You may hit a point in life when “off the shelf” isn’t really an option anymore. Whatever you’re going to buy needs to be custom made and meet your exact requirements. Because if you’ve made it, why would you own something anyone else can have?
The whole “bespoke” world is most closely associated with suits, but to tell you the truth it goes way beyond that. The automotive world also has true bespoke options at the top end. While many manufacturers will offer a lot of customization options, one truly goes above and beyond. Rolls-Royce has been making high-end bespoke vehicles since 1906 and its bespoke experience goes all out to deliver what its clients expect. With both the end product, and throughout the design process.
The Manual recently caught up with Rolls-Royce’s senior regional bespoke designer Cara Vitry at the company’s luxurious New York Private Office and talked through the ins and outs of the design process.
You’re paying for a team of master craftsmen
While this piece is mainly focused on the design experience, it’s important to glance behind the scenes. A Rolls-Royce is a masterpiece carefully crafted by a selection of world-class artisans. Taking things bespoke, takes up more of these master craftspeople’s time. And Vitry is quick to point out this is a key part of what makes Rolls-Royce, and its vehicles, special.
“It’s the collaborative work spirit. Give credit to everybody involved because they are the master craftsmen behind what they do. Every maker whether it’s leather, painting, or engineering everybody is a master and they really own their talents.
We all work together to create this one commission and we also share that journey, we’re not afraid to share that story with our clients, we get our clients involved.”
Part of that expertise also comes with reading a client and guessing their preferences. Just as an experienced tailor can approximate your measurements the second you walk through the door, Vitry’s experience means she can get a good grasp of what a client wants before words are even exchanged. She says:
“We try to overprepare, we get on calls with clients weeks before to prepare, but if we have a last minute appointment I can actually look at a client. The way they walk, the way they are questioning things, I can tell by the way they interact with clients who walked in together.
We can sense how they’re going to react, what they’re going to commission, are they going to come back? Are they willing to wait?”
It’s closer to dating, than shopping
Oddly enough, Rolls-Royce doesn’t slap too many barriers to entry in front of potential clients. While you need a relationship with both a brand and local dealership that goes back decades to get a sniff of anything special at some other manufacturers, Rolls lets some clients go bespoke right off the bat. As Vitry tells me:
”A few will start out fully bespoke. There are people who’ve dropped millions on their first Rolls-Royce because they want something truly special.”
So what does the sort of person who buys a bespoke vehicle experience? Weirdly enough, it’s a lot like getting a custom suit. There’s a rapport that develops between the client and designer, hours are spent together, plenty of samples are poured over, directions are changed depending on the exact “fit.”
As part of the “getting to know you” process, Vitry also has clients select some handwritten cue cards at random. Answering the questions on them can help give her a better idea of who the client is, and what they want.
“It’s not a one off process where we see them once and it’s like okay, bye. It’s kind of like dating, almost. You can’t really push it. I am very transparent, if I made a mistake for some reason I will be candid about it. I will make up for it one way or another and promise to make it even better.
It’s very much a relationship process during the journey. It’s all about experience. Some commissions do take two to three years, some clients are willing to wait that long,” Vitry says.
It’s more than just the relationship between client and designer too. Rolls-Royce owners are already in a special club, but arguably the bespoke buyers are the most involved. They aren’t just driving something off a lot, the design of that vehicle is going to consume a good portion of their lives for a year or two. As are some of the social aspects that are offered with it.
Vitry explains; “We do try to curate that brand experience for them, different community events, different regional events like Monterey Car Week. We also do lots of intimate events in these private office spaces, allowing Rolls-Royce clients to connect with one another.”
Patience is as important as budget when it comes to a custom Rolls-Royce
If you’re going truly bespoke, that means creating something unique. And this can involve exotic materials being used in several parts of the car. This could be a specific leather cladding the seats, maybe your favorite wood in the fascia.
The issue is, vehicles have to be safe. Which involves a lot of testing. Obviously those tests vary by component. A new seatbelt is going to need to go through far more vigorous testing than a custom dial for the HVAC system. But the costs of that testing may have to factor into the vehicle price.
So Rolls-Royce will likely do whatever you want them to do, provided you have the budget and the time. You need to factor in time for decision making too. As Vitry explains, it’s not just choosing what you want your vehicle to look like. Even when that’s all done, giving that final approval can take a while.
“There is a commission that took two years to reach the final decisions, it’s going to take another two years to produce [the vehicle]. They’ve been on a four-year journey, for a Phantom extended.
I can completely sense their hesitation before saying yes to the final design, because oftentimes us included, clients are very much used to seeing what they’re getting exactly. But with bespoke, I can help them visualize but it’s never the exact same thing. They won’t know until it arrives, so for them they can look at the picture and try to imagine but for some clients it’s hard to say yes without touching it, without seeing it in front of their eyes. But it is also my job as a designer to go in and reassure them everything will be alright, trust the brand.”
So, if you’re now looking to splash out on a custom Rolls-Royce what’s the next step? I’d recommend contacting a local dealership and taking it from there. Pop in for a visit, they’re very nice people and can outline the process exactly. You can’t just rock up at the Private Office uninvited. I’m not even allowed to mention the address, it’s very much an IYKYK thing.
