Love Letters

Make it personal this Valentine’s Day with Globe-Trotter’s exclusive monogramming service. Here we take a look behind the scenes of the process and the top gifts to buy your beloved.

From number plates to necklaces, dressing gowns to leather wallets, personalisation has never been more prevalent. ‘I think there’s definitely more demand from people wanting something really personal,’ agrees Michael Rodie, store manager at Globe-Trotter’s Mayfair flagship. ‘I don’t quite know where the trend has come from but it’s the kind of thing that won’t go away in a hurry.’ Globe-Trotter has been offering a monogramming service for decades. In fact, Rodie estimates that almost half of all suitcases sold get initialled, either at the point of sale or sometimes years after purchase. ‘It’s a very popular service,’ he says. ‘It’s quite nice because people really see them as an investment piece. It’s not like something that you’re likely to sell or give away when you get a new one.’

Whether you’re treating yourself or a loved one, the monogramming service from Globe-Trotter is straightforward and the options surprisingly varied. A customer can choose up to six letters of their choice – even special characters and hashtags, if so inclined. There are four different font types to choose from and a variety of colours, from classic black and white to neon yellow and gold. Rodie and the team is on standby to offer advice and expertise, but the choice is ultimately down to the customer. ‘We definitely encourage people to think outside of the box,’ Rodie says. ‘I had one chap who ordered a bespoke case which was black but the interior was all red and he wanted his name – which was six letters – in red on the outside. He worked in the music industry so it was quite suitable and it looked very cool.’

The initial stages, whereby the letters, colour and placement is chosen, is done in-store. Rodie has a selection of fibreboards, fonts and examples to show the customer and talk them through the process step-by-step. It’s then sent to the company factory in Hertfordshire, where the work is painstakingly carried out by hand. But initialling isn’t just restricted to letters. When it comes to customisation, the sky’s the limit: ‘Because of the process, which involves a laser-cut stencil, essentially any design can be requested,’ Rodie says. ‘We once had a gentleman who ordered a stack of cases with his family crest monogrammed onto each one. It’s always worth asking. If we’re not sure we will be able to find out and most of the time the answer is yes!’ The alternative to monogramming is hot stamping, which can be applied to leather goods such as passport covers, keyrings and luggage tags. Not only do these make thoughtful gifts but they’re eminently practical too, as the service can be carried out in-store in under 20 minutes and the effect is just as striking.

Rodie’s top recommendation for a Valentine’s gift this year is a Globe-Trotter travel wallet, which is designed to store passports, travel documents and cards, with plenty of space for personalisation. That’s sure to score you some serious brownie points. Though not as many as the one customer who, for his anniversary, purchased and customised the Murder on the Orient Express special-edition case for his wife. Then took her on the actual Orient Express. Gentlemen: take note.