MY BUSINESS TREND
Bespoke items for distinguished tastes
Tailor-made Pininfarina
sports carText byBoyd Farrow
These days it’s hard to find an item that hasn’t been customised to varying degrees of appropriateness. The result for the producers: big earnings.
Earlier this year, in conjunction with long-term collaborator, Rem Koolhaas, Prada launched Prototypes, an online auction offering limited-edition Prada garments and accessories. The auction, which was held in May, featured 24 pieces including dresses, bags and shoes all “hand-selected by Miuccia Prada”. Proceeds went to the medical charity 
Limited-edition
items auctioned
by PradaSan Raffaele Foundation.
Belgian designer Carine Gilson, who launched her couture lingerie brand in 1994, has reported a considerable leap in orders over the past year, stating that people have really only just latched onto the concept. Gilson offers semi and fully made-to-measure lingerie services, although at €275 for a bespoke G-string, it may be cheaper to buy your loved one a diamond instead.
Since 2006, the renowned Italian car design firm Pininfarina, which works for the likes of Maserati, has also been producing bespoke vehicles for collectors. James Glickenhaus, an investment manager and film producer from New York State, spent an estimated €2.5m to have a supercar tailor-made for him.
Bespoke lingerie by Carine Gilson
www.prada.com
www.carinegilson.com
www.pininfarina.com