旗袍 · 長衫
Qipao & cheongsam
Traditional Chinese dresses made to order, with hand-finished frog closures and piping. Choose your silk and collar, or bring a design you love.
Custom tailoring · Chinatown, New York
Made to your measure, stitched by hand since 1997.
Lai Wa Yee has spent more than thirty years at the cutting table. From a made-to-order qipao to the hem on your favorite trousers, every piece leaves her Baxter Street studio fitted to you.
30+years tailoring
1997studio opened
Rm 205118–122 Baxter St
Our specialties
The garments people travel across the city for.
Most tailors alter. We also make. These are the pieces Lai is known for, cut from your measurements and fitted until they sit exactly right.
Bridal · 裙褂
Wedding gowns
White gowns, bridesmaid dresses, red tea-ceremony qipao and embroidered qun kwa jackets, made or altered for the whole wedding party and timed around your date.
Prom & formal
Prom dresses
A one-of-a-kind dress made to your design, or the one you bought fitted so it looks made for you. Hems, straps, bodice and waist, done in time for the big night.
Men & women
Suits & coats
Alterations for men's and women's suits and coats. Sleeves, shoulders, waist and trouser hems are adjusted so a jacket or overcoat sits the way it should.
Services
Bring it in. We'll make it fit.
Love an outfit that doesn't fit quite right? Our in-house alterations let you keep the clothes you like and feel comfortable in them.
Custom tailoring
Garments made from scratch to your measurements.
- Qipao and cheongsam
- Evening and bridal wear
- Prom and formal dresses
- Small production runs
Alterations
Everyday fixes and fine adjustments, done in the studio.
- Hems, taking in and letting out
- Sleeves, waists and zippers
- Suits and coats for men and women
- Bridal and formalwear fittings
Ready to wear
Pre-made pieces in the shop, at prices that are hard to beat.
- Wedding dresses
- Traditional Chinese dresses
- Fitted for you before you take them home
How a custom piece is made
Four visits from first measure to final press.
Timing depends on the garment. Tell us your event date at the first visit and we'll plan the fittings around it.
Consult & measure
Talk through the style, the occasion and your date. Lai takes your full set of measurements.
Choose the fabric
Pick silk, brocade, lace or stretch fabric, plus trims, lining and closures.
First fitting
Try the garment while it's still basted, so seams and darts can move before they're final.
Final fitting
Last adjustments, hand finishing and a press. It's ready to wear out the door.
What we measure for a qipao
A close-fitting qipao is cut from more than a dozen measurements. Here are a few of them, in inches.
Bustfull chest
Waistnatural waist
Hipfullest point
Collarneck base
Shoulderpoint to point
Armholearound
Slitheight
Lengthnape to hem
About the owner
Lai Wa Yee 余太
Lai Wa Yee has been a tailor for more than thirty years. In 1997 she opened her own custom tailoring studio on Baxter Street, just above the bustle of Chinatown, and she has been fitting New Yorkers ever since. Regulars know her as 余太.
Fashion has changed a lot since then. Our commitment has not: treat every customer right, listen to what they want, and don't let a garment leave until it fits.
“You should love the clothes you have, and feel comfortable in them.”
From the studio
Recent work.
A look at pieces that have come off the cutting table. From everyday alterations to wedding-day embroidery.
Reviews
Brides, last-minute fixes, and a lot of tea ceremonies.
Every review below is five stars, quoted from the shop's Google listing.
★★★★★
Ms. Yee played a huge part in my wedding. She custom tailored my qipao, measuring me accurately and providing me with expert advice on fit. She was reasonable in pricing, communicative, and efficient. She sourced the fabric herself, hemmed everything beautifully and truly made my tea ceremony with my family come to life.
★★★★★
Mrs. Yee helped me alter a wedding qipao that was too long for me. Her work was impeccable and she was also transparent with respect to the pricing. She allowed me to choose between a lower cost option and a higher cost option. I eventually went with the higher cost option to ensure the final product looked seamless.
★★★★★
My wife and I were looking for a qipao at the last minute for our tea ceremony and wedding, and were fortunate to be referred to Lai's Royal Tailoring. The owner was incredibly kind, taking the time to show us different options and offering helpful advice on the most suitable choice.
★★★★★
I had a custom qipao made overseas without being there in person, and unfortunately, it arrived way too big. I needed it tailored in time for my tea ceremony and found Ms. Lai online. I took a chance, and I'm so glad I did! She was able to alter the dress to fit perfectly.
★★★★★
If I could give this business 10 stars, I would! The owner and seamstress is incredibly talented—she ingeniously transformed what I thought was a disaster of a dress into an absolute dream.
★★★★★
She is so amazing. I needed a dress to be tailored in 3days. All the length and it had to be altered smaller all the hems and everything came back amazing and just the size!!! Amazing customer service. I will definitely come back!!
★★★★★
An excellent tailoring experience! She helped me last-minute with skill, expertise, and kindness. Ms Lai went above and beyond to alter my dress a few days before I needed it and charged me a very reasonable price.
★★★★★
Got a qipao tailored. Price was great, owner is so nice, lovely experience!
Visit the studio
Come up to Room 205.
Fittings are by appointment only, so call, text or email first and Lai will set aside time for you. Look for the floral door at Room 205.
- Call or text
- 917-838-0812
- Address
- 118–122 Baxter St, Room 205
New York, NY 10013 - laistailoring@gmail.com
- Payment
- Cash or check
- Hours
- Monday to Saturday, 9 AM to 1 PM
By appointment only
118–122 Baxter St, Rm 205Directions →