JessicaRulestheUniverse.com

As a Moleskine user I am shocked, Shocked at all the colors and variations on my beloved black carnet. First there were those silk-covered notebooks for the Van Gogh Museum, then all the commemorative stuff—Woodstock, Helvetica, and so on. In soft cover! What is this world coming to! Must those young whippersnappers defile the classics with such impunity?

That’s my fuddy-duddy tone. I like this: the limited edition My Pilipinas notebook, a collaboration between Moleskine, Collezione C2, and National Bookstore. The notebooks are now available at Collezione C2 and National Bookstore branches—P995 for the pocket notebook, P1480 for the large notebooks. My one complaint: it’s only available in soft cover.

At our interview, Rhett Eala mentioned that Collezione C2 now has a bespoke service. Hearing the word “bespoke” triggered my endorphins; I’m at the age where I get excited over the concept of “made to order”.

The thing that’s kept me from buying a Collezione C2 map shirt: Everyone’s wearing it. It’s like a uniform. However, with the bespoke service you can customize the shirt to your requirements, choose the color combination, and add your initials. It takes less than hour for the Rockwell store to do it; longer when more people hear about it (So get it done pronto).

I chose a white map on a white shirt, with my initials. I should get more white clothes for the summer. Besides, my cats are always sitting on my shirts, which are mostly black, and they all have white bellies so I have to go over everything with a lint brush.

My initials are fairly unique, although I share them with Beyonce’s husband, my ex-publisher and his dad, and John Zorn. Total cost of the bespoke shirt: P550 for the shirt, P150 for the initials, P250 for the map embroidery. I had mine done at the Power Plant branch.

This is the smallest they can make the map. You could have the map embroidered on the center of your chest and ringed with your initials if you want. Or have your initials ringed with maps of the Philippines. Your call.

Map bags have just arrived at the stores. This one holds all the stuff I carry around (3 notebooks, 5 pens, etc), in a cat-hair-proof shade. (Pin not included in the design.)