A configurator and a method of configuring articles has a processor with a
memory for storing at least one data record representative of the outward
appearance of a type of article and data representative of a plurality of
different element designs related with one type of article. A user
selects an article and an element design of the article to be configured.
There are a plurality of samples, each having a property related to an
element design and each sample contains data of the element design and
its related property. The data of one or more samples is recognized and
associated with the stored element design of the element of the article
and the property of the element design is displayed.