Modern Artist Ornament Set I.
Photo: Courtesy of MoMA Design Store

8 Incredible Holiday Gifts for People Who Love Design

From a miniature version of Frida Kahlo to gorgeous glass vessels designed by architect Kengo Kuma

Choosing a beautiful gift for the design lover on your list can be a wonderful challenge—but a challenge nonetheless. For the person whose home is meticulously curated and clothing is always perfectly bespoke, a humdrum trinket just won’t do. To help, Galerie has rounded up some inspired ideas, from collectible glassware to a signature new scent sure to please even the most discerning taste.

Glass House keychain designed by by Werkstätte Carl Aubock of Vienna, Austria. Photo: Courtesy of The Glass House

1. Glass House keychain

Carl Aubock IV, the head of esteemed Viennese workshop Werkstätte Carl Aubock, designed this $165 key ring for the Glass House Design Store. Made by hand, each solid brass miniature of the structure bears the official Aubock stamp. All proceeds from the sale go towards the preservation of the historic Philip Johnson Glass House in  in New Canaan, Connecticut, which recently celebrated its 70th anniversary. theglasshouse.org

Recommended: 13 Holiday Gifts for the Food Connoisseur on Your List

Japanese architect Kengo Kuma’s glassware collection for Lasvit. Photo: Courtesy of Lasvit

2. Vessels by Kengo Kuma for Lasvit

Famed Japanese architect Kengo Kuma‘s Yakisugi lighting collection for Lasvit has been reinterpreted into a series of textural glass vases and vessels. Each hand-blown piece is inspired by the ancient Japanese technique for preserving wood by charring its surface, known as Shou-Sugi-Ban, but rendered in a decidedly contemporary shape. lasvit.com

Henri Matisse’s great-granddaughter Sophie Matisse’s exclusive design for Mark Cross. Photo: Courtesy of Mark Cross

3. Mark Cross handbag by Sophie Matisse

Heritage handbag purveyor Mark Cross has collaborated with a number of influential women in the art world and their protégées for the From One Woman to Another series. In addition to a series of conversation and portraits, artist Sophie Matisse, Henri Matisse’s great-granddaughter, has customized a series of Mark Cross top-handle bags, including this remarkable work reminiscent of the otherworldly designs of Marrakesh. markcross.com

SkLO Studio double-sided glass Crescent vessels. Photo: Courtesy of Arkitektura

4. Crescent vessels by SkLO Studio

Handblown in the Czech Republic, these candy-colored Crescent vessels are available in a six different shape and shade combinations. Conceived by design duo Karen Gilbert and Paul Pavlak (who run SkLO Studio), each double-sided piece can be displayed on either hemisphere to equally impressive effect. arkitektura.com

French artist Jean-Michel Othoniel’s exhibition “The Rose of the Louvre” is commemorated in a limited-edition Diptyque candle. Photo: Courtesy of Diptyque

5. Othoniel Rosa candle by Diptyque

French artist Jean-Michel Othoniel and Diptyque have joined forces on a new limited-edition candle, Othoniel Rosa, which boasts a heady rose scent with peppery accents. The fragrance was introduced in conjunction with Othoniel’s “The Rose of the Louvre” exhibition at Paris’s Musée du Louvre that marks the 30th anniversary of the institution’s iconic I.M. Pei glass pyramid. Featuring six paintings inspired by a bloom in Peter Paul Ruben’s The Marriage of Mary of Medici and Henry IV, the show is on view in the Puget courtyard through February 24, 2020. diptyqueparis.com

Bentley Home Gemstone boxes. Photo: Courtesy of Luxury Living Group

6. Bentley Home Gemstone boxes

A dazzling gift for lovers of either luxury cars or decorative goods, these Gemstone boxes come in gun-metal grey or polished brass with either an amber or sapphire Murano glass faceted top. Each is finished with an engraved Bentley logo for the ultimate statement piece. luxurylivinggroup.com

Modern Artist Ornament Set I. Photo: Courtesy of MoMA Design Store

7. Modern Artist Ornament Set

These hand-chiseled wood ornaments give a nod to traditional folk art while paying homage to some of the art world’s most beloved talents. This four-piece set ($36) includes Andy Warhol and Frida Kahlo, while other options include Jackson Pollock and Yayoi Kusama, or another group that celebrates history-making women Jane Goodall, Rosie the Riveter, Rosa Parks, and Amelia Earhart. store.moma.org

New Zealand Wool Bauhaused Blanket. Photo: Courtesy of MoMA Design Store

8. Bauhaused Blanket

For the design aficionado who has celebrated the Bauhaus centennial to the fullest, this $219 wool blanket by textiles master Gunta Stölzl is the ultimate treasure. The only female master at the Bauhaus weaving workshop, Stölzl’s work is replicated in this lambswool weave. store.moma.org

Cover: Modern Artist Ornament Set I.
Photo: Courtesy of MoMA Design Store

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