Shop to measure
Tired of feeling like a consumer clone? Dying to discover the most exciting shopping in the destinations you visit? It is still possible to stand out from the crowd by commissioning your very own design. We point you in the right direction Words Collette Mulloy Some people travel to gain new experiences, some just [...]
Tired of feeling like a consumer clone? Dying to discover the most exciting shopping in the destinations you visit? It is still possible to stand out from the crowd by commissioning your very own design. We point you in the right direction
Words Collette Mulloy
Some people travel to gain new experiences, some just for sunshine and others venture forth in search of the perfect leather handbag. That’s the joy of travel; even the most mundane trip to the supermarket is suddenly transformed into a mini-adventure when abroad. In fact, returning with a suitcase full of items that you know you won’t bump into anyone else wearing at a party – from shoes and suits to perfume and handbags – is what gives overseas shopping an added thrill. So, if you want to ensure your purchases are extra-special, you could
also consider getting your goods custom-made.
There are a few things to bear in mind if you are planning to invest in a bespoke piece. If it’s something you want a hand in designing, it’s worth doing your research first. This is especially true if you have something specific in mind.
For example, images torn out of magazines can work as visual shorthand when language barriers pose problems. Another good piece of advice is to make sure you are aware of the full price before you give the final go-ahead. And remember, don’t expect pieces to be ready at once: some things might be ready in a day but others may take up to a year. Most of all though, enjoy the process. At the end
of it, you will have something totally unique. Try our following destinations for buying bespoke.
GLASGOW
Scotland’s second city has a long tradition of innovation in the decorative arts that continues into today, making it a great place to commission interesting bespoke pieces.
Timorous Beasties
384 Great Western Road, Glasgow G4 9HT
+44 (0)141 337 2622; www.timorousbeasties.com
Alistair McAuley and Paul Simmons’ iconoclastic style was once described as “William Morris on acid”. Their wallpapers, fabrics, window shades, rugs, cushions and lampshades can be ordered in an inspiring variety of colours, prints and textures, although they do ask for a minimum wallpaper order of 12 rolls. Even better, sometimes they name prints after private customers: Mr English gave his name to English Pheasant” and Miss Divine’s became “Divine Moss”. It coulou.
Ablewood Design
Unit 23, 117 Hayburn Lane, Glasgow G11 5AT
+44 (0)798 244 0890/789 998 6166; www.ablewooddesign.com
Commission with conscience: the furniture produced by this workshop is locally-produced and made with ethicallysourced materials, such as Scottish hardwoods from windfallen trees, glass, metals, stone, shells and fossils. The design process is built around the client’s needs, whether you’re looking for a seven-foot garden sculpture or a sideboard. You can expect weekly photographic reports from the workshop. Finished pieces can be shipped anywhere globally.
CHICAGO
The place to go if you want something one-off but aren’t design-confident. The following stores will all help you create your own dream bag, wallet or T-shirt with minimum fuss.
1154 Lill Studio
904 W. Armitage, Chicago, IL 60614
+1 773 477 5455; www.1154lill.com
With prices ranging from $25 to $185, creating an “It” bag here won’t break the bank. There are 25 styles of totes, wallets and evening bags on offer, in a seemingly infinite range of colour and fabrics. Should choice overwhelm, there’s also a stylist on hand to help – although often
your fellow customers will be more than happy to give an opinion, even if you haven’t asked for it. Your masterpiece, which can be ready in three to four weeks, can be shipped directly to your door.
Oney handbags
By appointment only, +1 630 355 5620; www.oneybags.com
At Oney’s appointment-only studio, Mary Ellen Middleton and her daughter Erin will help you design your own bag u sing one of their 20 or so styles as a template. Oney specialises in big, bright, everyday bags for work and travel. If you can’t make it to the studio, you can place your order in advance and collect it when you’re next in Chicago. Alternatively, you can have it shipped direct to your home.
The T-Shirt Deli
1739 N. Damen Ave, Chicago 60647
+1 773 276 6266; www.tshirtdeli.com
The quirkily amusing aspect to this store makes shopping here fun. Owner Ninel Pompushko (an ex-advertising
executive) explains: “In the same way as people buy a sandwich in a deli, the idea is that they should be able to
make a T-shirt to exactly suit their tastes.”
Brightly coloured T-shirts from trendy label American Apparel, tote bags and underwear for men, women and children are lined up behind a white enamel deli-counter. Menus of fonts, colours and graphics line the walls, and you can have your own design made up, wrapped in waxed butcher paper and dropped into a take-out carrier with a bag of potato crisps. All this in a matter of minutes. T-shirts from $15; expect to pay $1 per letter for custom prints.
RIYADH & JEDDAH
If bling is your thing and you have a sense of adventure then you might consider a visit to the gold souks in Saudi Arabia. Anything below 18-carat isn’t legally considered gold but the 21-carat is much cheaper than in the UK.
Four Seasons Hotel
Kingdom Centre, Riyadh
+ 966 (1) 211-5000; www.fourseasons.com/riyadh
The souks in Riyadh and Jeddah can be labyrinthine so it’s best to ask for recommendations for merchants at your hotel (the Four Seasons in Riyadh, for example, has a mall with jewellers attached to the hotel). Some will happily offer a bespoke service as the workshops are attached to the shops, but the language barrier may be a problem. It’s best to take some images of your design or of what you’d like copied.
VENICE
Given that maritime exploits at the height of the Venetian Empire meant bringing in wonderful products from far and wide, Venice’s many skilled artisans at work today are well worth hunting out.
Daniela Ghezzo, Segalin
Calle Dei Fuseri, San Marco 4365, Venice, +39 (0) 41 522 2155
Cobbler Daniela Ghezzo had big shoes to fill when she took over the venerable Segalin shop in 2003. She learned her trade from the eponymous Segalin family, which had been creating the city’s most desirable shoes, handmade to fit the customer’s exact dimensions, since 1932. The initial fitting takes about an hour but making one pair of shoes can take up to two months (there are only three people working in the shop). Prices range from €650 for classic leatherns.
Legatoria Piazzesi
San Marco, Campiello della Feltrina 2511, Venice
+39 (0)41 522 1202; www.legatoriapiazzesi.it
Italy’s oldest paper shop, which opened in 1851, is still producing the handmade marbled paper that Venice is famous for. Wedding invitations, frames, scrapbooks, jewellery boxes and kaleidoscopes can all be made-to-order and delivered to any address worldwide. Heavily worked leather albums can take up three months to produce so if you can’t wait, opt for embossed stationary – yours and ready to take home within a couple of hours.
AMSTERDAM
A major diamond centre since the late 1500s, the Dutch capital Amsterdam is still home to around a dozen factories. Many of these offer tours and will sell loose diamonds that you can have set. Try Coster diamonds
(www.costerdiamonds.com) or Van Moppes.
Mill Diamonds
Rokin 123 Amsterdam, 1012KP Amsterdam
+31 20 62 38504; www.milldiamonds.com
About half of this jeweller’s custom is bespoke, with white gold wedding rings and engagement rings a speciality. Staff are happy to set stones bought elsewhere but they’ll also source diamonds for you. They’ll realise any design that’s in the realms of possibility, although more outlandish requests may be reined in. It’s best to visit the shop
personally but commissions can also be made by phone
and email. Progress photos are available on request and
a model of the ring is provided to check size and fit before
the final design is cast.
