I'd like to be able to design items that only one person can make. This way one could have a custom wedding dress for example.
To avoid problems with influence, you could make it an ability that only modifies an existing pattern (for example: pattern wedding dress) and even if it uses more comms or different comms doesn't add anything to influence over the standard dress.
Like: standard green skirt 8 cloth (+5 influence) vs custom green skirt 8 cloth, 2 emeralds (+5 influence). Also, to avoid problems with everybody using customized clothing, you could set a limit on how many customs designs can a person have at a single time.
this would help the RP as well, as seeing everybody dressing the same is a bit bit dull, and would add some fun to the tailors.

Damn straight I agree!

In other IRE realms, if I have the gold, I would have a tailor make up a personally designed and made outfit for me.

Why shouldn't the wealthy be able to flaunt gold and have something to show for it?

If I was a Forester, possibly Elven, I would like an outfit that would allow me to move quickly and quietly through the forest. Or a magic wielder who would have a robe to suit his needs.

Even back in Achaea, my Jester had a full on Duck Suit.

Personal outfit is not only for coolness but also an expression of who you are.

This is extremely hard with cartels as if you want to design your own, first you need the skillset, then you need 1mil gold to buy the cartel.

This goes for jewellery too.

I think the whole point of cartels, is no one runs about in their own custom gear. Cartels force the realm to actually have fashions, really, whereas, before, that nevered happened. Then, cartels also cut divine workload, not to mention, the more designs that go through, the more likely dodgy or tacky ones get through. As it is now, this is very unlikely.

I think the cartel system is great already, I mean It gives the oppertunity for say 5 of the best designers of clothes, to make a cartel. Then say you had lots of money and wanted a custom wedding dress you would approach them. Pay LoTs of money. Then they would promise you that no one alse would ever be able to use your design without your consent. I think it is great, and makes it very expensive aswell so only the very willing are able to make it happen.

I like the way the system is right now. It would be nice to have custom outfits but I wouldnt trade what its like now for it. If you want someone only you can wear trans tailoring and design some splendor outfits. Then its at least limited to trans tailors who share your taste

I think this is the best argument of why this should NOT be done.

At the current submiting rate, you could only submit one design a year, thus only have one customer a year.
Considering that people aren't so in love with fashion as to pay 100k for a customer design, just try to calculate how many IG years would it take to pay for the clan and the carteling. And if one year you have no customers, you lose the chance of designing anything that year, you cannot make two submits next year.