Good Morning All,
I am preparing to have some marketing material done, for the first time, so I am looking for formalize a furniture and cabinetry business name. I want to include a custom/bespoke/commissioned description. So the question is, is bespoke to snooty of a word?
I live in the NE so I feel that most of my potential customers would be familiar with the word. On the other hand, I do not produce Chippendale reproductions, and I’m sure more kitchens and entertainment centers will be in my future. I also don’t want to have to explain the name to people and then appear overly snooty myself. The real issue is that the word “custom” seems so over-used in this business.
Thanks, TWG
Replies
How exactly are you using it? I'm not getting it so far.
As in Bespoke Furniture and Cabinetry. Instead of Custom Furniture and Cabinetry. If you search for bespoke furniture 1000s of hits will come up. Here are some examples:http://www.bespokefurniture.uk.com/home.htmhttp://www.wentworthfurniture.com/I guess I've seen bespoke used more often in the UK than here.
Bespoke is also quite commonly used in regards to custom furniture in Australia...
But even in the NE, bespoke evokes the image of tailors.
From Dictionary.com: (edited for brevity)
be·spoke
2. British.
a. (of clothes) made to individual order; custom-made: a bespoke jacket.
b. making or selling such clothes: a bespoke tailor.
3. Older Use. engaged to be married; spoken for.
Same question applies from earlier post - how is the word to be used?
Bill-
When you say you're from NE, do you mean Nebraska or New England? Don't know that it matters, I was just curious.
When I hear bespoke, my mind immediately goes to clothing, not furniture. I don't think it sounds snooty, it just doesn't seem as good a fit as custom.
http://www.ithacawoodworker.com
North East. As I say above, I guess bespoke is more used in the UK. Perhaps I'll be stuck with custom. I could use hand-crafted. No one knows what that really means, except maybe David Pye. He's to smart for me to understand though.
Yeah, David Pye, now there's some good reading for 2 a.m. when I can't sleep. Puts me to sleep faster than I can open up the book.
I actually like reading some designers' musings, but Pye is knee-deep in his own self-absorbed whoopla. I think his basic concepts are valid and understandable, but it seems he took these ideas to the ridiculous degree.
But that's just me :)
http://www.ithacawoodworker.com
TWG,
In Britain the word "bespoke" has crossed from its limited use in respect of tailored clothes to other items which are tailored or fitted. It's common to read of "bespoke kitchens" - i.e. those of the kind fitted as rows of cabinets and other integrated built-in stuff for a particular or individual kitchen space.
It's less common to hear "bespoke" used for other designed objects which are stand-alone (i.e. not fitted closely into a space). Individually-made pieces of furniture, that may be located anywhere in a room or a house, are more generally referred to as "designer", or "hand-made" or indeed "custom".
That being said, Betty Norbury has published a book showing the work of many modern British designer-makers that she has entitled "Bespoke - Source Book of Furniture Dessigner Makers". Personally I think this begs the question: "Bespoke (fitted to) what"? Perhaps she means fitted to the client's desires or specification; or fitted to a particular location, decor, purpose?
Anyway, this usage certainly has a precedent - although personally I have to say that as soon as I see the term "designer-maker" my lip starts to curl a bit, as the design bit is often more in the self-important mind of the maker rather than in any true design effort evident in the furniture. Where there is a lot of design, the result is often a strange-looking thang of questionable utility. (But now I am showing my prejudices). :-)
In short, "bespoke" seems appropriate for fitted cabinetry but not to stand-alone pieces of furniture - unless you are Betty. I personaly like the explicit albeit windy terminology: "hand-made furniture to client specification". Perhaps: "craftsman-made furniture to client specification"?
Lataxe
I am sorry that I did not read your informative post before I posed my last which stated much of the same information less eloquently.
I being from the good old USA had NO idea what the word bespoke was! I had to look it up!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bespoke
I use to write many service documents to all sorts of folks that used them.. Most did not bother...
I'd say NO! OK.. so some folks maybe understand. I'd bet most do not unless a 'common' word that most use! HAY... even rich folks NOT that smart.. Just have a 'thing' for makinn' money!
I assumed it was the past tense of bespeak.
"WAY too obtuse.Gretchen
Not too snooty. I like it. Go with it. It's your idea!
I like the way it borrows from the more literal dictionary meaning.
Perfect!
You will get into a lot of discussions about the name. That's a very very good thing in marketing.
Why not just say "made to order"? Simple english avoiding pretension leaves no room for misinterpretation. For example, "upon placing of order one half of the estimated cost (which is not refundable if the work is completed but not to the customers liking) will be paid before work commences."
The words bespoke etc incorrectly are sometimes interpreted to mean that the client can give input at various stages which may cause havoc to the profit making process. Better by far to say at the outset, "this is what you will get, please sign here to confirm your understanding".
Edited 7/25/2008 1:45 pm ET by mufti
what about the word "personalized".. Gives the feeling of something being made just for them.
