The Psychology of Customization

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That was peak twee 2011; today, sub "bird" for "your name" to face 2016’s cultural equivalent, hyper-custom, hyper-you clothes, jewelry, sneakers, leggings. Yeah, leggings! Activewear brand Alala just rolled out customizable tights ($185) that allow shoppers to personalize the color blocking of their workout bottoms, complete with a reflective monogram at the ankle.

Nike ID sneakers. Photo: Nathaniel S. Butler/Getty

Personalize your jeans with custom embroidery from Levi’s, tuck an embossed leather Vianel iPhone case of your design in the pocket, throw a silk Marie Claire St. John shirt bearing your name on top, clasp on a Baublebar nameplate necklace in the font of your choosing, carry a perforated Proenza Schouler bag specially designed to display pins, wear Nike ID sneakers or Shoes of Prey sandals created by you, and vacation in a monogramed J.Crew bikini. Seemingly out of nowhere, you can put your touch on virtually everything. How did we get here, and why do we want this?

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Monograms were, for a long time, kind of lame. "Historically, monograms or your name on your clothes was [seen as] preppy, old fashioned, or stuffy," explains Jackie Chiquoine, associate retail intelligence editor at WGSN. "Having your name embroidered on something was kind of dorky in the ‘70s," she adds, but that era is back in full throttle, lace-up tops being summer’s breakout item and flare jeans usurping skinny in fashion-conscious groups. That may be part of why the moment is ripe for a reprisal of labeled clothes, summer camp-style. "That nostalgia is really popular right now," Chiquoine says.

"I’m a sucker for old school traditions," Somsack Sikhounmuong, J.Crew’s head of women’s design, says. The company has a dedicated online home for all of its customizable goods, which includes shirting, pajama sets, bags, and the aforementioned swimwear. "Monogramming is one tradition that’s both personal and universal at the same time," Sikhounmuong says. "All you need is a name and a shirt."

Monogramming of the past was discreet compared to today’s name brandishing; initials on the breast pocket of a polo versus your last name chain-stitched across the back of a jean jacket. "Fifteen or twenty years ago, people wouldn’t have wanted to be so publically identified with their own name," says Chiquoine, "the way people didn’t make their email addresses their real name. Now it’s like ‘why wouldn’t I advertise myself?’" Through social media, we’ve witnessed regular people turn their online personas in to book deals, television shows, and lucrative modeling careers, birthing an all-new American Dream: Get followers, get paid. "Because we spend so much time on social media, everyone lives their life as if they’re a public figure," she says. "Having something no one else has creates an Instagram-able, postable product," Chiquoine deduces.

As "personal brand" becomes a thing that’s less and less embarrassing to say out loud, our own names and initials have become the ultimate status symbol. Marshal Cohen, chief industry analyst of consumer behavior and business intelligence company The NPD Group, says "designers are on the waning side, and people aren’t interested in putting logos on. They’d rather put on their own logo — their initials."

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When Louis Vuitton expanded its Soho store in 2013, it added an in-store atelier (a first for the brand), offering hand-painted and leather stamped monograms. Burberry closed its fall 2014 fashion show, which walked in February of that year, with models swaddled in blanket scarves monogrammed with their initials. The next day, customers could order their very own monogramed blanket scarves via burberry.com (at a cost north of $1,300). That summer, Prada began offering customization on its Décolleté heel, with made-to-order options on heel height, color, toe style, and more. This year, the Italian brand expanded the program, offering 19 styles to be tweaked to your liking, resulting in 8,740 different options. In May, Gucci announced its "DIY" program, beginning with personalization of its Dionysus handbag, which starts around $1,300 for an un-custom style. The acronym stands for Do It Yourself, a cornerstone of punk ideology which designer Alessandro Michele "has always found fascinating," noted a press release around the program’s launch. Absolutely nothing says raw self expression like a Swarovski crystal-embellished monogram in your choice of colors.

