Ruffles, feathers and bows in delicate hues and Liberty prints make the prettiest last-minute presents. The good news? Some of this stuff is already on sale! Dig in, my pretties…
1. La Cerise Sur Le Gateau Alice Liberty print cushion cover, £62 from Selfridges. Order by midday Friday 23rd December for UK delivery on Saturday 24th December.
2. Penhaligons Artemisia Bath Oil, £35 from Go British. UK delivery by next working day if order placed by 3pm on Friday 23rd December. Or get same-day delivery Mon-Fri for £15.
3. Eugenia Kim Claudia feather-embellished silk-satin headband, £55.42 from Net-a-porter. London Premier shipping only for Christmas delivery – order by 10am Saturday December 24.
4. Claire-Aude Liberty Print Miniature Suitcase, £65 from Liberty. Purchase in-store as the date for guaranteed Christmas delivery from Liberty has now passed.
5. Bourjois Pretty Paris Liberty Chic Eyeshadow Cream, £5.99 from Asos. UK customers, order by midnight Friday 23rd December for next evening delivery (£7.95).
6. Marc by Marc Jacobs Heart brass and crystal stud earrings, £41.67 from Net-a-porter. London Premier shipping only for Christmas delivery- order by 10am Saturday December 24.
7. Aurélie Bidermann Mother-of-pearl charm bracelet, £47.83 from Net-a-porter. London Premier shipping only for Christmas delivery – order by 10am Saturday December 24.
8. Rifle Paper Company Just Picked Recipe Cards, £12 from Anthropologie. UK delivery by Christmas is no longer guaranteed – so buy in-store.
9. Cutler and Gross D-frame acetate sunglasses, £233.33 from Net-a-porter. London Premier shipping only for Christmas delivery – order by 10am Saturday December 24.
10. Stella McCartney Christmas cotton and silk-blend briefs, reduced to £14.89 from Net-a-porter. London Premier shipping only for Christmas delivery – order by 10am Saturday December 24.
11. NARS Holiday 2011 highlighting blush, £20.50, from Asos. UK customers, order by midnight Friday 23rd December for next evening delivery (£7.95).
12. Aurélie Bidermann set of two silver-plated Liberty-print bracelets
£91.67, from Net-a-porter. London Premier shipping only for Christmas delivery – order by 10am Saturday December 24.
13. Rodarte for Opening Ceremony High Neck Blouse, reduced to US$270 from Opening Ceremony. Delivery by Christmas is no longer available – so buy in-store.
14. J.Crew knotted Liberty-print cotton belt, reduced to £26.25 from Net-a-porter. London Premier shipping only for Christmas delivery – order by 10am Saturday December 24.
Want more present ideas? Have a look at last year’s Christmas gift guides.
I’ve also hand-picked the best books and presents in my UK Amazon shop and US Amazon shops.
Need a good present for your favourite fashionista? I’ve pulled together all the best designer gifts, starting at £15 for a Lacroix. It’s true! Read on…
1. Balenciaga and Spain by Hamish Bowles, £28 from Wee Birdy’s UK Amazon shop and $40.95 from Wee Birdy’s US Amazon shop.
Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty (Metropolitan Museum of Art), by Andrew Bolton, UK£21 from Wee Birdy’s UK Amazon shop and US$27 from Wee Birdy’s US Amazon shop.
Christian Louboutin by Christian Louboutin, US$94.50, from Wee Birdy’s US Amazon shop.
2. Maison Martin Margiela by L’ATELIER d’exercices tabi leather bookmark, £29.17 from Net-a-porter.
3. Yves Saint Laurent arty gold-plated glass ring, £125 from Net-a-porter.
4. Tom Ford Santal Blush eau de parfum 250ml, £270 from Selfridges. (There is also a 50ml bottle for £120.)
5. See by Chloé captain parrot keyfob, £54.17 from Net-a-porter.
6. Marc by Marc Jacobs jungle animal-print automatic umbrella, £33.33 from Net-a-porter.
7. Comme des Garçons embossed leather coin purse, £50 from Net-a-porter.
8. Christian Lacroix ‘Oro Y Plata’ Correspondence Cards (x12), £15 from the V&A shop.
9. Marni stretch silk-satin soft-cup bra, £125 and stretch silk-satin shorts, £100 from Net-a-porter.
10. Alexander McQueen enamel skull keyfob, £54.17 from Net-a-porter.
11. Jonathan Saunders for Smythson two-tone leather Panama diary, £137.50 from Net-a-porter.
12. Small shifting planes resin bangle, AU$75 from Dinosaur Designs.
13. Marc by Marc Jacobs brass mouse ring, £54.17 from Net-a-porter.
I’ve also added some beautiful new fashion books to my Amazon shops. I’m rather proud of this collection – I want them all! They make gorgeous presents for any follower of fashion. Click here to go to my UK Amazon shop and here to my US Amazon shop.
