In the world of luxury and commerce, is there truly anything “new”? Is it an invention consumers have not yet seen or is it simply a new design on an already-existing item? There is an old colloquial Thai phrase that goes “same same but different” referencing two things that are fundamentally the same with the slightest nuanced differences. This can be applied to the luxury sector — due to a lack of diverse product offerings, luxury brands focus on personalisation and unique, one-of-a-kind pieces to satisfy shoppers’ increasing demands for exclusivity.
However, luxury brands profit from the commercialisation of their signature products. To strike a balance between retail profits and client expectations, brands have begun to introduce personalised offerings. While commercial pieces do not always contribute to brand building and legacy, they play an important role in sustaining revenue. Rare offerings can yield high margins, but they also require greater manpower.
This trend is evident across various industries, such as gadgets, with Apple’s customisation of iPhones featuring consumers’ initials; in the alcohol sector, through the release of rare casks and limited edition bottles; and in fashion and jewellery, where we see new iterations of classic staples like personalised leather goods, where customers can add their initials or select their colour or fabrication of choice. Lucrative collaborations and exclusive brand partnerships across industries also highlight the benefit of product diversification. LUXUO examines how luxury brands approach the art of personalisation across a range of luxury industries. Why reinvent the wheel when you can update it with fresh tyres?
Fashion
In fashion, the true art of personalisation is exemplified by haute couture — a truly one-of-a-kind experience. However, even haute couture is becoming increasingly accessible. Personalisation in fashion is evolving into a broader concept of customisation. This shift is particularly evident in the realm of wedding gowns, where bespoke designs are increasingly sought after. By working closely with clients, designers can create truly unique pieces that enhance the personal connection to fashion and cater to the growing demand for individuality in wedding dresses.
Dior
Dior’s exclusive ABCDior personalisation service is a testament to the House’s commitment to cater to its consumers’ personal preferences and tastes. The ABCDior personalisation service extends to a selection of handbags and accessories, including the Dior Saddle, Dior Book Tote and Lady D-Lite bags. Consumers can express their individuality with embroidery, where letters, figures and symbols are unveiled in the colours of their choice. Be it the addition of Mitzah scarves or Dior Tribal earrings adorned with the letter of choice alongside delicate badges that celebrate the House’s fundamentals. Detail and distinction is at the heart of the exclusive My ABCDior service, which celebrates individuality.
Louis Vuitton
Louis Vuitton offers a unique painting service only for hard-sided canvas pieces that include the Neverfull, Speedy Bandoulière 25 and the Keepall Bandoulière 45. Louis Vuitton also provides a hot stamping service for selected small leather goods and luggage tags. Louis Vuitton also designs some recognisable shapes with the My Heritage or MyLV World Tour which allows customers to choose and personalise their favourite piece with initials and stripes, or printed stickers creating a unique combination. Aside from this Louis Vuitton offers personalised customisation or engravings to celebrate a holiday or milestone occasion. The personalised selections include select Monogram or leather bags with hand-painted initials or whimsical MyLV World Tour labels to adorn luggage, handbags, and small leather goods. There are infinite ways to personalise the gifts for men and women.
Jewellery
The art of personalisation in the jewellery sector reflects a growing demand for bespoke pieces that cater to individual tastes and sentiments. Personalised jewellery — such as engraved pendants, bespoke rings, and custom bracelets — offers a unique way for customers to express their identity or commemorate special moments. In recent years, the demand for personalised jewellery has surged, with a notable increase in sales, particularly during significant occasions like anniversaries and birthdays. This trend allows brands to forge deeper emotional connections with their clientele. Personalised jewellery not only serves as a profitable venture but also enhances brand loyalty by providing customers with an intimate and memorable shopping experience.
Van Cleef & Arpels
Van Cleef & Arpels is renowned for its ability to create personalised jewellery that commemorates significant moments. Rings, necklaces, and bracelets can be customised with engravings of names, dates, or special messages, transforming each piece into a cherished keepsake. The Alhambra motif has been a hallmark of Van Cleef & Arpels since its introduction in 1968, symbolising luck for the Maison. Over the years, it has evolved through various functions, materials, and sizes.
This year, a new iteration of this classic motif has emerged, including the Vintage Alhambra reversible ring that combines guilloché yellow gold with blue agate. Reimagined for 2024, this ring features two distinct faces — one side in guilloché yellow gold adorned with a diamond, and the other in blue agate — along with a double-beaded contour that reflects the collection’s signature aesthetic. This focus on adaptation beautifully exemplifies the Maison’s commitment to the art of personalisation, ensuring each piece resonates not only with heritage but with the individual stories of its wearers.
Gadgets & Accessories
Accessories represent a lucrative market for the fashion industry for a multitude of reasons. Their accessible price point allows for a range of demographics to engage with luxury products. Their ubiquitous nature — leather wallets, phone cases, and bags — makes them daily essentials that almost any luxury label can capitalise on. In Singapore alone, the luxury leather goods market generated an approximate revenue of USD 1.08 billion in 2024. Often, when the fashion industry faces a slump, particularly in ready-to-wear collections, brands turn to their leather goods and accessories for support. A notable example is Hermès, whose leather goods and saddlery category is the largest contributor to the company’s revenues at 50 percent, followed by ready-to-wear and accessories at 23 percent, and silk and textiles at nine percent, according to statistics from Martin Roll.
