Personal services Tom Ford has had a dangerous revelation: the Gucci guy, to whom he sells thousands of shoes, accessories and ready-to-wear, no longer wants to look like a clone. 'There are moments when one look is the right look,' he explains, 'but now is a moment when the right look is individual style and what people want is something not everyone else has - individuality, personal style and custom made.' Ford has initiated a made-to-measure service in the world's most exclusive Gucci boutiques, including those in The Landmark, Central and Canton Road, Tsim Sha Tsui. Customers, consulted by an experienced tailor, can choose from more than 75 fabric swatches and diverse silhouettes - from the classic to the cutting-edge - before having a suit stitched to their body type (women can also use the service, provided they fit into a men's cut). The finishing touch: one's name embroidered inside the Gucci label. Prices range from $12,080 to $28,070. Ford is also introducing some bling-bling belts for spring/summer: just choose from a range of straps then spell out your name - or personal motto - on the buckle using as many as eight brass letters. They cost $3,800. Call 2504-1221 for more information. In the jeans Last year, Levi's purchased the oldest pair of jeans in the world - reverently known as the Nevada and dating back to the 1880s - for the modest sum of US$46,532 (HK$362,909) on eBay.com. It then reproduced it as part of its LVC line (which duplicates the design details and materials of classics) in a limited-edition of 500, only three of which are available in Hong Kong. Now the company, in association with D-Mop, is auctioning them, with proceeds going to Unicef. Interested parties can place their bids at J-01 (75 Paterson Street, Causeway Bay), where the jeans are being displayed, until April 8. The winning bid will be announced at a party at the shop on April 10. Call 2808-0501 for more information. Watch this space Italian design house Alessi is moving out of the kitchen and onto your wrist. Its first range of timepieces combines technical innovation with that signature Alessi aesthetic, which is at once quirky (the 1000 series designed by Stefano Pirovano), minimal (the 3000 series by Ron Arad) and multi-functional (the 5000 series by Piero Lissoni). The line, ranging from $580 to $1,350, is now available at I.T and Lane Crawford locations.