You know that giddiness you get when two beloved creatives (designers/musicians/artists/brands) get together and make something new and beautiful together? I’m thinking Liberty and Hello Kitty (genius AND unexpected). Tatty Devine and Rob Ryan (East London quirky AND romantic). Marni and H&M (dear GOD I’m going to have to camp overnight, aren’t I?).
A littler closer to home, Sydney designer Rachel Castle has collaborated with Melbourne-based fashion label Gorman for a limited-edition summer collection of fashion and homewares. I first admired Castle from afar when I was living in London and coveted the sunny range of polka-dot bed linen. As soon as I was back in Sydney I bought four yellow polka-dot pillowslips for our new home.
But I go a little further back with Gorman, and first started wearing the fledgling label around 12 years ago when I was living in Melbourne. I admired the subtle retro sensibility, quality fabrics and new seasonal prints. Since then, the brand has grown and now has boutiques dotted around Australia.
Their collaborative summer collection is fresh, frisky and very Australian (there is a touch of ’80s Ken Done in the colour palette), with a kind of shouty simplicity. Castle’s distinctive hand-drawn lettering, punctuated with pops of neon, features throughout the mostly organic cotton range of simple skirts, shirts, t-shirts, bags, towels and pillowcases. I love the ‘Put the love in the coconut’ beach towel, AU$79, which would make a rather brilliant Christmas present.
The homewares and limited edition embroidered artworks are currently available from Castle’s online shop, and the fashion collection is available from Gorman stores Australia wide.
Montreal-based artist and designer Marc Simard used recycled, off-cut and scrap materials such as leather, wood and fabric to make beautifully designed bags, wallets, satchels and iPhone cases. His bird bags, in particular, demonstrate a wonderful graphic simplicity while paying careful attention to detail.
Take, for instance, the leather sparrow bag (bottom row, US$195), which uses ten different leathers to create a depth of colour and sense of texture in the bird’s wings. The strap is removable so it can be used as a very sweet little clutch. Although I do quite like the look of a wee bird strapped across your body.
Mid-century artist Charley Harper’s minimalist birds were the inspiration behind Simard’s red-winged blackbird bag (top row, US$130), which can also be detached and used as a clutch.
Both bags are available on Simard’s Etsy shop, Broundoor.
It’s no secret that I have a soft spot for a good old print, so I’ve been rejoicing in the print-and-pattern fest that dominated the Spring/Summer 2012 collections. A veritable menagerie emerged this season, with all manner of animals crawling, fluttering and leaping across hems at the likes of Peter Jensen, House of Holland and Mulberry.
But birds were the creature of choice at Kenzo, Carolina Herrera and Marc by Marc Jacobs, and what a dynamic display of colour they made, too. Looks like our feathered friends are here to stay in our wardrobes – for a while, anyway.
{From top to bottom, Carolina Herrera, Marc by Marc Jacobs and Kenzo, via Style.com}
1. PAM for Covers for a Cause iPhone cover, AU$39, from Incu (ships internationally).
2. Lazy Oaf Spaced Out T Shirt, £25, from Lazy Oaf (ships internationally).
3. Tatty Devine future Mystic Cluster Bracelet, £33, from Tatty Devine (ships internationally).
4. Lazy Oaf In the Mix Blue Rucksack, £35, from Lazy Oaf (ships internationally).
5. Urbanears Plattan headphones in turquoise, 60EUR, from Urbanears (ships internationally).
6. Archie Grand Celebrities I Met and Liked notebook, AU$19.95, from NoteMaker (ships to selected international countries).
7. Lazy Oaf Pink Rosy Bear Girl's Sweatshirt, £40, from Lazy Oaf (ships internationally).
8. Marc by Marc Jacobs jumble-embossed neoprene laptop case, £45, from Net-a-porter (ships internationally).
9. Diana multi–pinhole operator camera, £46, from Selfridges.
10. Apple Notes, AU$9.95, from Raw Space (contact Raw Space for international deliveries. UK readers can purchase Apple Notes from the V&A for £4.50.
11. Painted Beauty Glide On Nail Colour Holiday 2010 Collection, AU$22 each, by Mecca Cosmetica.
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