Dionysus DIY corner at Milan's Gucci store. Photo: Gucci

It’s not just luxury brands adding increased personalization to product, though. The Muji flagship on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan has an in-store embroidery station, opened in late 2015. For three dollars, customers can choose from over 100 designs to have machine stitched on its products, from slippers to sweaters. Madewell’s denim embroidery is a flat $10, the same price it charges to stamp a custom message on its leather goods, which range from iPhones to purses. Nearly every jewelry brand has launched an initials program in the last three years, giving shoppers a pre-made option that is still unique to them; mall stalwart Claire’s Accessories has initial gift sets, pendants, key chains, accent pillows.

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Those who aren’t motivated by self promotion but are still attracted to me-ified product may simply be motivated by a desire to stand out. "In this world of homogeneous retail assortments, everybody is walking down the street looking the same, dressing the same, and wearing the same product," says Cohen. "Personalized, customized product gives you the ability to look and feel different." Chiquoine agrees, explaining "there is a premium on individuality, especially with millennials and gen Z."

Simply stated, being yourself is hot rn. This generation’s breakout celebrities are distinctly themselves; what Lady Gaga, Lena Dunham, Lorde, Jaden Smith, or Amy Schumer wear, produce, or Tweet in a week would have been shock rock a few short decades ago. Motivational images with "You are Enough" and #ProgressNotPerfection flood Tumblr, Instagram, and Pinterest. It’s trickled to advertising, as well: American Eagle’s lingerie line Aerie is using unretouched photos in campaigns, Lane Bryant argues #PlusIsEqual, Dove has come in hot with innumerable "you’re fine how you are!" self esteem campaigns (the latest being #NoLikesNeeded), and the internet’s favorite beauty brand Glossier stresses its products are crafted for "real girls in real life." "There are so many people rebelling against pressures from advertising or ‘traditional’ ways of existing," says Chiquoine "The customization thing is like the ‘you but better’ movement, but almost the reverse. It’s like ‘this thing but better, because it’s about me.’"

Cohen believes the clothing customization craze is a natural psychological extension of DIY interior decorating, which began its swell on HGTV years ago, cresting with bloggers and Pinterest in the last half decade. "It's about the ability to be able to take personalization within the home, to the next level," he says. "People want to show they have a unique taste level, that they can create," he says, plus "there's pride in ownership," he explains, which can be a powerful motivation for shoppers. "It's like the Ikea effect," Chiquoine explains. "If you put it together, you feel more ownership of it. You’re more proud of the item because you helped make it." She reasons this could spark a long-term relationship, saying "the more involved you are in making something, the more brand loyalty you have."

Pintrill's customization bar. Photo: Jesse Hsu for Pintrill

On top of consumer desire to express themselves, the capabilities for producing custom items have become more nimble. "It doesn't matter if it's an automobile, a shirt, a pair of shoes, or even underwear — [everything] can be customized with greater efficiency," says Cohen. "Everything's digital and can be automated," he explains, citing logistics from computerized pattern cutting that calculate less wasted fabric to shipping and delivery. Chiquoine brings up embroidery, monograming technology, and 3D printing, saying "it’s really inexpensive now; it’s getting cheaper and cheaper." Madewell head of design, Joyce Lee, says "as customization becomes more popular, we’ve not only expanded what we can monogram, but we’re also keeping the service at an affordable, flat fee."

Coming in even less expensive than custom stitched outerwear or made-to-order shoes is a comeback of pins and patches; easy, inexpensive (and non-permanent) alterations that still let the wearer flex that taste muscle. "Pins give you the ability to be the same and different at the same exact time," says Jordan Roschwalb, co-founder of Pintrill, which just opened its first store. "Everybody's wearing a pin, so you want to wear a pin, but you also want to wear a different pin because you don't want to wear the same as everyone else," he says.

Pins from Pintrill. Photo: Jesse Hsu for Pintrill

This is exactly what could kill, or taper, the monogram movement — "you" going mass. Chiquoine is doubtful that this new era of personalization will disappear completely, but says oversaturation could weaken trend over time. "You can only monogram so much of your stuff," she says. "Imagine a world where everyone’s wearing something that has their name on it. It starts to feel like a uniform."