diff --git a/include/ply.h b/include/ply.h
index 4c0c9c0..0ec54c0 100644
--- a/include/ply.h
+++ b/include/ply.h
@@ -61,12 +61,33 @@ typedef struct PlyMeshStruct {
   uint16_t* index;
 } PlyMesh;
 
+typedef struct PlyMappingsStruct {
+  char* vertex_element;
+  char* x;
+  char* y;
+  char* z;
+  char* nx;
+  char* ny;
+  char* nz;
+  char* r;
+  char* g;
+  char* b;
+  char* a;
+  char* u;
+  char* v;
+
+  char* face_element;
+  char* index;
+} PlyMappings;
+
+extern PlyMappings default_ply_mappings;
+
 extern const char* const ply_formats[];
 extern const char* const ply_header_items[];
 extern const char* const ply_type_strings[];
 extern const size_t ply_type_sizes[];
 
-PlyMesh ply_load_mesh(char* filename);
+PlyMesh ply_load_mesh(char* filename, PlyMappings mappings);
 void ply_free_elements(PlyElement* elements_head);
 
 #endif
diff --git a/src/main.c b/src/main.c
index a727609..a997216 100644
--- a/src/main.c
+++ b/src/main.c
@@ -3372,7 +3372,7 @@ void cleanup(GLFWwindow* window, VulkanContext* context) {
 }
 
 int main() {
-  PlyMesh monkey = ply_load_mesh("monkey.ply");
+  PlyMesh monkey = ply_load_mesh("monkey.ply", default_ply_mappings);
   if(monkey.position == 0) {
     fprintf(stderr, "failed to load %s\n", "monkey.ply");
   }
diff --git a/src/ply.c b/src/ply.c
index fab3e85..90c612e 100644
--- a/src/ply.c
+++ b/src/ply.c
@@ -90,7 +90,25 @@ void ply_free_elements(PlyElement* elements_head) {
   }
 }
 
-PlyMesh ply_load_mesh(char* filename) {
+PlyMappings default_ply_mappings = {
+  .vertex_element = "vertex",
+  .x = "x",
+  .y = "y",
+  .z = "z",
+  .nx = "nx",
+  .ny = "ny",
+  .nz = "nz",
+  .r = "red",
+  .g = "green",
+  .b = "blue",
+  .a = "alpha",
+  .u = "s",
+  .v = "t",
+  .face_element = "face",
+  .index = "vetex_indices",
+};
+
+PlyMesh ply_load_mesh(char* filename, PlyMappings mappings) {
   PlyMesh mesh = {
     .vertex_count = 0,
     .position = NULL,
@@ -245,6 +263,12 @@ PlyMesh ply_load_mesh(char* filename) {
 
   PlyElement* elem = elements_head;
   while(elem != NULL) {
+    if(strcmp(elem->name, mappings.vertex_element) == 0) {
+
+    } else if(strcmp(elem->name, mappings.face_element) == 0) {
+
+    }
+
     PlyProperty* prop = elem->properties;
     while(prop != NULL) {
       if(prop->count == PLY_TYPE_INVALID) {