Santoba Tailors is the clearest example on this list of how the Bur Dubai trade has modernized. It began in 2006 as a two-tailor shop in Meena Bazaar, run by the brothers Prakash and Rajesh Lalwani alongside the fabric business they had started in 1999. It now has a second generation in sales and marketing, a website with online booking and showrooms in Dubai Marina, Business Bay and Motor City as well as Meena Bazaar.
Its proposition is speed and convenience. The firm quotes 10 to 14 days for a suit, five to seven on an express service, and two fittings, a trial and a final. It says it drafts a pattern from each client's measurements and uses basted fittings, hand-set sleeves and pick stitching, and it lists Loro Piana and Ermenegildo Zegna among its fabrics. These are the firm's own descriptions; no independent reviewer has assessed a finished Santoba suit, and the coverage of its Motor City opening in Khaleej Times appeared in the paper's KT Network section and reads as promotional.
Gulf Business included it among the UAE's best tailors in 2012, describing a Savile Row-inspired shop in the bustle of Meena Bazaar with a loyal expatriate clientele, and noting that one fitting was usually enough. The range has since widened to women's suits, wedding packages, ethnic and bridal wear, and corporate uniforms.
Choose Santoba for a business or wedding suit needed within a fortnight, especially if a branch near home or the office matters. It does not publish prices, so ask for a quote. For an individual pattern with a longer fitting sequence, Bespoke in DIFC remains the more thorough choice.
TailorGuide score
Each test is scored out of 10 and weighted. Scores set the order within Dubai; they are not compared across cities.
- CutCut and construction35%
- 7/10
- FitFit and fittings30%
- 8/10
- ReputationReputation over time20%
- 7/10
- ServiceService15%
- 9/10
- Founded
- 2006
- House style
- Fast made-to-order suits and wedding wear
- Best for
- A made-to-order suit in two weeks, with branches across Dubai
- What they make
- Made-to-measure suits, bespoke suits, wedding suits, shirts and trousers, women's suits, alterations
- Shirt
- From $60 · Gulf Business, December 2012; suit prices are not published
Prices are approximate and change with the fabric and customizations you choose. Confirm the price and the number of fittings before you order.
History
- 1999The Lalwani family's fabric business, Santoba Fine Textiles, is established
- 2006Prakash and Rajesh Lalwani open Santoba Tailors in Meena Bazaar with two tailors
- 2012Gulf Business names it among the best tailors in the UAE
- 2017The second generation of the family joins the business
- 2025Opens showrooms in Dubai Marina and Business Bay
- 2026Opens a studio in the Control Tower, Motor City
Questions
How long does a Santoba suit take?
The firm quotes 10 to 14 days for a suit, three days for a shirt and seven for trousers. An express service delivers in five to seven days for an extra charge.
How many fittings are there?
Two for a suit: a trial fitting to check measurements and fit, and a final fitting, after which most clients collect the suit.
How much does a suit cost at Santoba?
Santoba does not publish suit prices. Gulf Business put shirts from $60 in 2012. Ask for a quote, which depends on the fabric.
Where are Santoba's showrooms?
The original showroom is in Meena Bazaar, Bur Dubai. There are also branches at Shop 1, The Marina Torch, Dubai Marina; Shop 103, Citadel Tower, Business Bay; and Floor 3, Shop E12, Control Tower, Motor City. Appointments can be booked by phone, WhatsApp or online.
Does Santoba make women's and wedding clothing?
Yes. It makes women's suits, offers wedding packages and group fittings, and since 2022 has sold ethnic and bridal wear under the name House of Santoba.
By TailorGuide · Updated April 2026
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