MAKING IT PERSONAL
Now is the crunch time to make your Christmas gifts a little more tailor-made, says Stephen Doig
As we head, like George Clooney’s lurching tug boat in The Perfect Storm,
into Christmas Gift Frenzy proper, the idea of battling through the jostling hordes is about as appealing as Donald Trump’s retweets. Perhaps it’s to do with getting older, or perhaps the times we find ourselves, with the world a scary place and harsh commercialism less important than it once was, but I’m becoming more and more allergic to piling the presents high under the tree just for the sake of doing so.
There has always been a degree of personalisation involved in the finer arenas of men’s style; at the loftier levels, a bespoke suit has been the zenith of a man’s tailoring contingent and the process is something every man should try and experience at least once (and while Savile Row comes with a certain flourish and sense of history and Harrods offers an incredible personalised suiting range, custom-made tailored has also infiltrated the high street and is the backbone of the chain Suit Supply). At a micro level, this translates into the trinkets and small touches that make up a man’s daily roster of accessories, from lighters to business card holders.
A classic white shirt is a lynchpin of a man’s wardrobe, which makes a custom-made one an investment that will go the distance, and brands such as Drake’s, Brooks Brothers, Budd and Turnbull & Asser all offer bespoke shirting services where everything from the cotton to the collar and cuffs can be designed to fit the needs of ’im indoors and flourishes such as initials discreetly embroidered onto certain points. The latter also offers the chance to monogram your own scarf, while the aforementioned Drake’s provides a digital service whereby you design and commission your own tie. And if a crisp white cotton number is too safe for you, Gucci offers a service whereby each detail can be riddled with its take-no-prisoners maximalism; cats prancing on your collar, love hearts on your torso and – if you’re even more adventurous – the chance to pimp your shoes and jackets with your own personal touches. If such OTT theatrics are too much for the special fellow in your life, brands such as Connolly, Hackett and Aspinals of London can all arrange personalisation of their leather goods – the former enlists a London artist to create beautiful lettering. And if he’s been using the same encrusted bottle of Aramis (a classic though it is), he might appreciate his own entirely unique cologne; Floris can create a one-off bottle based on his particular tastes. It certainly beats the tired old dad socks.