Latest news with #bespoke
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Lifestyle
- Daily Mail
How to make guests think you're richer than you are - give your home a high-end makeover at high street prices
Daily Mail journalists select and curate the products that feature on our site. If you make a purchase via links on this page we will earn commission - learn more Elegant furniture, bespoke lighting and designer touches – when it comes to interiors, some things just scream (or rather whisper) 'money'. But you don't need to spend huge sums to create a sumptuous look. Follow my advice for creating home that looks high-end, as well as the cheapening pitfalls to avoid.
Forbes
24-07-2025
- Automotive
- Forbes
Rolls-Royce Unveils Stunning Trio Inspired By Chinese Mural Art
The bespoke Black Badge Spectre features Qingshan Blue paintwork against a Diamond Black contrast Rolls-Royce's customizations and bespoke projects are truly something to behold. The company's ability to bring artwork and ideas to life in physical representations push the limits of imagination. Underlining its expertise in this area, Rolls-Royce has announced a trio of bespoke commissions inspired by the ancient mural paintings of Dunhuang, China. The project includes Phantom Extended, Black Badge Cullinan, and Black Badge Spectre models. Shuai Feng, Bespoke Designer at Rolls-Royce's Private Office in Shanghai said: "The mural art of the Dunhuang Mogao Caves is one of the most powerful symbols of our cultural heritage here in China. These artworks, created across dynasties, reflect the abstract ideals that have shaped our country's civilisation. Inspired by their colours, forms and symbolism, we reimagined these themes through hand-painted elements and carefully curated bespoke features – a meaningful tribute that reflects Rolls-Royce's creative dialogue with China in a youthful and contemporary manner.' Each detail was hand painted to create a unique dashboard Believed to have first been carved out in 366AD, the Dunhuang Mogao Caves feature around 45,000 sqm of murals and more than 2,000 painted sculptures. The UNESCO World Heritage site is said to represent the greatest Buddhist artwork from the 4th to the 14th century. Located along a strategic point on the ancient Silk Route murals depict key insights into the historic cultural landscape. Today, 492 caves are preserved and most recently, a library cave was discovered in 1990 which housed tens of thousands of manuscripts. With such a rich history to draw on, the clients worked with the Rolls-Royce team at the company's private office in Shanghai to create the final designs. The collaborative design work produced a motif dubbed Silken Spirit. The concept represents China's cultural history combined with the Spirit of Ecstasy and the fluid nature of imperial silk. Rolls-Royce Phantom Extended Every car has a unique take on the common Chinese mural art theme Stepping outside of the caves, the Phantom Extended's Ningye Purple paintwork is inspired by the skies above the Great Wall of China. The color gets its name from a poetic description from an 800 AD Tang Dynasty verse. The deep hue is set against English White and a Ningye Purple Silken Spirit motif is hand-painted on the C-pillar Externally, this is perhaps the most understated commission of the trio Inside, there's a starlight headliner with 1,344 fibre-optic 'stars' and 192 'shooting stars'. The night sky shines down on a hand-painted landscape on black leather. To add another texture to the piece, the Silken Spirit motif is embroidered in white and black, designed as a nod to flying apsaras – celestial beings in Buddhist art. Hand-painted artwork makes this Phantom Extended one of a kind Chloe Dowsett, Bespoke Artist at Rolls-Royce Motor Cars said: 'To bring this sense of depth and rhythm to the Gallery, I adapted a Chinese technique known as reduction block printing, where the artwork is gradually pressed onto a canvas using the same block of wood, re-crafted between paint layers. Once each layer is applied, the block is carefully re-carved to add depth and detail with the subsequent colour. 'Reinterpreting this method by hand, I used a fine sable brush in place of carved wood, painting every single colour individually and consecutively, allowing the image to emerge across the surface. Tiny areas of unpainted leather are deliberately left exposed, creating the illusion of carved block printing.' Rolls-Royce Black Badge Cullinan The Black Badge Cullinan wears Danqian Pink paintwork The Black Badge Cullinan Series II is the most eye-catching model of the trio with its Danqian Pink paintwork. The pink theme continues inside with blushing pink leather and more than 100,000 tiny perforations to create cloud patterns across the leather. The bright front seats contrast against navy leather in the rear with blushing pink piping and stitching. As well as custom leather patterns, the team created a bespoke headliner Again, the Silken Spirit motif features throughout the vehicle including in a contrasting black on the C-pillar and more prominently inside. The Black Badge Cullinan's custom starlight headliner is arranged in a Silken Spirit graphic and illuminated with blushing pink lights and white 'shooting stars'. The Danqian Pink paintwork highlights the Cullinan's lines Rolls-Royce Black Badge Spectre Rolls-Royce prides itself with bringing art to life in 2D and 3D forms A two-tone Diamond Black and Qingshan Blue Black Badge Spectre completes the commissions. Its special paint color was inspired by the mountain blues and greeny tones seen in the Dunhuang murals. At the front, a turchese illuminated grille finishes off the exterior specification. The interior feels bright and airy with the turchese leather against black details The color scheme carries through to the inside with contrasting turchese and black leather. Illuminated treadplates bear the Silken Spirit motif and the Spectre also features starlight doors and a starlight headliner with more than 1,000 stars individually placed by Rolls-Royce's craftspeople.
