Sinsa-dong tailor: English-fabric brown herringbone suit, JJ Republic

Why did we go for an English-fabric suit?

Today I'm introducing JJ Republic Sinsa Main Store (제이제이리퍼블릭 신사본점) near Sinsa Station, where we went to have a suit made for my husband. For our wedding he had a single-breasted three-piece suit made in Italian fabric, and he loved it. Italian fabric feels soft and flowing, so it's easy to move in.

But I've always had a romantic fantasy about the firm, sharply structured classic suits of the English gentlemen in the movie Kingsman! So this time I wanted to put my husband in an English-fabric suit, and we visited JJ Republic Sinsa Main Store, a Gangnam custom suit shop known for its skill and reasonable prices.

Location and opening hours of JJ Republic Sinsa Main Store

JJ Republic Sinsa Main Store is on the 2nd floor of the building at 13 Gangnam-daero 152-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul. It's open from 11 AM to 8 PM, 7 days a week all year round, with a lunch break from 1 PM to 2 PM.

• Opening hours: 11:00 AM – 8:00 PM
• Lunch break: 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM
• Open 7 days a week, all year round!

The shop was really easy to find! Go into the building, take the elevator, press the button for the 2nd floor, and it takes you straight into the shop. Since it's open all 7 days, it was a big plus that you can drop by on a weekend or after work without any pressure.

Can you see the in-shop production line yourself?

The first thing that caught my eye as soon as we walked into JJ Republic Sinsa Main Store was the production line right inside the shop! They run a stable in-house workshop inside the store, said to be among the largest in Sinsa-dong, Gangnam-gu.

As a customer, being able to see with my own eyes the expert tailors cutting and working busily gave me much more trust. I could feel the honesty of a shop that cuts out unnecessary middle margins from the distribution chain and gives that back to customers as a fair, bubble-free price and high quality.

One side of the shop was beautifully decorated with the classy atmosphere of a proper tailor's. It's a great place to order a groom's wedding suit, and also an ideal space for business suits or everyday suits.

How are Italian fabric and English fabric different?

According to the manager at JJ Republic Sinsa Main Store, Italian fabric drapes softly and lightly on the body and makes comfortable lines, while English fabric is firm and weighty, keeping the suit's lines and angles crisp. We sat down for a proper consultation, and the manager in charge was really kind and thorough.

My husband, listening to the manager's explanations, gradually started falling for the charm of English fabric too.

Which color did we pick, besides black, charcoal and navy?

Choosing the fabric color took a lot of thought. Black, charcoal and navy are the usual basic suit colors for men, but black is too classic, and navy feels more casual than you'd expect. My husband already has several charcoal ones in his closet, so this time I was thinking mainly of beige, wine and brown.

The manager read our taste and my husband's skin tone and recommended navy and brown, and especially brown herringbone fabric! (My opinion was pretty strong too 😚)

A brown herringbone suit happened to be set up on a mannequin in the shop, and my husband tried it on. The moment he put it on I thought, "Yes, this is it!" It looked so luxurious and suited him perfectly. We chose brown herringbone without any hesitation!

What's the difference between the A·B lines and the C·D·E lines?

The fabrics at JJ Republic Sinsa Main Store are divided into the A·B lines, which are polyester blends, and the C·D·E lines, which are 100% wool. During the consultation the manager explained the characteristics of each grade very clearly.

• A, B line fabrics: blended with polyester, so they stretch well and don't wrinkle easily, which makes everyday storage and care easy.
• C, D, E line fabrics: premium 100% wool with a luxurious sheen and texture, very well suited to formal occasions or important business meetings.

How did we decide on buttons, collar, pockets and vest?

For the brown herringbone suit we chose calm black buttons, as the manager suggested. I had been thinking of flashier, more luxurious buttons, but something too showy can feel over the top, like English upper-class style, so we settled on subtle yet dignified black buttons, and I think it was an excellent choice!

They checked everything in detail, from the angle of the shirt collar to the sleeve finish and the pockets. The manager kindly compared how slanted versus straight pockets completely change the whole suit's mood, sporty or classic, which was a big help.

While looking at the option price list we also discussed adding a vest. We decided to include the vest, and since we didn't need a double-breasted style, we finalized a clean, simple style.

How long does a custom suit take?

At JJ Republic Sinsa Main Store we were told the finished suit will be ready about 2 weeks after the consultation and measuring. Maybe because it's a Gangnam custom suit made by skilled tailors on the in-shop production line, I can't wait for it to be done!

If you're thinking about a proper men's suit, a groom's wedding suit or an everyday business suit near Sinsa Station, I recommend visiting JJ Republic Sinsa Main Store, with its bubble-free prices and a production line you can see with your own eyes. I'll be back with a wearing review once the finished suit comes out in 2 weeks!