5 ways to customize your style, from upcycling items in your closet to designing your own kicks

Hollywood icon Charles Chaplin once said, “Nothing is permanent in this wicked world, not even our troubles.” While this quote has brought comfort in these unprecedented times, old Charlie wasn’t totally correct. A good sense of style is unequivocally forever.

If you’re anything like me, you’ve begun mentally preparing for post-Covid life. More times than I care to admit, I’ve found myself captivated by fantasies of dressing up glamorously, not a heel or lash out of place. The concept may seem foreign to us now but before you know it, restrictions will be lifted and with that the need for new items to fill the closet I gave a Marie Kondo-level cleaning to will not be ignored. There’s no doubt that like me, consumers will want to shop; the change will come via their interests, which believe will evolve past but still reflect this moment — one that has found the world stepping back and placing value on quality over frivolity.

With that in mind and in an effort to keep my creative switch on, I decided to customize a few items I already had, repurposing them in a way that was on brand with the sustainability movement. That led me down an internet rabbit hole where I realized I was onto something here — this would be the next big trend in fashion. Monogramming and personalizing items is one way to revamp your style, with bespoke pieces that are either recycled from your closet — or if a new accessory will make you smile, created from the comfort of your computer.

Here are five companies that customize everything from bags to sneakers, all of which will help you show off your personal style on the street — once the world is ready.

C. Bonz

Splitting her time between Miami and Los Angeles (where she has a pop-up at Fred Segal), Celine Bonz is a talented artist whose celebrity collaborations have the fashion world buzzing — most recently one with actress and model Emily Ratajkowski. When she’s not hobnobbing with celebrities, she’s busy taking Zoom and Skype calls from clients looking to add personal touches to bags, denim jackets, sweaters and more. Bonz will send you a digital book of options, fonts and colors, and in return you simply ship your item to her. In just over a week, your monogrammed miracle will arrive. To contact Celine for a consultation, email her at: celine@cbonz.com and to see her work, please visit @c.bonz.

ROAM

It’s unreal how much I miss traveling. I decided stop daydreaming about faraway escapes and order a new piece of luggage for the journeys that await. ROAM is the world’s first premium, totally customizable luggage that you build online. You become your own designer, starting by choosing from one of the four available luggage sizes. Then select your favorite color for the shell casing (eight options for front, eight for the back), as well as the color of your trim (eleven options), and other creative options including…monogram! Perfect to pass on to future generations — I love carrying items with my mother’s initials — these one-of-a-kind travel buddies are keepers. Roamluggage.com.

Nike by You

Exercise has helped keep many of us sane through stay-at-home restrictions. After wearing out my sneakers because of my daily walks in my community, I headed to the Nike website where I discovered Nike by You, an initiative that allows customers to create their own kicks according to their tastes. Live out your creative-director-meets-accessories-designer fantasy by personalizing everything from the color selections, model (Air Zoom Pegasus, for the win), graphics and even the laces. Pro tip: If you get the app, they send special discounts regularly. J’adore! Nike.com.

Aliette Monde

Can’t find a handless way to keep your cell on you? Hold my phone. Or rather don’t. Keeping our hands to ourselves is sometimes easier said than done, particularly when we’re talking about mobile phones. Aliette Monde is a local designer that has found an aesthetically pleasing (and somewhat spiritual) solution to keeping touching to a minimum with her customizable prayer bead-style chains. Especially created to each individual’s liking, each cord in Monde’s #countyourblessings collection is made of 124 beads (in angel numbers, 124 means manifesting desires). Put together as she meditates, the cords can be decorated with a quote that may resonate with your soul or you can opt to add a unique twist with a name or business. She even creates pacifiers with your child’s name on them. Contact her through Instagram at @aliettemonde.

McLaren GT

I like a well-rounded list and while some of my other suggestions are relatable to a variety of budgets, I couldn’t forget the over-the-top luxury-loving crowd (this is Miami, after all). Storied British luxury carmaker McLaren launched an online portal for buyers to build and customize at their whim, giving you the chance to flex your super creative muscles by designing a personalized GT supercar. The GT is hand-assembled, lightweight, and one of the most recent launches to the McLaren fleet. Do you covet an interior that matches your C. Bonz bag, Nike sneakers, and ROAM luggage? No problem! Highlighting authentic materials including cashmere, NASA-developed SuperFabric and luscious leathers, McLaren offers endless lifestyle interior options with high quality finishes and textures. I’m ready to ride! McLaren.com.

This story was originally published May 2, 2020 at 7:00 AM.