Fantasy Santa: Personalized Louis Vuitton

The Louis Vuitton initials are synonymous with luxury, of course, and now it's easier than ever to have the fabulous French label apply your personal monogram to bags featuring theirs. Louis Vuitton has simplified the process of personalizing their bags, making it possible for anyone to pop into a store and order a specially initialed piece of their own. We love a label that will cater to us, and that makes Louis Vuitton tops on our Fantasy Santa list this year.

Over 200 million combinations are possible with all the options Louis Vuitton offers, but before you choose among the color swatches, you'll have to pick the type of customization you want and the bag you want to apply it to. Personalization can be done through hot stamping on luggage tags and the bags themselves, or you can choose the mon monogram or painting processes.

Styles eligible for the personal attention are limited to the Pegase, Keepall, Speedy, Neverfull, and all hard-sided luggage items. Only the Monogram Canvas and Damier Ebene Canvas fabrications can be selected for the customization work; it's also worth noting that the hot stamping process expands your choices, as small leather goods can be included along with a few other material choices thanks to the manner in which your monogram is applied.

After the tough decisions are made, it's all about fun with fonts, stripe combos, and colors. There are around eight font options, 18 color choices, and three to five striping and logo ideas to choose from, depending on the bag and method. Our only advice -- keep it classic so you'll enjoy your gorgeous bag for years to come.

Pricing on personalized pieces is specific to your choices, but in general, the lowest-priced option begins around $900 (not including the smaller leather goods) and can extend as high as your imagination will take you. The smaller items and tags done with hot stamping can be ready in as few as 3 to 5 days, but most of the other customized bags take 4 to 6 weeks for delivery.

Lastly, for the very high rollers, there is a final option -- Louis Vuitton will hand craft bags or luggage in the lining, leather, measurements, hardware, and intended purpose of your choice. Be prepared for a much longer wait and much higher price for such private service, however.

Visit one of the four Louis Vuitton locations in the metroplex or explore the personalization process online at Louis Vuitton's website. We hope your Fantasy Santa brings you just what you want.