THERE was a time when it was very unusual to buy clothes off the rack in China. Almost everyone in the country had to go to a tailor to have their Mao jackets "made to measure," although most of them in the usual dark blue looked the same. The only difference was the subtle gradations of fabrics.

Fast forward 40 years and the impact of Western consumer culture in the country is excessive: international fashion brands have become rampant and people buy their favorite designer labels off the rack in trendy shopping malls and boutiques. Meanwhile, however, more and more Chinese people have come to rediscover the beauty of tailored fashion.

Most recently, Louis Vuitton has launched Atelier, a workshop where a range of special order services are provided in its Plaza 66 flagship store in Shanghai. It is the French luxury fashion house's first atelier (designer's workshop) located in a store anywhere in the world.

Like Louis Vuitton, many luxury fashion houses, including Dunhill, Ermenegildo Zegna and Fendi, have started to offer made-to-measure and even bespoke services in their Shanghai boutiques.

These state-of-the-art crafted clothes and accessories are made to be one-of-a-kind and individually suited. At last, you can have clothes exactly the way you want them -- and you will never have to settle again for just "good enough."


Travel accessories

Louis Vuitton's Shanghai atelier is divided into two parts. In the Atelier salon, customers are invited to see the manufacturing process of traditional trunks and classic leather products by Louis Vuitton artisans, as well as how they paint and "hot-stamp" brand personalized letters on leather goods. The Special Order salon, on the other hand, helps customers satisfy a specific need, or realize a dream.

On display in the Special Order salon are some of the most unique Louis Vuitton pieces which were made to hold everything from games and gadgets to wines, watches, whisky and champagne.

One of the latest innovative travel accessories is the caviar case featuring a dish to hold the sturgeon roe, engraved crystal vodka glasses and drawers to hold caviar spoons made of mother-of-pearl, a non-reactive material designed to preserve the roe's delicate flavor.

Apart from these ingenious inventions, Louis Vuitton has also launched the "mon monogram" concept, which allows customers to design their own Speedy and Keepall bags and Pegase 55 suitcases by choosing individual patterns featuring a combination of initials and stripes.

Fendi has also recently introduced Peekaboo Made-to-Order to its Selleria collection. The collection is known as the heart and soul of the brand, with made-to-measure goods that incorporate exquisite craftsmanship, handmade luxury, innovative materials and sophisticated details. Peekaboo is the latest "it" bag of the Italian fashion house.

Customers can choose the leather color and select a personalized inscription for the silver plate sewed inside the bag. The bag takes up to six months to be personalized and is possible to be ordered at Fendi boutiques around the country.


Romantic jewelry

How deep is your love? Show it to your beloved with Chaumet's ABC collection. The Parisian high-end jeweler has revived the art of acrostic jewelry and reinvented the romance of love letters with this collection set with precious gemstones.

The first letter of each stone in a piece forms a word -- a secret code that only those in the know can interpret.

For example Amethyst, Morganite, fire Opal, Uvite and Rhodolite create the word AMOUR. The collection includes bracelets, brooches, necklaces and earrings.

A more accessible alternative are the Crystallized Swarovski creations available in the Austrian cut crystal manufacturer's Shanghai boutique on Huaihai Road M.

Customers are encouraged to explore the limitless possibilities of crystals, create one-of-a-kind accessories for themselves or have their ideal jewelry item personalized.

The store offers more than 2,000 kinds of glittering crystals with an infinite range of colors, cuts and shapes available for you to choose from.


Tailored menswear

A generous selection of more than 250 of the finest British and Italian clothes are on offer as part of the Alfred Dunhill Custom tailoring program available in the British men's fashion retailer's Shanghai home on Huaihai Road M.

Clients can create a suit, jacket, trousers and shirt designed according to their own desires.

For example, custom-made shirts are available in a choice of nine collars, five cuffs, two pockets and a variety of front and back options. It is also designed with the wearer's every need taken into consideration. Moreover, the option of monogramed initials on the shirt is available.

Some other men's fashion houses have also come to realize the growing need of tailored clothing for their customers. Italian leading men's fashion brand Pal Zileri, for example, has introduced a made-to-measure service to China for the first time in its newly opened flagship store in Shanghai Citic Square.


Stylish gowns

Local designer Hu Min founded Tangyun Hongxiu, a salon-style fashion boutique, two years ago with the ambition to create China's own haute couture brand that blends traditional Chinese elements with Western cutting and design.

Tangyun Hongxiu provides all-around bespoke services, from offering advice, choosing fabrics and designing patterns to measuring sizes and making adjustments according to women's needs.

The clothes, ranging from formal wear and cocktail dresses to evening gowns, are made of high-quality fabrics including fine Chinese silks and imported materials from Europe.

They feature traditional Chinese Su embroidery and hand-painted Chinese water-ink painting patterns. Some of them are also adorned with exquisite laces, crystal buttons, beads and sequins.

It takes up to six months for a dress to be customized, depending on the complexity of embroidery. Each piece is exclusive and handcrafted.

Most recently, Hu has launched a new store in the Peninsula Hotel Shanghai, becoming the only local fashion brand tenant in the prestigious hotel.