Because it's not only Valentine's month, but also (hopefully) tax refund season, we decided to check out Gucci's debut of its brand-new Made-To-Order service for the iconic New Bamboo bag. To celebrate the launch, Gucci teamed up with venerable auction house Christie's last week to preview the cutting edge Contemporary Art and classic Post-War art sale "First Open", which will include pieces by artists like Andy Warhol, Mark Rothko, and Barbara Kruger. But back to the bag: While we can't say that it's a service that would get regular use, if you're in the mood to splurge, we love this as a totally personalize-able gift idea. Available exclusively at the Madison Avenue Gucci, the bag comes with a choice of three different sizes, three different finishes (matte, shiny, or metallic), and 25 different colors of crocodile, including sophisticated neutrals like bone, gravel, and soft sand, as well as bold statement colors like orange, Indian blue, and emerald. To seal the deal, each bag will also be embossed with the customer's initials on the interior of the flap and on the mirror—so there's no mistaking it's yours and only yours!
Made-To-Order New Bamboo bags (crocodile only), $12,400-$17,000, Gucci, 840 Madison Avenue, (between 69th and 70th streets); 212-717-2619.
Photo courtesy of Gucci/Neil Rasmus at Billy Farrell Agency.