At this time of year, we see so many Christmas gift guides popping up: gifts for him, gifts for her, what to buy for Great Aunt Maude, the cat, the postman, and luxury gifts for someone who has everything. And very useful they are too – if you’re looking for something off the high street. But what if you’re looking for something a bit different? Something that the giftee will never forget? This year, we’ve decided to put together our Outrageous Gift Guide. Outrageously beautiful, outrageously covetable, outrageously individual – and some outrageously expensive. These are luxury gifts for loved ones who deserve a bit more thought. And yes, we have included socks and handkerchiefs but they are absolutely gorgeous. Scroll down and you’ll see what we mean. From £16 to $1 million, everyone deserves at least one outrageous gift this Christmas.
Not Socks Again?
Well, they aren’t just any old socks. These navy & pink Mayfair socks by Peper Harow of London are soft, hard-wearing and quintessentially British, with a seamless toe for ultimate comfort. No matter how sombre the suit, these socks will certainly make a statement. The choice of both men’s and women’s socks is astounding but don’t just take our word for it.
Navy & Pink Mayfair Socks £16, Peper & Harow
A Stylish Pocket Square
Pocket square. Handkerchief. Call it what you will, no suit is complete without that whimsical little triangle of colour in the top pocket. You could play it safe with a simple, co-ordinating colour. Or you could be brave, experimenting with bold patterns and contrasting colours. We love this Chianti Silk Pocket Square, which is somewhere in between. Available from The Rake. Go on, we dare you.
Navy Magnolia Chianti Pocket Square £65, by Serà Fine Silk, from The Rake
The Finishing Touch
If no suit is complete without a pocket square, no shirt is complete without a set of cufflinks. These fabulous Vespa cufflinks by Tateossian of London will certainly bring a smile to his face first thing on Chrismtas morning. Exquisitely detailed with a double ended whale tail in the shape of a bike helmet. Such fun.
Vespa Cufflinks £195, Tateossian London
Everyone Loves Chocolate
Of course they do, whether it’s a chocolate orange or a single estate Peruvian. If you really want to push the boat out for the ultimate chocolate lover, we have searched out what is arguably some of the rarest chocolate in the world. With 81% organic cacao from Ecuador, this To’ak Vintage 2104 chocolate is matured for three years in a cognac cask and presented in a beautiful elm wood box, individually engraved with its bar number. You won’t find this at the corner shop.
To’Ak Vintage 2014 Cognac Cask Matured Chocolate £400, Harrods
Sounds Perfect
Designed for people who love music, these P9 Signature Headphones by Bowers & Wilkins are praised by music lovers for their superb clarity of sound. If you know someone who truly loves music – and loves to hear it in all its uninterrupted glory – don’t they deserve a pair of these?
P9 Signature Headphones £699.99, Bowers & Wilkins
Black is So Last Year
Most of you probably already have a luxury briefcase. But do you have one in a gorgeous shade of green? Bet you don’t. And neither will the person you are buying it for. It’s all about adding touches of interest to your basic outfit. The suit may be restrained but the accessories don’t have to be. For him or her, buy them something to make them stand out from the crowd with this handsome loden green suede Piccadilly briefcase by Pickett of London.
Piccadilly Suede Buckle Briefcase £445, Pickett London
If You Want to Get Ahead…
… get a hat, as someone once said. Established in 1676, Lock & Co is the world’s oldest hatter and supplies hats to HRH The Duke of Edinburgh and HRH the Prince of Wales. We realise that a hat is a very personal thing – in terms of style, colour and fit – so you might want to make an appointment for a fitting, rather than buy a hat but it really depends how well you know the person you’re buying for. We’ve chosen two of our favourites here; a stunning lady’s felt fedora and a quirky men’s velvet smoking cap. Very Oscar Wilde. You probably need quite a big personality to carry off a smoking cap these days but Lock & Co have hundreds of hats to choose from so if you think a beanie or a top hat would be more suitable, go for it.
Cholsey Fedora £565 and Embroidered Smoking Cap £295, Lock & Co Hatters
Smells Divine
Imagine opening up a beautifully presented gift box to find, nestled inside, an exquisite, engraved perfume bottle – with nothing in it! This is a Floris Bespoke Design Perfume. First, you receive your bottle ahead of your initial consultation. With a minimum of 3 personal consultations, the Floris perfumer will blend your perfect, exclusive fragrance with a certificate of provenance, 100 ml of which will fill your bespoke bottle, with 5 repeats of the same fragrance. Nobody in the world will have the same fragrance. Now that really is something to treasure.
