How did it all happen? 

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It was the Louis Vuitton Spring/Summer 2017 runway show in Paris last October, where Singapore Tatler friend and fashion doyenne Dana Cheong—an invited guest of the maison—fell in love with the second last look of the collection. Specifically, it was look #39: a sheer dress with sharply-tailored panels and shoulder pads. An homage to the Eighties as it was forward thinking—classic Ghesquière. One of the strongest dresses of the collection. Basically, stunning.

But it wasn’t going to be commercialised.

“Louis Vuitton was very kind. After some discussions, they told me they could make it for me.” Dana, who fronted our July 2016 cover, placed an order for it immediately after her resee in Paris.

Resees (literally to see again) are sessions at the brand’s showroom held after the show to allow editors, and sometimes celebrities and VIPs, to have an up-close look at details of the products.

(Related: What It's Like To Meet The Nose Of Louis Vuitton)

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And as it turns out, Dana was the only one in the world whom Vuitton made #39 for. 

“The whole made-to-order experience was quite unique. They had to fly in a mock dress for the fitting. That whole process took trust because the fitting piece looked nothing like the real thing. It was made of [toile], a harder and stiffer material.

Eventually the dress arrived and I could not be happier. This is actually not something I’d usually go for, as it looks like it could overpower [my petite frame]. But it turned out beautiful.

This just shows: with fashion, you have to be willing to try new things."

We can't agree more. And you look amazing in that dress, Dana.