"XYZ Fine Furniture offers personalized furniture for the finest of tastes"
Thanks everyone,
After further research, and guidance from this forum, I am reaching the conclusion that in the U.K., the word "bespoke" has transended it's Savile Row definition and has been stolen through marketing to mean "custom-made" in the slightest of ways.
I will not list examples, but they are out there.
I really just am tired of the word custom. But maybe if it's good enough for Frank Pollaro it should be good enough for my meager work.
Thanks, TWG
Ditto MVFlaim, "personalized" crossed my mind too.
It just seems more, ah, Personal !Work Safe, Count to 10 when your done for the day !!
Bruce S.
I've been thinking of a name latley, too. Or actually more of a tagline . . . You're right about 'custom'. I was thinking driving home last night, what does it mean? That the customer has as much control over the 'design process' as they want to? I hope not. I hope it means that the customer has their needs and even wants adequately met, but that the ultimate design and creativity rest with the woodworker. Maybe I don't want to be totallty 'custom', but a little 'spec' as well. Anyway, I think you could omit that word and everyone would still get it from looking into your website or photos, etc, or the very scale of you business. The first rule of good writing is to 'omit needless words'. In something as terse as a business name, you need to use every oportunity to SEPARATE yourself from others, instead of blending in. Brian
TWG, being British and living in Britain I can tell you I dislike the pretentious sounding word 'bespoke' as in 'bespoke furniture', bespoke furniture maker', or 'it's a bespoke piece', etc.
I can't explain my dislike really, but perhaps it's because too many businesses claim their work is 'bespoke' when clearly it's common, batch or mass produced, or run-of-the-mill with just a wee tweak here and there to give a slight difference to the next pea in the pod. I suppose the word is devalued in my mind when it should be reserved for what is a one-off.
I've found over the years that if a piece deserves the tag I generally prefer the north American form of 'custom' or 'customised'. Slainte.Richard Jones Furniture
It is a word that will rub some people the wrong way - even people sophisticated and rich enough to buy custom made furniture. Your base of potential customers is small enough, so why take the chance?
Boss, That makes sense.
Thanks everyone again. I will continue to think.
Along the same lines, not really, does anyone know a supplier where I could get good quality hats with business logos embroidered?
I need a new hat so it might as well be a write off hat.
does anyone know a supplier where I could get good quality hats with business logos embroidered?
I would highly recommend you contact mufti. He has THE hat for woodworkers.
Regards,Bob @ Kidderville Acres
A Woodworkers mind should be the sharpest tool in the shop!
TWG,
Since you asked I have a thought. Yeah I know.......... :-)
Anyway, if I were to choose the name Kidderville Kabinets (TWG Cabinets) for example. I tend to think that the name alone invokes a unique or custom thinking all by itself. Kind of subtle and requires very little thought process on the part of the buyer/client.
How many others would have the name Kidderville Kabinets? There are only 14 residents in Kidderville! Six moose, four chickens, two dogs, me and a crotchety old codger that runs the general store.
Wanna leave it sort of open ended as to what you make, call it TWG Woodworks...
Regards,
Bob @ Kidderville Acres
A Woodworkers mind should be the sharpest tool in the shop!
Edited 7/26/2008 7:43 am ET by KiddervilleAcres
T,
To me, being neither Blitish nor American, the word "bespoke" is associated with the fitted pin striped suit brigade- even if the suit has never been near Saville Row. It is also associated (probably only in my mind) with Indian comedy films and skits. It is a word that has been abused. It is not an "American" word and I believe not suitable as a business name for your business.
The word "custom" is over-used.You need to come up with something eye catching that sticks in the memory, something original, something that is not lost in a phone book with hundreds of others similar. The harder you try the less the chances of success. You need to wake up with the name , somehow....
How about Appetising Kitchens? (May sound silly, but this is the way to get minds thinking outside the box when searching for a suitable business name)
Isn't the "Bespoke" the one right next to the Aspoke on a fat antique bicycle tire? ;-)
In other words, TWG, I suspect the term would be grossly misunderstood by the majority of your potential clientele. Few would bother to look it up in a dictionary, let alone grasp the intended implication. Those who did might expect you to stitch your wood together, rather than using glue.
Bespoke is a great word, however, I am not sure many people will know what it means. It assumes a certain level of education and sophistication. I live in NE fo 7 years and am not sure that many people will know the term.
It assumes a certain level of education and sophistication.
Gee I went to College and never ran across that word!
But then again my Major was English!
Edited 7/28/2008 3:11 pm by WillGeorge
Yeah...I did not run into it until Graduate School but then again that was in So. California and you know those Californians :-)
I did not run into it until Graduate School
Dang.. I never had the time or the money to do it! Maybe not enough intelligence on top of that!
No intelligence or money required ( I am a testament to that). Just let Uncle Sam send you ( of course then he owns you for a number of years). The best thing about it was that is where I stumbled onto my love of woodworking.
Edited 7/28/2008 3:49 pm ET by 130Mike
I can live with that.. Our Uncle Sam just tskes.. NEVER gives!
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