Apple
What happens when one merge Apple’s technological prowess with the elegance of Hermès? The result is the new Apple Watch Hermès Series 10, a perfect blend of beauty and functionality crafted into “objects that enrich people’s lives,” as stated by the brand. Launched in 2015, the collaboration between Apple and Hermès brings together two cultures committed to excellence and authenticity, catering to those who appreciate beauty in design, cutting-edge technology, high-quality materials, and exceptional craftsmanship.
The Hapi band (shown left in the gallery) showcases Hermès’ signature double tour design that elegantly wraps around the wrist and fastens with the iconic buckle. Additionally, the Gold Swift calfskin case offers stylish protection for AirPods, complete with a new carabiner for convenience. The cardholder (shown right in the gallery) features a MagSafe function and is crafted from saddle-stitched Gold leather, forming a stylised animal shape, alongside Navy felt. This collaboration highlights the intersection of luxury and innovation.
The new Apple Watch Hermès Series 10 collections will be available on Hermes.com.
Guerlain
Maison Guerlain showcases the art of personalisation with the beautifully crafted decorative plates accompanying the launch of its L’Art & La Matière collection. These plates serve as the perfect complement to the new fragrance, reflecting Guerlain’s enduring bond with the artists of Paris. Each piece carries its own significance: one plate captures the vibrant red hues of Parisian nights, while the other — a remarkable creation by Valérie Tanfin — evokes the exquisite craftsmanship of feather artisans, making it a true work of art.
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Alcohol & Spirits
In the world of alcohol, the art of personalisation manifests as rarity. While a distillery’s marketing team can revamp a bottle with a sleek label or unique packaging, the real differentiation for consumers lies in the availability of rare casks. The true measure of an alcohol’s exclusivity is not only in its taste but also in the value derived from its rarity; when it is aged or produced in limited small batches, that is when it becomes truly exclusive.
Macallan
To mark 200 years of history, Macallan released the TIME:SPACE — a dual chamber vessel that includes the oldest whisky released by The Macallan at 84 Years Old, as well as a second single malt that marks the first from the brand’s new distillery. With only 200 in existence (one for each year of The Macallan’s History) the TIME:SPACE holds both a 1940 vintage, bottled at 84 years old, and the first release from the new The Macallan Distillery, distilled in 2018 and bottled at 5 Years Old. The vessel has been designed with two chambers to hold each of the whiskies — housed in the outer chamber is the 1940 vintage, representing the past.
The Macallan’s TIME:SPACE Mastery will be available to purchase from The Macallan and The Macallan House Singapore.
Jack Daniels
In celebration of Singapore’s Grand Prix weekend, Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey has partnered with the McLaren Formula 1 Team to launch the exclusive 2024 Jack Daniel’s x McLaren Limited Edition Tennessee Whiskey. This special release is available for a limited time in select stores around the globe. The commemorative bottle showcases Jack Daniel’s classic Tennessee Whiskey recipe, which has been meticulously mellowed drop by drop through ten feet of charcoal and aged in premium American white oak barrels crafted to the highest standards. The Limited Edition bottle features a vibrant papaya twist on the iconic Old No. 7 logo, along with dynamic striping that captures the excitement of the upcoming racing season.
Luxury Automobiles
The luxury automotive industry is increasingly embracing personalisation as buyers look to customise their vehicles, seeking something distinctive rather than a car available in countless permutations. A key challenge for the luxury automotive sector is that brands must carefully balance personalisation with commercial success. While bespoke features can elevate the allure of a vehicle, manufacturers must also ensure that these customisations resonate with market trends and maintain their commercial appeal. This creates a dynamic interplay between the desire for personal expression and the need to sustain profitable margins.
Maserati
In September, Maserati unveiled the Maserati GranCabrio Folgore Tignanello, created as a result of the tailor-made experience of the Maserati Fuoriserie customisation programme. As the first 100 percent electric luxury cabriolet, the GranCabrio Folgore Tignanello is a unique model made for the 50th anniversary of Tignanello. Maserati describes the car as “a reflection of the most advanced craftsmanship, luxury and all the elegance that has long distinguished the Trident’s cars, with their ability to leverage both the tradition and the futuristic vision of the Italian brand’s production”.
Automobili Lamborghini
Lamborghini exemplifies the art of personalisation with its Opera Unica, a unique Revuelto crafted by the Ad Personam department in collaboration with Lamborghini Centro Stile. In addition to the standard production time for a Lamborghini Revuelto, the exterior paint effects required an additional 475 hours of specialist craftsmanship.
Special coating techniques were employed to personalise details such as the Start/Stop button cover and the nominal plate. The interior embroidery finish alone required 85 hours to create the new tool necessary for the watery stitching effect dedicated to this Opera Unica. The unique Revuelto utilises Lamborghini Ad Personam’s specially developed paint techniques, showcasing the intriguing angles and lines of the car like modern architecture. Three distinct shades of blue are combined using Lamborghini’s craftsmanship, employing brush and spatula techniques to create special effects reserved for this Opera Unica. Inspired by the crystalline seas of Sardinia, the bubbles of water, waves, and the deep blue of watery caves are reflected in the darker and lighter shades of blue used across the various surfaces of the Revuelto, with clean definitions between different hues accentuating the car’s intriguing planes and lines.
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