How an MM.LaFleur Bento Box Is Born

December 26, 2016 | Filed in: Your Closet

Curious about how Bentos are made? Allow us to introduce you to the women behind the curtain. After all, if you’re trusting us to calibrate a fine-tuned work wardrobe just for you, a peek at the process isn’t too much to ask.

Contrary to some customers’ assumptions, our Bento Boxes are not created by an algorithm, nor do they emerge fully-formed from Miyako’s brain. Instead, they are lovingly assembled by MM’s team of warm, witty, and devoted personal stylists. They spend their working hours poring over your Bento surveys and hand-picking the best combination of items for each customer. Expect a lot from them—they love a challenge, and thrive on making you feel like a million (crisp, fresh) dollars.

Here, three of our star stylists—Pauline, Maddie, and Sara—walk us through the magic of the Bento process. 

Step 1. Your Bento Survey Meets Its Match

Pauline: Once you fill out a Bento survey, it lands in the queue of your personal stylist, who is assigned based on your individual responses. That stylist has developed a specialized understanding of what you need—she knows what the weather is like where you live, and the subtle codes for how to dress there. She knows what’s appropriate on Capitol Hill versus Wall Street or Silicon Valley. 

Maddie: Your stylist creates a profile for you, and your survey responses live there. Your profile also contains a record of the MM items you already own or have tried, so that we don’t repeat questions or items. It grows over time, and the more you tell your stylist, the better we’ll be able to tailor our recommendations in the future.

Assembling the perfect Bento Box: one part science, one part art.

Step 2. Your Stylist Calculates Your Size

Sara: A great fit is essential to looking like a boss, but figuring out your size can be a pain, especially in a new brand. That’s why we’re here to figure it out for you! First things first: We look at your height and proportions. The more specific you are, the more accurate we’ll be in assessing your size in MM. The most important measurements are dress size, bra size, pants or jeans size, and how tall you are. There’s no need for you to wriggle around with a measuring tape—who has time for that? Just tell us as much as you can, and we’ll take it from there.

Pauline: Because our line is made to accommodate a wide variety of body shapes, the fit is always relative; depending on how you’re proportioned, you might need a different size in one piece than you will in another. We know our clothes inside and out (literally), so we’ll factor in those sizing adjustments based on the information you give us.

Maddie: We’ve all tried on everything in the collection (and wear MM almost every day), and we’re in constant conversation with our customers about how things fit on them. Every week, we comb through your feedback to hone our ability to meet each unique request—how to accommodate height, flatter your curves, elongate your legs if you’re petite, and so forth. We also pride ourselves on accentuating the attributes you like best. And if we have questions, we’ll reach out to you for clarification.

Step 3. Your Stylist Determines Your Style

Pauline: The next thing we gauge is what kind of environment you’re dressing for: business casual, business formal, fashion-forward, or otherwise. The “primarily looking for” question in the Bento survey tells us a lot, too—our goal is to send you clothes that fill your needs. We’re not in the business of giving you stuff we don’t think you’ll wear.

Sara: We also look at your profession. “Casual” is usually different for a doctor than it is for someone who works in tech. We know what our lawyer customers tend to like—as opposed to a second-grade teacher, who probably needs everything to be machine washable.

Maddie: If you’ve included notes, that’s very important. If a customer says, “Please send me sleeves; I don’t like to show my arms,” or “I only wear pants,” or “I’m self-conscious of my chest,” then we’ll work with those guidelines. Color preferences are useful, too. There’s a section of the Bento survey where you get to choose outfits that you like; we won’t always be able to send you the exact items, but we’ll try to send you similar ones that also fall within your other parameters. If you ask for a specific piece that we aren’t able to include in your Bento—as is the case with some of our more in-demand or limited-run styles—we’ll let you know, and we can order it for you separately or put you on a waitlist.

Voila: Your new wardrobe is here.

Step 4: Your Bento Comes to You

Sara: We mail your Bento so that it arrives within one day of the time window you requested. Then you’ll have a four-day trial period to decide what you want to keep. Your stylist will send you friendly reminders so that you don’t forget. If you need more time, just let us know.

Pauline: Putting together outfits and sending styling tips is my favorite part of my job. We encourage you to be in touch with any questions about fit, or how you can incorporate your new pieces into your current wardrobe. Feel free to send us photos, or ask to exchange sizes or colors. We’re here for anything you need to make the getting-dressed process easier, so you can focus on more important things.

Try your first Bento Box here. For other questions about Bento Boxes, shipping, or anything MM-related, check out our FAQ page or email us at bonjour@mmlafleur.com.