Pakistani suits in Dubai and the UAE: a buying guide

Ready-to-wear: quick, but cut for an average body

Pret is the fastest route. You see the finished outfit, you know roughly how it will look, and you can wear it the same week. The catch is that it was cut to a size chart, not to you.

• Length: pret kameez lengths are fixed, so taller women often find them short and petite women find them swamping.
• Sleeves: many summer styles come with three-quarter or elbow sleeves, which is not ideal if you prefer your arms covered.
• Shoulders and bust: if your measurements fall between two sizes, one area usually fits and another does not.
• Lining: pale summer pret is not always lined, and what looks opaque on a hanger can be sheer in bright sun.

Unstitched: the fabric you love, the tailoring still to arrange

Unstitched suits are popular in the Emirates because the fabric choice is huge and the price of a pack is clear. You buy the shirt fabric, the dupatta and the trouser fabric, and the design is yours to decide. Our guide to what an unstitched set means explains the pieces, and how to judge an unstitched suit helps you check the fabric before you pay.

The work starts after you buy. Someone has to cut and stitch it, and that means finding a tailor whose finish you trust and finding the time to brief them. If you already own packs that are waiting in a cupboard, Stitching Only for the UAE lets you send them to us in Pakistan once we have confirmed the fabric and the quantity from your photos.

Made to measure, ordered online and made in Pakistan

The third route combines the two. You choose the design and the fabric, and the outfit is cut to your measurements rather than a size chart. We work this way from Pakistan: we have no shop, studio or tailor in the UAE, so you order online, the outfit is made in Pakistan and a courier brings it to your door in any emirate. Our UAE page covers the details.

You can send a screenshot or sketch of the outfit you want, start from one of our designs and change the parts you would like different, or simply describe it in your notes. With Fabric + Stitching we supply the agreed fabric, so nothing needs to travel from the UAE to Pakistan; with Stitching Only you send your own. One suit is a normal order.

Questions to ask before you buy any suit

Whichever route you take, a few questions save disappointment later.

• What is the fabric? Lawn, cambric and linen breathe in heat; chiffon and many georgettes are synthetic and warmer. The lawn guide explains why it suits Gulf summers.
• Will it be worn under an abaya? If so, a softer collar and sleeves that do not bunch at the wrist make a real difference.
• Is the kameez long enough for you? See kameez length for your height.
• Does it need lining? Pale or fine fabric usually does, especially for daytime.
• How will you wash it? Heavily embroidered pieces need gentler care than printed lawn.

How a made-to-measure order works from the UAE

Fill in the quote form with the UAE selected: your name, email, city, the garment, the quantity, Fabric + Stitching or Stitching Only, any design images and your notes. Your measurements go on the form in centimetres or inches. We reply with a written quote in US dollars, euros or pounds sterling, whichever you choose, and it lists the design, fabric, measurements, delivery to your address and any customs duty, VAT and courier fees, so nothing is due when the parcel arrives.

Once you approve the quote and pay in full, by bank transfer, Wise or a card payment link, we make the outfit in 5 to 7 working days. Courier time to the UAE is added on top, and our page on worldwide delivery explains how the two stages fit together.