or so,  so i suppose that along with my degree background, now vaguely qualifies me as a designer!

How long have you been in South Asia?

I have been in and around the South Asian area for nearly 2 years now. The close proximity of all the countries within Asia, makes it a great place to be based, and a great place to be inspired.

Where in the UK are you from?

I am originally from Manchester, which is in the North West of England. It’s a great place – apart from the weather! There is  a very strong arts, fashion, music and creative scene there.

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Do you pay attention to runway shows?

Not really. I have recently been checking out the London Fashion Week shows on-line, but to be honest I am not a follower of trends as such. I believe in the more classic British approach; for me you can’t beat the likes of Paul Smith, Fred Perry & John Smedley. I also have a very large soft spot for the French label Paul & Joe.

Since there is no mass production and everything is done by hand, how long does a trailor take to craft a shirt

It really depends on the detailing, but on average i would say 2-3 hours. The tailors we use are extremley skilled technically in what they do, so the quality is always of a high standard.

Tell us more about your shirts

At the moment tuk only offers one style of shirt, a slim fit cut. However as time goes by, we are looking to offer a range of different shapes and cuts (office cut, loose cut etc). We offer a size range ranging from XS-XL, however if a customer feels that non of our sizes would fit them properly, then we are looking at offering an on-line “bespoke” tailoring service.

Tell us more about your bespoke service

We also offer a bespoke service which is aimed at the more subtle detailing on the shirts. If the customer doesn’t like the detailing on the shirt which is pictured on the web (cuffs, pockets, collar etc.), then we can change this to the customers specification. We just ask that the customer send us a very quick mail with the desired changes.

Tell us more about your fabric selection process

The fabrics are hand picked by myself on a bi-weekly basis. I mainly look for the more interesting fabrics – bright colours, vintage pints etc. – as well making sure they are of a high quality. We mainly use 100% Cottons and Poly Cotton mix fabrics. I buy small quantities of fabric at a time so I can keep the styles as fresh and individual as possible.

Anything else you’d like to say?

If you like what you see,  please join our Facebook Fan page!

Thanks again to Mark for taking time out to talk to us.

Tuk Clothing

2 Comments

  • Nice. What lively colors! Too bad it's limited in Asia, because IMO such designs are perfect for the spring season in western countries too!

  • Ravi Verma

    It's having a great combination of dark and light colors also having a creative outlet. Fitted clothes are looking attractive. There is a very strong arts, fashion, and creative scene.

    Regards,
    Ravi Verma
    __________

    Cheap Neckties

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