Customisable fashion is on the rise and, thanks to Aslaug Magnusdottir’s bespoke website, tinkertailor.com now everyone can have a personalised wardrobe.
You may know her as co-founder and former CEO of the monstrously successful Moda Operandi, or perhaps as the book smart Harvard alumni and law graduate who chaired the National Ballet Company of Iceland. But Aslaug Magnusdottir the doyenne of e-tail – dubbed ‘Fashion’s Fairy Godmother’ – has her eyes firmly set on the future and is bringing bespoke luxury fashion to the world’s keyboards with her latest venture, Tinker Tailor.
Breaking out of the ‘one-size-fits-all’ mindset, the digital destination allows you to customise exclusive designer pieces from the likes of Roksanda Ilincic and Giambattista Valli – think adding sleeves, changing colours, adjusting hemlines – or play designer yourself, choosing from a vast selection of fabrics and cuts to create a completely unique piece.
Putting the power in the hand of the consumer, Magnusdottir is bridging the gap between designers and personal tailoring, bringing the old-school couture experience bang up to date. “Technology has advanced and all of a sudden customisation can be offered in a more scalable way,” she says. “Before, it required a direct interaction between designer and customer and now, you can give these options to people all over the world.”
Her aim is not for customers to go online and simply shop. This is about expression and self-empowering shoppers to put a personal stamp on the products they love. “It felt to me like the next natural thing for the luxury online shopper. She isn’t going online to look for the best price, she’s really looking for access to something special and Tinker Tailor is taking that to the next level,” she explains. “There is more interaction between the customer and the designer, and the customer is getting something specific that suits their body, their shape, their culture, their lifestyle, their taste.”
With over 100 designers on its collaborators list – boasting everyone from Alberta Ferretti and Marchesa Bridal to contemporary talents such as Ostwald Helgason – you can become part of the creative process and “tink” a piece from the likes of Vivienne Westwood – within set parameters – to suit your style.
Perhaps you have found the perfect Preen sequin skirt, but you need a maxi length, not a midi, or the ultimate Bardot-style gown from Erin Wasson’s exclusive collection, but you want it in white instead of red, or maybe you’ve discovered your staple blazer from Osman, but would prefer shrunken sleeves to full-length and printed…then Tinker Tailor is your go-to. But this is a limited time offering (ie get your custom Rodarte within weeks, or never). “They are short collaborations”, says Magnusdottir. “Ultimately we want to ensure there is always newness, always something exciting… we don’t want to overcrowd the site with too much product, but rather show the customer what we’re excited about. It’s a morecurated experience”.
The visionary assembled the industry elite, including Man Repeller, Leandra Medine, consultant Yasmin Sewell, super stylist Melanie Ward and even royal Princess Reema Bint Bandar Al Saud, to shape the Tinker Tailor aesthetic and seal the ‘what women really want’ concept.
“I wanted to put together a mix of people that are influential in the industry, that are really there to help. They are brand ambassadors to a large extent and they are helping spread the word,” she adds.
Although the advisory board reads like a who’s who of fashion, the sleeper hit behind the boutique is the bespoke pieces created by the in-house Atelier team, under the direction of Chanel and Dior veteran Vincenzo Vaccaro. You can dream up a dress, a shirt, a skirt and using innovative 3-D technology truly visualise your garment in the making as you select from a myriad of silhouettes, fabrics and embellishments that Vaccaro and his seamstresses will then make it, stitch by stitch.
There is a growing demand for bespoke fashion, and Magnusdottir was there to answer the call with Tinker Tailor. “I don’t think it’s a new desire. A desire to wear something unique, something that really suits you has always been there,” she says.
The entrepreneur has been rewarded with a thumbs-up from designers and consumers alike. She continues: “They [the designers] are really excited about it. They understand that their customer wants this as their private clients ask for it already. If you look at what most luxury houses are doing, more and more are introducing a customisation option. We’re the first site to offer a multi-brand platform that is specifically built for this.”
But what’s next for the burgeoning e-commerce force? “At first we just launched apparel, but about a month ago we started introducing accessories. We really want to focus on shoes, bags and jewellery”. Bespoke style just got really personal.
For more information, visit tinkertailor.com.
Words: Sarah Bonser
Main image: Erin Wasson for Tinker Tailor
