|
Home > Magazine Archives > Nov/Dec 2005 > Made For You
Email this feature to a friend
Made For You
By Jack Bettridge
In a world of fast food and one-size-fits-all sensibilities, how often does something feel made especially for you? The "Made for You" section celebrates those items that are created with such high quality of hand workmanship and degree of customization that they become individual to you. In each issue, our editors will endeavor to bring you special things from anywhere on the globe, choosing them solely on the basis of outstanding quality. Our goal is to give you guidance on the best of everything.
PERSONALLY PINK—THOMAS PINK
Jermyn Street's Thomas Pink now offers its Personally Pink custom-shirt option in its New York City store by scheduled appointment in a private studio. A personal fitting means your thin neck and broad chest can coexist under one shirt. Wear a big watch? Room will be made for it. You also choose classic or tailored fit, and from five collar types and six cuff options. Then comes the hard part: picking from more than 100 fabric patterns in fine cotton. No minimum order. www.thomaspink.com
LE CELEBRATION—CHAMBORD
If you want to give spirit twice, consider Chambord's packaging of a 50-milliliter replica of its larger bottle. Not only is it the black-raspberry-flavored Cognac-based liqueur packaged in an ornament meant to hang from a tree, but it raises awareness of Project A.L.S. (the fight against amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or Lou Gehrig's disease). The company donates $1 for each $5.99 Le Celebration ornament sold. Visit the Web site for a wealth of cocktail and food recipes that employ Chambord. www.chambordonline.com
THE CHRISTMAS SCENE—LANDMARK CREATIONS
Serious tree-trimming Landmark Creation customers have enjoyed the option of localizing decoration with Christmas balls that show holiday scenes from more than a dozen cities in the U.S. and Europe. Now, Landmark adds a selection of festive balls by the oft-decorated commercial artist Michael Storrings. His paintings of New York and San Francisco landmarks and neighborhoods are translated faithfully by hand (an eight-to-ten-hour process) to the ornaments, capturing all details. Saks Fifth Avenue stores or www.landmark-creations.com
CHOICE ADVENTURES—XPERIENCE DAYS
Whether you want to race a Ferrari or take a gourmet cooking class, learn to surf or go skydiving, Xperience Days will make it happen. The Web site is set up for gift-giving, with the idea that you buy a certificate in a certain price range and the recipient chooses the adventure that best suits him. But why give away all the fun? Add a day of sailing in New York harbor to your next business trip or find a white-water rafting locale. www.xperiencedays.com
SOUND PROOF—DIGITAL AUDIO REFERENCE THEATER SYSTEM
It's not enough to buy expensive speakers: a room's acoustics will always interfere with sound quality. But the Digital Audio Reference Theater System (dARTS) from Phase Technology tames even the toughest space. Trained installers use computer software to measure the sound quality at each listening point, taking into account how noise is reflected (or absorbed) by furniture, window treatments, flooring materials and walls. An amplifier then stores that information, calibrating the speakers to your media room. Bass sounds cease to be muddy, reverb is eliminated and dead spots no longer exist. With dARTS, every seat becomes the best seat in the house. www.phasetech.com
COBBLED ART—BERLUTI SHOES
When Olga Berluti took over her family's Paris shoe company, she bucked tradition in more ways than one. Besides being the first female head of the business, she nurtured clients among the art world. The association rubbed off. For example, her Rapiécés-Reprisés shoes were inspired by Andy Warhol who asked for a shoe with patches. Other signature Berluti looks are her quirky color palette and striking leather patinas. A recently opened New York City store is the first in the U.S. www.berluti.com
If you are interested in purchasing reprints of a recent article, please
contact the Reprint Department at reprints@mshanken.com. (Minimum quantity: 500 copies)
|