The true meaning of the word "Bespoke"
What comes to mind when you read the word ‘bespoke’? Something expensive? Something luxurious? Something supposedly unique? These days, you can take any sort of product, add 20% to the price and call it ‘bespoke’ - from bespoke cocktails to bespoke education to a bespoke monthly box of tinned fish. Oh what a time to be alive! It’s a word that draws us in, makes us feel like we’re a part of this crème de la crème and then leaves us somewhat disappointed when this item, which promised that it was just for us, isn’t quite what we wanted.
Where does the word ‘bespoke’ come from?
It’s no surprise then to learn that the term has ‘bespoke’ has been pilfered, overused and misappropriated from its original meaning. ‘Bespoke’ can originally be traced to the past participle of the word ‘bespeak’, which used to mean ‘to explain; to indicate’ - literally, ‘to speak for something’.
Continuing as a verb, ‘bespeak’ later transitioned to mean ‘to discuss; decide upon’ before coming to be used as an adjective to describe something that had been ‘discussed in advance’. As a result, the evolution of the word ‘bespoke’ became closely associated with tailor-made garments and accessories. Indeed, for much of the last century, the term 'bespoke' referred almost exclusively to men’s tailored suits, a practice idealised by the great craftsmen and women of Savile Row in London. The customer would discuss – in advance – their specifications for the garment, and the tailor would create it, complying with those needs. Thus, in the present day, the Oxford English Dictionary defines the adjective ‘bespoke’ as “a product made specially, according to the needs of an individual customer”. It has been designed and made for you and to your taste.
The difference between Customised and Bespoke
As bespoke became increasingly associated with the British elite and high fashion, it started to become used interchangeably with ‘customised’, which was more affordable for a mass market. But a customised product is very different to a bespoke product. If we go back to Saville Road, a customised suit is one that has been ‘made-to-measure’ - it can be altered and adjusted, but only to a certain point. On the other hand, in the words of Geoff Souster from Souster & Hicks, a bespoke suit is “not just shopping, it’s a whole experience”. It’s a whole process derived from the very first fitting, allowing the tailor the creativity and freedom to match the suit to the person.
Let’s say you were looking for ring - something just for you that said a bit about who you were. Many conventional jewellers will advertise ‘bespoke rings’ and then present you with a series of pre-made rings where you can change the size of the stone, ring size and metal, but they are limited in what they can achieve in terms of originality. This ring is not bespoke, it’s customised. This is simply adding a personal touch to something pre-made and most likely from a mould. It detracts from the meaning and value of a true bespoke product because it pretends that individuality and originality are no more than a limited number of cookie-cutter shapes.
To start from scratch with your ideas taken into account is what I believe to be truly bespoke.
Bespoke Jewellery is a collaboration with a design expert and jeweller.
At its core, bespoke jewellery allows you to create a piece from scratch. That is to say, it is created by you, for you - it’s inspired by your tastes, adapted to your lifestyle, accommodating to your budget. The process is a journey, much like the fitting of a suit. For me, that means a private consultation where first we sit down and talk about your ideas. Your ideas may be something completely fresh and new or you may be looking to redesign your grandmother’s old brooch - using her stones and taking inspiration from the piece to transform it into a modern ring. Usually, I would show you some inspiration or variations, sketch you some designs, talk about your daily routine - how and when you would wear this piece of jewellery - and then finally create something truly original for you.
Related: If you are thinking of redesigning a family heirloom into a unique future heirloom, be sure to read this post of what you need to consider.
Most importantly, bespoke jewellery is a collaboration between you and the designer. The designer takes your specific wishes and desires and uses their own knowledge to build on what you find beautiful within the constraints of what can be done. Indeed, if we go back the original meaning of the verb ‘bespeak’ - this piece should do just that - literally ‘speak for you’. It should say a bit about your family history, or what your style is, or what your life is like. Something you can only achieve by having a piece tailored only according to you.
So, there you have it: you cannot have bespoke tuna. Unless of course, that tuna has been fished, processed and packaged with only you in mind. I’m not casting any judgement here - if that’s your thing, that’s fine by me. But don’t exploit a word without truly understanding what it means because bespoke craftsmanship stems from a long tradition of relationships between customers and designers built on trust, mutual understanding and respect. Qualities that take years to cultivate and even more time to master. And if you’re looking to buy bespoke, don’t trust sellers who don’t even know what bespoke really means.
If you're interested in learning more about having a truly bespoke piece of jewellery made just for you, check out how I manage bespoke jewellery design for my clients on my bespoke page.
Footnotes:
1.- I’m dead serious: https://www.thetinnedfishmarket.com/
Wimbledon based jewellery designer and maker with 20 years experience.
I envision and hand create future heirlooms.
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