A curation of luxurious items to buy your friends, family and loved ones for Christmas – or simply to treat yourself with
Christopher Kane’s ‘More Joy’ winter collection
Christopher Kane’s memorable A/W18 collection saw the designer draw inspiration from 1970s sex manual The Joy of Sex, printing its slogans and erotic illustrations on pieces that paid ode to “women with their own power who create their own worlds and are in charge of them”. Such was the collection’s success that it inspired a summer capsule the year later, whereby T-shirts, phone cases and towels were imprinted with ‘More Joy’, ‘Special’ and ‘Sex’ – and sold out completely. Now, in time for Christmas, a winter ‘More Joy’ collection arrives online, in-store and as part of a special pop-up in Shoreditch – featuring baubles, wrapping paper, pyjamas, blankets and hot water bottles in the now-signature print.
A book or print from Claire de Rouen
If you’re looking for a photography book or limited-edition print to buy a loved one for Christmas, then Claire de Rouen has you covered. On Saturday and Sunday (14 and 15 December), the shop is hosting an ‘Xmas Bonanza’ at 4 Herald Street in Bethnal Green, offering a wide range of items – from books and prints to other objects. Bargains and rare finds are promised, as well as gift wrapping, with highlights including Ads. Pierre Leguillon and these two prints by London-based photographer Alice Neale: Ojen (Night) and Ojen (Red and Green). Don’t miss it!
A gift from Gucci Décor
The maxim “less is more” rarely applies to Alessandro Michele’s collections for Gucci, and nor should it; his eclectic, romantic and defiantly maximalist creations have found the lauded designer legions of fans the world over. It’s little surprise, then, that in 2017 he launched Gucci Décor, taking his vision for Gucci from the wardrobe to the home. The festive season makes the house’s Décor line particularly appealing: scented candles in richly decorated porcelain holders would make for a well-loved gift, while a range of toile de jouy-style crockery in Gucci’s ‘Herbarium’ print are perfect for serving up long wintertime dinners.
A Rimowa cabin suitcase
For many, the festive season is a time for travel and, whether heading homewards or getting away entirely, a trusted suitcase is more than necessary. Few make luggage with such rigorous precision as Rimowa, whose signature aluminium suitcases are the fashion insider’s travel accessory of choice (and no doubt even more so after a recent collaboration with Dior Men, designed by Kim Jones). The ‘Classic Cabin’ – made to fit inside an aeroplane’s overhead compartment – is perhaps our most-wanted this Christmas, and is available as part of a recently introduced customisation service, ‘Rimowa Unique’, allowing you to add your own personal touches, all the way down to a monogrammed luggage tag.
A copy of the Donatella Versace-edited Baroness magazine
Baroness magazine was launched in 2016 by Matthew Holroyd and Dazed’s editor-in-chief Isabella Burley to pay ode to the multitudes of female sexual identity. “Baroness is informed by the females Matthew and I are fascinated with, like Donatella Versace – women who know exactly what they want and have men begging at their feet,” Burley wrote on its launch. Three years on, the inimitable Italian designer – and all-round icon – guest edits the latest issue, art directing a camp, Dynasty-style shoot photographed by Sarah Baker and starring Helena Christensen, who plays the man-slapping, oyster-eating ‘baroness’ (she recently told us why she’s reclaiming the word ‘bitch’). A guaranteed collector’s item.
Alighieri’s first homeware collection
At her label Alighieri, Rosh Mahtani has become known for what she calls “modern heirlooms” – precious, gold-plated jewellery which takes inspiration from the epic tales of Dante’s 14th-century poem, Inferno. After Alighieri’s runaway success – and subsequently spawned menswear collection – Mahtani turns towards homeware, creating a special collection, available now on Matches Fashion. Spanning cast brass jewellery dishes, candlesticks and coat hooks, as well as elegant hand-blown glass jewellery stands and tiny miniature vases decorated with pearls, the collection will prove a much-coveted gift – or simply the perfect adornment for a festive home.
A Tekla Fabrics winter blanket
Founded in 2017, Danish brand Tekla Fabrics creates some of the most luxuriant textiles money can buy. Helmed by Charlie Heden, the label has recently launched a collection on Matches Fashion, featuring high-quality bath robes, bath sheets and blankets in an array of satisfying colours. Through their wares, Tekla aims to provide tranquility and comfort, and what better Christmas gift is there than that?
A piece from Dover Street Market’s ‘Monochromarket’
Late last month, the pioneering Dover Street Market celebrated its 15-year anniversary, having been launched by Rei Kawakubo and Adrian Joffe in 2004. Far more than just a store, the radical retail space is a place “where people can meet each other and exchange ideas and show their individual vision,” as Joffe wrote in a recent essay for AnOther Magazine. In this spirit, a huge array of longtime collaborators including Molly Goddard, Simone Rocha, Craig Green, Gucci, Paco Rabanne, Bottega Veneta, and several others, have created new pieces in the store’s signature monochrome in celebration (the project is playfully titled ‘Monochromarket’) of its birthday. Find them in-store, or online, now.