Custom FASHION once required a meeting in Karl Lagerfeld's atelier. Now all you need is a WiFi connection.
Cyber shops allow budding Balenciagas to personalize clothes and accessories from a palette of options. We're not talking about sketched-from-scratch couture. These pre-designed goods only become custom when set options are changed (i.e., you pick a shoe sole from a lineup, or a dress fabric from a set of swatches). But if you're looking to take customization beyond the monogrammed tote, or are pining for a frock that matches your seafoam-green stilettos, a mix-and-match website may be the ticket.
In my quest for bespoke bliss, I surfed six sites that let shoppers personalize their own handbags, sandals and even a swanky cocktail dress down to the tiniest detail. Some were more user-friendly -- and fashion-forward -- than others. (If the design options are dowdy in the first place, there's very little chance of creating something truly magnifique.) But for the price, the quality of the goods was on par with what you'd find in stores.
The graphic interface of Styleshake.com was simple and made me feel like Alicia Silverstone in "Clueless," when she mixed-and-matched her outfits using a computer program. Other sites suffered from technical difficulties, including Evolve.com, which kept freezing up in the middle of the design process. On some, I had fun clicking through different design options but got hung up debating minute decisions such as the number of belt loops and the color of trim. Turns out there is such a thing as too many options.
But $165 for a clutch that perfectly matches my hair is a bargain in my book. And $197 for a dress that hugs the curves in all the right places? Priceless.
Still, it's a safe bet Karl doesn't need to watch his back just yet.
Style Shake
styleshake.com
The goods: This London-based site lets you create your own shirts and dresses, offering stylish options such as a one-shoulder silhouette or a bubble hem, designed by creative director Romina Karamanea (whose work has appeared on the London catwalks). I happened to be in dire need of a dress to wear to work functions, so I was off to the races. After choosing black stretch cotton as the base fabric from a small but high-quality selection of 16 different cottons and silks, I clicked through six simple steps to choose my neckline, sleeves and hemline.
