Who is this handsome gentleman?
This is Louis Chung. He made this costume.
As in, he designed it?
Designed it and tailor-made it with his team. Louis is the owner of Sinfonia, a fashion brand and workshop in Taipei.
And how did he learn to do that?
We asked him. He learned overseas:
“After learning how to make clothes, I also had the opportunity to work abroad, where I absorbed a lot of knowledge from tailors in different regions of Italy and the UK, as well as their ideas about clothing making. I brought back high-end craftsmanship and design to Taiwan… We preserved the best techniques and brought internationalization back to Taiwan — and took Taiwan to places like London, Hong Kong, Milan, Florence, Hokkaido, etc.”
Louis comes across as highly knowledgeable about world fashion. On his social media, he gleefully explains the differences between British and Italian suits — even Northern and Southern Italian suits. He obviously loves what he does.
Where does he find inspiration?
Louis seems deeply rooted in old gentlemanly traditions:
“A lot of history books, stories, royal family [laughs]… I really like looking at the costumes for royal ceremonies, such as the so-called ‘white tie’ outfits, which have strict rules. Or the Royal Ascot, where certain boxes must wear prescribed clothing… I love classic things like art, music, history, culture, and classic men’s clothing. I also like fine craftsmanship, so I started as an apprentice and learned how to make suits.”
He seems both classy and laid-back…
Indeed. Louis adores classical elegance but wants it to be for everyone. His goal is to make class and fashion available to many, and to normalize this style in daily life:
“There are many ‘black tie activities’ in Taiwan, but they are not formal enough. I like to bring traditional things and knowledge to everyone… I think things like ‘good taste’ should be integrated into life.
We can confidently say that we are the most skilled custom-made suit shop in Taiwan. Our products have three price levels. Our most expensive product line sells the best — customers are willing to wait more than a year just to get better clothes.
To help customers get a ‘masterpiece’ sooner, we’ve trained many apprentices, because 95% of our top-level products are made by hand, not by machines.”
What else about his work?
Louis wants his clothes to be beautiful but also comfortable. In line with his idea that high fashion is for everyday life, he considers comfort just as important as allure.
“I’ve made so many beautiful clothes… I made a 22k gold suit, and I also have very beautiful coats and dresses.
But leaving aside appearance, I think my clothes can achieve one thing — perfect comfort.
I made a video where I talked about how clothes should fit but also offer mobility… They have to look good and be comfortable to wear, so you’ll want to wear them every day.
I never feel uncomfortable wearing mine. Many clothes are made large and loose for comfort, but they lack the beauty of shaping the body. My clothes can achieve both in one.”
Where can I learn more?
Here is their website: https://sinfonia.tw/
And here is their Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sinfonia_tw/