The luxury fashion customization trend is showing no sign of dying down.
On Monday, Chloé announced a new line of alphabet charms that customers can use to customize several Chloé styles, including the Drew bag and the Alphabet wallet—which can be used to tag bags with select initials or meaningful acronyms to make them one-of-a-kind. The French company also introduced a selection of alphabet rings and necklaces as part of an ode to its founder, Gaby Alphion, who “always had a fondness for letters and loved the way their shapes and combinations could bring new meaning to design,” according to the Chloé website.
The move follows Ralph Lauren’s foray into personalization earlier this fall. In honor of the opening of Ralph Lauren’s first European flagship store in London in September, the brand launched its “Create Your Own” campaign and a Polo Custom Store that houses an interactive personalization hub. Customers who visit the hub can put their own spin on a number of items, including caps and polo shirts, by adorning them with names, numbers and whimsical logos, such as dog icons.
Likewise, Gucci launched Gucci DIY in June, a service that allows shoppers to select patches, trims and monograms for select bags. Burberry has also backed similar offerings, including an initialed plaid poncho in 2014 and a “scarf bar” in 2015—both of which were extensions of its Bespoke program, which offers shoppers the ability to design 12 million combinations of trench coats.
In addition to the charms, Chloé has rolled out several new strategies to woo consumers this year, including launching its first e-commerce website this July. In an effort to draw consumers to the website, it sold limited-edition products, including its Carlina sunglasses cast in 18 karat gold, offering just 600 in total.
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Michael Miraflor, vp of strategy at Blue 449, told Glossy in June that offering exclusive product launches and personalization are savvy moves for retailers trying to attract for millennial consumers who want to stand out among their peers.
“Everyone, especially young people, likes to put their personal spin on things,” Miraflor said. “There’s a lot of value and cachet in being an individual, rather than seeming like you’re a cookie cutter in a catalogue.”
