March 20, 2017

Meet Neil Balani of HKT Custom Clothiers in Northeast Atlanta

Local Stories

Today we’d like to introduce you to Neil Balani.

Neil, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
When my uncle, Cliff Vaswani, founded Hong Kong Tailors he had one goal, to ensure his clients look their best. Now, for nearly 5 decades, HKT Custom Clothiers has been providing one-on-one bespoke tailoring and style consultation for the Atlanta area.

Coming from the Mediterranean island of Malta, I was exposed to a wide range of British and Italian fashion.

However, custom, made-to-measure clothing was limited on the island. For myself, and many other men, this was inconvenient. It’s hard to look your best and feel confident when off the rack options simply do not fit well.

I began to learn the bespoke tailoring trade in 2005 alongside my uncle and one of his master tailor, Marcel Labonne. Growing up in the textile industry I already had a vast knowledge of garment materials and men’s fashion. I continued to learn more of the bespoke process and my uncle’s philosophies while handling many of the creative and design aspects of the business.

I have the privilege of working with a team of highly experienced tailors and staff who dedicate all their hard work to making sure our clients are satisfied. When I am consulting with a client, it is more than just choosing fabric and style, it’s about making them a fitted suit they feel confident wearing so they can look and feel their best.

Has it been a smooth road?
Taking over a company with an established brand for over 40 years is a challenge. I knew we needed to modernize the brand and our physical space to attract a new market and reach a younger demographic. Making the decision to change our brand name from Hong Kong Tailors to HKT Custom Clothiers was a tough to make– I didn’t want to alienate our old customers or lose our heritage, but I knew we needed to move forward to stay relevant. The new branding was a risk, but it’s been very beneficial for us as a company. My hope is that it will sustain us for another 40-plus years.

So, as you know, we’re impressed with HKT Custom Clothiers – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
Since 1970, HKT Custom Clothiers has been offering traditional bespoke tailoring and creating fully custom garments to clients local and international. We are driven by our love of creating clothes with the perfect fit for each of our patrons. Whether your style is classic or contemporary, HKT will keep you well dressed.

We are staffed by a team of master tailors and expert style consultants who work one-on-one with you to create your individualized garment. Making sure you look your best is our top priority. Each of our tailors and consultants work in house and give you the attention you need during this process. With years of experience in the custom clothing industry, we provide the highest quality materials and skills to create a garment to your specifications.

Over the last 50 years, our name has become synonymous with quality custom clothing in the city of Atlanta. In 2015 we were named in the Top 5 Atlanta Tailors by CBS 46, Best of Atlanta by The Atlantan, and Best Black Tie by Jezebel Magazine.

Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
I love that Atlanta still retains its southern charm, but is still open to new cultures and ideas. The city itself is very diverse, which I like. Beyond that, nowhere else in the South do people tend to dress up as much as Atlanta. The city truly has its own fashion scene and trends, which are fun to help influence.

I wish Atlanta could be closer to the water. Having grown up on Malta, in island in the Mediterranean, having the ocean nearby is something really miss. Also, Atlanta should have improved the rail system sooner– traffic is awful and a huge waste of our collective energy.

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