Have It Your Way

Forget crocodiles, swooshes or even the almighty interlocked Cs. Designers and brands have discovered that to many shoppers, the most attractive emblem may be the one they choose for themselves. A flurry of bespoke options has reached the retail scene, with brands from Dr Martens to Prada drawing shoppers in with the lure of customisation.

Rugby Ralph Lauren invites shoppers to customise its preppy polos and striped shirts with the addition of collegiate badges from its Make Your Own collection. Dr Martens tempts diehard fans with the option to choose every element for their ultimate pair of boots, from lining colour to laces. In January, Prada introduced a made-to-order lettering service to let clients emblazon their initials on backpacks and travel bags, something Louis Vuitton followed with the spring debut of a similar luggage monogramming service. Last week, Hindmarch added her spin to the personal stationery world with the online roll-out of her bespoke service, which shoppers can use to scrawl a gold-embossed message across diaries and purses.

Shoe designer Penelope Chilvers introduced a velvet smoking slipper with a bespoke element for autumn/winter. Shoppers-turned-designers create their own Dandy by choosing between 10 velvet colours, 19 grosgrain ribbon trims, 10 satin linings and dozens of ornate monograms or other embroidered motifs.

‘It’s the opposite of mass production and everyone wearing the same thing,’ Chilvers says. ‘And for creative people, it