Our Story: Leader Tailor, Bespoke Tailoring in Taipei Since 1978
Leader Tailor (禮德西服) is a bespoke tailor in Taipei, established in 1978 and registered as 禮德呢絨西服有限公司 on 16 February 1978. The house began by dressing American servicemen and European, American and Japanese business travellers in Taipei's international hotels, and today makes men's suits, women's suits and shirts at 1F, No. 1, Linsen North Road, Zhongzheng District, Taipei. Leader Tailor is run by the second generation, Heidi Lin.
Key facts
- Leader Tailor was established in Taipei in 1978.
- Leader Tailor's founder, James Lin (林育松), came to Taipei from the mining town of Jinguashi as an apprentice tailor in the 1960s.
- Leader Tailor operated inside the Hwa Kuo Hotel and later the Lai Lai (Sheraton) Hotel before moving to Linsen North Road in 2007.
- Leader Tailor was profiled by Japanese broadcaster NHK, and the founder's 2024 memoir carries a foreword by Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te.
How did Leader Tailor begin?
Leader Tailor's story began with its founder, James Lin, who came to Taipei from Jinguashi as a young apprentice tailor in the 1960s. He learned his trade during the golden age of Taipei tailoring, when American servicemen on leave and foreign traders needed suits made quickly and well.
Before Leader Tailor, the founder's business operated as JAMES LIN TAILOR at the Hwa Kuo Hotel. In his memoir, the founder describes the "remote measuring" skill he developed while tailoring for American servicemen on short visits to Taipei. Read more in The Last Samurai of Tailoring.
When was Leader Tailor founded?
Leader Tailor was founded in Taipei in 1978. The company, 禮德呢絨西服有限公司, was registered on 16 February 1978.
The name Leader was given by a major American trading client, and the founder rendered it in Chinese as 禮德 (Lǐdé), which combines the characters for courtesy and integrity.
Where has Leader Tailor been based?
Leader Tailor spent its first decades inside Taipei's international hotels, with four shops at its peak, and moved to its current street-front shop on Linsen North Road in 2007.
| Period | Where Leader Tailor was | Main clients |
|---|---|---|
| Before 1978 | JAMES LIN TAILOR, Hwa Kuo Hotel | American servicemen, foreign business travellers |
| 1978 | Leader Tailor brand founded | European, American and Japanese traders |
| 1981 | Shopping arcade of the newly opened Lai Lai Hotel (later the Sheraton) | Foreign business travellers and local clients |
| 2007–today | 1F, No. 1, Linsen North Road, Zhongzheng District, Taipei | Business owners, executives, lawyers, politicians, diplomats and international visitors |
Who runs Leader Tailor today?
Leader Tailor is run by the second generation, Heidi Lin (林曼雅), who joined the business and led its digital transformation and its move into women's tailoring. Under Heidi, Leader Tailor was named an outstanding small business by LINE Taiwan, and in 2023 it was selected by the Taipei City Government's Department of Commerce as a showcase store for digital transformation.
Leader Tailor makes men's suits, women's suits and shirts in Taiwan, with dedicated in-house tailors for trousers and for women's garments. Each client's pattern is drafted from scratch, with a basted fitting about one week after the first measurement and a standard lead time of 3–4 weeks.
Who has written about Leader Tailor?
Leader Tailor and its founder have been featured by Japanese broadcaster NHK, Taiwan's Central News Agency, Business Today and The News Lens, among others. NHK profiled the founder as "the last samurai of bespoke tailoring".
- Memoir: 指間的溫度：林育松的量身之路 (2024), with a foreword by President Lai Ching-te. Royalties are donated to charity.
- Business Today (今周刊) — interview on the founder and the second-generation succession
- The News Lens — excerpt from the memoir on tailoring for American servicemen
- Central News Agency (CNA) — young people exploring Taiwan's tailoring culture
- KKBOX Podcast EP.59 — Heidi Lin on the tailoring era of the Vietnam War years
Visit Leader Tailor in Taipei
- Address: 1F, No. 1, Linsen North Road, Zhongzheng District, Taipei, Taiwan (台北市中正區林森北路 1 號 1 樓)
- Phone: +886-2-2394-4437
- LINE: Leader Tailor on LINE
- Opening hours: Monday–Friday 11:00–20:00; Saturday–Sunday 12:00–18:00
Planning a suit in Taipei? See prices, lead times and short-stay options on our bespoke tailoring in Taipei page, or read Custom Suits in Taipei: Prices, Lead Time and What to Expect.