CNA
23-07-2025
- Business
- CNA
CNA938 Rewind - A Letter to Myself: Threading purpose with vision, Meiko Tailor's Adele Chung takes family business forward
CNA938 Rewind - A Letter to Myself: Threading purpose with vision, Meiko Tailor's Adele Chung takes family business forward Adele Chung stepped away from a successful corporate career to join her father's business — Meiko Tailor, which he founded in 1977. Mr Chung Chi Kwong's uncompromising eye for detail and quality led it to become a respected name for bespoke clothing, with local and foreign dignitaries among its clientele. Although the prospect of continuing her father's legacy was initially daunting, Adele shares how her sense of purpose overcame the early doubts and continues to fuel her vision for the family business — which includes the opening of a second shop at Boat Quay and launch of a new sustainability-focussed sub-brand, Uncommon Hem.
Vogue
23-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Vogue
How to Create a Custom Wedding Dress
There's no garment more meaningful than what you wear to say 'I do,' so it's no surprise that many to-be-weds choose to have a custom wedding dress or suit created for the big day. A bespoke look not only guarantees your wedding attire will be truly unique and created specifically to your measurements and style, but also allows you to have an original, wearable piece of art that captures the ethos and memories of this major life event. Creating a custom look allows you to collaborate with a talented designer and experience an exciting creative process as part of the lead-up to the wedding day. If you think you want to go custom, know that there are some investments of time, money, and creative thinking in store. Read ahead to get all the details to learn how to create your own bespoke wedding look. Alex Cooper in a custom Danielle Frankel gown at her Mexico nuptials. Photo: Kristen Marie Parker What to Know About Creating a Bespoke Wedding Look The first step in your bespoke process is finding a trusted designer to work with. It's best to find a brand that aligns with both your style and wedding day vision. While some ready-to-wear designers might be up to the challenge of creating an embellished ball gown, not all have that experience in their background or a desire to create pieces within a certain aesthetic. Not only do you want to collaborate with a designer that you trust and respect, but they, in turn, will want to work with a client who has design ideas that fit within their creative scope. 'We collaborate with clients who seek to create within the language of our aesthetic,' notes bridal designer Danielle Frankel. 'It always begins with a conversation,' shares Patricia Voto of the bespoke process with her brand One/Of. 'We sit down in the atelier and discuss everything from the atmosphere of the wedding to what she wants to feel—not just look—on the day. From there, we move into sketches, fabric trials, and fittings. It's not formulaic. We let the garment evolve.' While some designers like Voto produce everything in-house, others will send their sketches and your measurements off to their factories and ateliers to construct the style according to your agreed upon design. Fittings may involve trying on a muslin, draping material on your body, and fine-tuning the silhouette to your exact measurements. It's helpful to find a designer whose atelier is close to you or that you are willing to travel to since you'll need to be there in person to craft the garment over multiple fittings. While you might be interested in creating a fully original dress that aligns with a brand's ethos, it's also possible to take a bridal designer's existing style and make some original edits to the look. 'While customizations differ from a fully bespoke gown, many of our clients seek thoughtful personal touches,' shares Frankel. 'We welcome these conversations, whether it's hand-painted details on a minimalist silhouette or an extended train to suit a specific venue. Our aim is to realize the bride's vision while ensuring every enhancement remains true to the codes and craftsmanship of the house.'