Floris Bespoke Design Perfume £4500
Never Wear a Boring Necktie
Business wear does not have to be boring. There are so many fun, eye-catching ties around that there’s no excuse for anything dull or insipid. We were going to suggest the limited edition Ralph Lauren 50th Anniversary Tie Set but, at time of writing, there is only 1 left. With some of his most iconic designs, it is worth trying to get your hands on that last one if you can. If not, we also love some of Alexander McQueen’s designs. This dancing skeleton, available from Harvey Nichols, is playfully macabre and could well cause a few raised eyebrows. Mission accomplished.
Ralph Lauren 50th Anniversary Tie Set £2255
Alexander McQueen Dancing Skeleton Tie £120, Harvey Nichols
No Leaves on the Line in Japan
Leaves on the line? Yes, for those of you not familiar with British public transport, the UK rail network grinds to a halt every autumn because of soggy leaves on the tracks. Never fear – on one of the most luxurious train journeys in the world, the leaves simply wouldn’t dare. Imagine taking your loved one on a trip of a lifetime on the ‘Seven Stars in Kyushu’ Cruise Train. An exquisite blend of Japanese and Western traditions, this train has only 14 of the world’s most relaxing, luxurious guest rooms with panoramic windows so you don’t miss a single thing. Bookings will open shortly for journeys from April 2019.
Seven Stars in Kyushu fares start at around $5400 USD
A Jewel of a Champagne
It wouldn’t be Christmas without champagne but this one is truly spectacular. A rare champagne with an extremely limited bottling, the Piper Heidsieck Rare Le Secret Jewellery Edition comes with a unique jewelled decoration designed by House of Mellerio. Once the champagne has been enjoyed, you will be invited for a private visit to Mellerio’s Paris workshop where the gold and precious stone embellishment will be transformed into an elegant piece of jewellery. Only one each of a sapphire, a ruby or an emerald now available, only from Harrods.
Piper Heidsieck Rare Le Secret Jewellery Champagne £115,000, Harrods
Christmas in a (very big) Box
In fact, this hamper comes in a whole suite of iconic Fortnum & Mason wicker hampers and contains just about everything except the turkey. Award-winning wines, delicious cheeses, condiments, crackers, chocolates, cakes, biscuits, tea – and even a tea set. There’s even a fabulous Fortnum & Mason chef’s hat to get you in the mood and a picnic set for that Boxing Day walk. This would be a real treat for anyone who has ever wanted Christmas to just arrive on their doorstep.
Fortnum & Mason Imperial Hamper £6000
A Vision in Yellow
A show-stopping image of one of the world’s most iconic and celebrated stars. This limited edition signed print of a famous Terry O’Neill photograph may not be everyone’s cup of tea but would be an amazing gift for anyone who admired the man and his music. Some of us could really see this, 6 feet square, on our showroom wall, others are yet to be convinced. Available unframed in a range of sizes, you’ll need to hurry if you want to get your hands on one.
David Bowie in Yellow Suit £1920 – £12,000, V&A
A Rose by Any Other Name
Outrageously pink and outrageously kitsch. This is, well, delightful (pardon the pun, but it is). A gin liqueur with a fragrant flavour of Turkish Delight and light juniper, it would make a lovely stocking filler. Or take it along to a party and start a trend for rose-scented shots. It beats Jägermeister any day. In our opinion.
Zymurgorium Turkish Delight Gin Liqueur £25, John Lewis
For Those New Year’s Resolutions
Know someone who just can’t wait to get out there on Boxing Day to work off all those sprouts? The QuRoc Qi Crossover Inflatable Paddle Board has to be the perfect gift. We don’t get much time for paddle boarding here at Juliettes Interiors but we know people who do and all of them would love one of these. It comes with its own pump, a carbon V blade paddle and a compact, wheeled backpack so you can take your board anywhere your heart desires.
QuRoc Qi Crossover Inflatable Paddle Board £699
Last, But By No Means Least
Now we are in the realms of ultimate indulgence. What do you buy for the woman who really does have everything? A $1 million bra, of course. Recently launched by Victoria’s Secret, their Fantasy Bra used 2100 stunning Swarovski diamond crystals and took over 920 hours to make. Unfortunately, the $1 million bra modelled by Elsa Hosk on the catwalk is not available to buy. However, for the first time, you will be able to buy a bra inspired by the Swarovski-studded creation. Available online from 29 November, it is a snip at just $250.
Victoria’s Secret Fantasy Bra $250
Where’s the Luxury Furniture?
You may be wondering why we are writing about gifts rather than luxury furniture this week. Because it’s well past last orders for luxury furniture, that’s why. If you’ve already ordered your designer sofa or luxury dining set ready for Christmas, you can rest assured that our elves are hard at work making sure every last detail is perfect. And while you’re waiting for Santa to drop it down your chimney, we thought you might like to think about some very special gift ideas for the very special people in your life. We hope we’ve inspired you.
