Vijay Wadhwani is an international tailor. A very super-duper master craftsman, who runs a miniempire of cutters, machinists and hand stitchers in Hong Kong under the name "NobleHouse." His job is to travel the world to court customers, discuss clients' needs and take the full complement of 30 required measurements for any one suit. To this end he is constantly on the move, reporting every evening by e-mail, with details of the day's orders. "This way everyone knows exactly what's happening, serving as a backup system for when I return."

He was entertaining in his hotel room when I called on him during his last visit to Tokyo. He was chatting across the table with the daughter (now a wife and mother) of an old client and buddy in Osaka. They were admiring the view -- swathed as it was in humidity -- and catching up with family gossip. Tamaki Morii, an ikebana "master" of the Ohara school, swears by the timeless appeal of the NobleHouse label: "My father has over 50 of Vijay's suits. The overcoat he made for me when I was young still feels comfortable, still looks great." Fifty suits? And lucky any woman -- or man -- who can still get into something they wore 27 years ago!

A twin bed was covered with sample books -- 3,000-4,000 swatches of fabric for suits, blazers and sports jackets, top coats, slacks, vests, formal wear and shirts for men, and blouses, suits and top coats for women. Clients can choose between the very best English and Italian fabrics, Scottish tweeds, French gabardines, silk and mohair. Natural fibers are best, especially in heat and humidity. Designs remain classic but always up to date.