Gift giving is an art. It takes skill to pick out the perfect present that will fit right in with the lifestyle and even the dreams and aspirations of your recipient. Hot tip: Start by thinking about what your recipient wants, rather than what you think they need. Reflect on your favourite memories with them and channel that sentiment into picking out the perfect lifestyle gifts.
This December, show your loved ones just how much they mean to you with our Vogue-approved list of lifestyle gift ideas for the various people in your life. From locally made trinkets for the friend into all things sustainable and #madeinsingapore, to the finest wines and champagnes for the friend who loves to entertain—and will probably be hosting all the end-of-year get-togethers—here’s something here that will surely put a smile on the faces of your loved ones.
For the friend who appreciates the finer things in life
If #roséallday is on the agenda this holiday season, you will love this bottle of wine by Vilmart & Cie. With a light floral fragrance and notes of linden and lilac along with a palate of red fruits and pink grapefruit, this drink is a definite crowd-pleaser.
Clean on the palate and layered with aromas of shortbread, caramelised apple and a dusting of ground ginger, this makes the perfect celebratory send-off for the year. Telmont has also recently committed to five ambitious environmental objectives, making it one of the few producers that support organic wine production. High quality and sustainable, we could ask for nothing more in our glass of bubbly.
2021 marks the 70th anniversary of the Grange line of vintages and with such a long unbroken history of production, you can be sure that you are in for a treat with this bottle of shiraz. Perfect as a gift for drinkers and collectors, savour Australia’s most iconic red wine with Penfolds.
When you think of the holidays, aside from the feasts, nothing like the pop of a champagne bottle to kickstart the festivities. A bottle of Champagne Lombard is sure to light up your sybarite friend’s eyes. For the host who is particular about what she serves, the Brut Nature Rosé de Saignée Verzenay Grand Cru Lieu-dit Les Marquises will ensure refill requests even from those who only reserve champagne for special occasions.
For your favourite hostess (or host)
For the friend who is consummate host, nothing beats a gift that merges heritage and craftsmanship with style and value. The Royal Selangor Cocktail kit ticks all those boxes for one who also wants to exercise her mixology. Comprising a complete set of bar essentials from the Bar and V&A William Morris collections, the set also comes with some easy yet exclusive recipes and mixology tips. Dinner parties at your friend’s may just get stepped up a notch.
When a celebrity hair and makeup duo decide to get into the culinary world, one thing you know you can expect is heritage food with a different point of view. When they decide to collaborate with a homeware brand known for its eclectic and vivid collections, you get colour, culture and kampong flair thrown in all at once. We are sure you have a ‘hostess with the mostest’ friend who wouldn’t be able to resist showing off this Maeli Studios x PasirPanjangBoy porcelain cheeseboard.
An artisanal display stand that will take hors d’oeuvres to a different level—what’s not to like about that. When it doubles up as a sculpture, even more so. This two-tier dessert stand by Vagabond House has hand-glazed plates, while embellishments such as honeybees, flowers and leaves in handcrafted pewter bring the garden to your table. Pretty as a picture is what comes to mind.
For the friend into all things locally made
Handcrafted by a small band of locally trained artisans schooled in the traditional ways of bookbinding and leather working, Bynd Artisan’s Phone Sling is the perfect blend of time-honoured techniques and modern design. With ample space to fit even the largest iPhone and a couple of essential cards, this also doubles up as the perfect accessory for the friend whose hands are always full.
Crafted from jesmonite, the go-to material for designers and artists looking for an environmentally conscious alternative to traditional resin-based products, Fayy’s hand-crafted trinkets marry sustainability and design, making it a perfect gift for even your most eco-conscious friend. The local brand has a strict zero-waste production policy that has its excess or defective pieces reused and put through the production process, making their products an excellent present for those looking to embrace a more sustainable lifestyle in the new year.
Celebrate a life well lived with Crane Living’s thoughtfully designed products specially curated to fit the modern lifestyles of today’s homeowners. Enjoy a sense of vintage glamour with this glass and metal mirror tray—perfect for your keys, jewellery and everything in-between.
For the friend who’s redecorating their home
When you are going for a fresh look, you want décor that reflects your love for Mother Earth. Fashion brand Loro Piana’s New Zealand Bouclé candle has been crafted from remnants of natural fabric and burns inwards so once the wax burns out, the container can be reused. Add to that, it looks like a large spool of yarn that burns with a delightful scent—luxurious and eco-friendly.
British designer Katharine Pooley is all about grace and elegance, and this handblown Bolla Fume vase epitomises that with a stamp of timelessness. Crafted by skilled artisans, each speckled glass vase holds its own in uniqueness and ‘wow’ factor. Perfect for the person who likes a balanced mix of grandeur and subtlety.
Plain. Uninteresting. That’s how we look at paper. Singaporean artist Dawn Ng’s creations will change your mind. Entitled Small Things, her fall collection is an extension of what she created for spring this year—continuing her signature conversation on the transience of life and how the ‘small things’ matter. The artist is renowned for her experimentation with modern everyday materials, and going by the vibrancy in this piece, it’s one that your sustainability-tuned friend would want to join in.
For the friend into all things tech
Style and substance combine in the Harman Kardon Aura Studio 3 to provide an immersive listening experience that also doubles up as a modern centrepiece for the home. Its domed design and ambient light effects add a touch of elegance to any interior, an excellent gift for the audiophile with a keen eye for design.
Small is the new powerful with Apple’s newest iPad mini. With an 8.3-inch Liquid Retina display, a new A15 Bionic chip and an all-day battery life, Apple’s latest release is fit for the modern woman always on the go.
Fitness meets fashion with Fitbit Luxe, a fashion-forward wellness wristband that comes with a gold stainless steel Parker Link Bracelet from timeless jewellery brand Gorjana. Perfect for your fashion-conscious friend looking to embrace a healthier lifestyle in the coming year.