Times
21-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Times
‘It's about more than just shoes, it's about self-respect and confidence'
To paraphrase Dr Seuss in his book Wacky Wednesday, it begins with the shoes. A lot of grown-ups, it seems, were paying attention to the American children's author. The few bespoke shoemakers who remain are experiencing a boom — and a wave of orders are currently clogging their tables. Tailoring is often said to be the highest form of British craftsmanship. But bespoke shoemaking is the ultimate bridge between art and practicality. George Glasgow Jr, the CEO of George Cleverley in the Royal Arcade, has a working life as peripatetic as a Foreign Office mandarin — an indication of the global demand for British bespoke shoes. Thanks to his selfies with the sultan of Brunei and videos of Sylvester Stallone praising them on Instagram, George has managed to create one of the world's most successful luxury shoe brands without spending a penny on marketing. While demand in cities such as New York, LA, Paris and Milan has waned, he says, in the past ten years places like Miami and Nashville are booming. And not everyone is after just one special pair either, he says. 'It is not uncommon to have clients order six to ten pairs at a time.' The reason why they don't just use local shoemakers is simple, he says. There aren't many bespoke shoemakers outside of Britain, France, Italy or Japan. Recently Nicholas Templeman, a British bespoke shoemaker, moved to Vancouver and set up shop there, making him, I daresay, the only true bespoke shoemaker in Canada. It's not an inexpensive club to join. A pair of bespoke shoes often costs north of £5,000 (and well into five figures for exotic skins). And, on top of that, a first pair can often take a year to be made. But according to Tony Gaziano, of the Savile Row bespoke shoemaker Gaziano & Girling, which makes shoes for the King and recently received a royal warrant from him, some people don't care. They just want the experience of going through the process. How do the shoemakers justify the price tag? They make the shoes almost too good to put on feet and so beautiful that their new owners will just marvel at them. (Although longevity and comfort appeal too, Galziano adds, saying that a large proportion of their customers 'are men from the legal or medical professions who are required to wear formal shoes for work'.) Last year, in spite of their high prices, Gaziano & Girling made about 150 pairs — an increase of 25 per cent over the past two years. That might be in part to the fact that, while their quality is extraordinary, by European standards the price tags are quite reasonable. Should you visit John Lobb in Paris (which Hermès bought in 1976) or Berluti, you might pay up to £1,000 more (and, given continental shoes are less structured and lighter weight, British makers can also claim yet more bang for buck). What is true bespoke? Well, it is the process of making shoes by hand, tool and eye. After measurements are taken of the foot, a wooden last is created, which is not a wooden facsimile of the foot, but more the maker's interpretation of the inside of the shoe, and how it should be shaped to flatter the foot. All aspects of the shoe will be built round it, from the hand-patterned leather to the welt that connects the upper to the sole and is sewn by hand. Most British shoemaking of this type is done either in Northampton, the home of British shoemaking, or in garden sheds by outworkers. Some is still done in London; if you walk into John Lobb on St James's Street, all you'll hear is the ticking of the grandfather clock and the tocking of tools. Ditto at Cleverly. A newcomer in some ways is Canons Bespoke, formerly Fosters & Sons, which is run by Simon Bolzoni from a large space in Islington — aptly on Northampton Street. The sudden boom, the owner believes, is because bespoke shoes are an antidote to 'a world of unsatisfying, quick gratification. It requires a complex and unique blend of artistry and engineering, which results in a functional, technical item that actively enhances the wearer's quality of life, while also serving as an expression of their identity.' Because makers take about three to five years to fully train, and the old guard are retiring, professional shoemakers are becoming an ever rarer breed. Canons have 20 — which they will need, given 2024 was their busiest year to date, with sales up 70 per cent compared with 2020. Thankfully, Dean Girling, the other half of Gaziano & Girling, says there are a tranche of young people coming into the trade, 'who are thinking more about working with their hands than tapping a keyboard'. Covid, counterintuitively, also had a positive effect. Not only were men glued to their screens, but they started to appreciate craftsmanship more. On YouTube, a Japanese maker named Ken Kataoka of the house Siroeno Yosui has created a series of videos that regularly receive millions of views. All he does is record the process of crafting a pair of shoes from scratch across a 30-minute video. There is the ASMR draw but also the undeniably entrancing witnessing of an artisan making the very difficult look very easy. There is also the great Texan Kirby Allison, whose mission, which he repeats like a sergeant major's 'left, right, left, right', is to communicate what true 'quality, craftsmanship and tradition' looks like. He has educated middle America in how to be classier and now has 800,000 subscribers and camera crews that make James Cameron seem indie. As he says, 'Shoes are a universal entry point into the world of quality craftsmanship and tradition. Unlike tailored clothing, where personal style varies widely, men tend to share a more consistent appreciation for well-made shoes. The distinction between expensive, entry-level footwear and high-quality shoes is also far more tangible, one can see and feel the difference.' Kirby's audience is over 93 per cent male, between 25 and 44, primarily in America but dotted around the world. He hears from viewers all the time about how his videos inspired them to commission a pair of shoes. 'Many viewers describe a deep sense of personal fulfilment in their decision to begin dressing better. It's about more than just shoes, it's about self-respect and confidence. My job is simply to reveal the beauty and embellish the romance.'
