Although we all know this season isn’t about the material things, it’s nice to splurge on the ones we love most, when we can. We can all agree that unboxing something truly special is momentous, especially when given by someone you love. This list of last-minute luxury gift ideas is hand-selected to ensure you find the best gift without wastefully spending your hard-earned coin.
For the fashionista, for the homebody, for the bookworm, and the corporate powerhouse, there’s something on this list for everyone.
It’s Giving Luxury Beauty…
La Mer The Energize & Replenish Set
La Mer
Give the gift of renewal and relaxation with the La Mer Energize and Replenish Set for $195.
Jenny Patinkin Cryo Glow Globes
Jenny Patinkin
For anyone who tackles early mornings on the regular, these Cryo Glow Globes will do the trick. For around $60, you can’t find a better gift for a woman on the go!
SLIP Tie-Dyed Mulberry Silk Sleep Mask
SLIP
We’re all looking for a great night’s sleep and a silk sleep mask can aid in that. This one from SLIP is crafted from the highest-grade mulberry silk and designed to block out all light without irritating your skin.
T3 Lucea ID Styling Tool
T3
Awarded Allure’s Best Of Breakthrough in 2020, the T3 Lucea ID is the latest version of the three-in-one styler. Equipped with a smart-touch interface and HeatID technology, T3 Lucea ID intelligently adjusts heat to your unique profile, based on your hair texture, length, and color treatments.
Viktor&Rolf Flowerbomb Eau de Parfum Spray
Victor&Rolf
One of the hottest perfume brands on the market, Victor&Rolf Flowerbomb is a delicious and iconic floral women's perfume infused with a flower bouquet of cattleyas, jasmine, freesia, and millions of rose petals.
Dr. Dennis Gross Merry Smooth & Bright Kit
Dr. Dennis Gross
There are limited skincare brands we’d recommend for Christmas, and Dr. Dennis Gross is one of them. The holiday Merry Smooth + Bright Skin Kit includes the coveted DRx SpectraLite™ FaceWare Pro, the Correction Eye Serum, the Texture Renewal Serum, and a 5 of the Daily Peel packets.
It’s Giving Luxury Living…
Jonathan Adler Marseilles Coasters
Jonathan Adler
These minimalist coasters from Jonathan Adler can add character to any room. It’s the perfect stocking-stuffer for your work BFF, in-laws, or (let’s be honest) yourself! If coasters aren’t your thing, Adler has a bevy of other beautiful homeware pieces to pick from.
Virgil Abloh. Nike. ICONS by Virgil Abloh
Virgil Abloh
An often overlooked gift is a beautiful coffee table book. Whether it’s for your interior designing bestie or your stylish guy friend - the Virgil Abloh ICONS book hits the mark. ICONS traces Abloh’s investigative, creative process through documentation of the prototypes, original text messages from Abloh to Nike designers, and treasures from the Nike archives.
Soho Home Barwell Ice Bucket
Soho Home
Who doesn’t like a bit of drama while hosting a party? This crystal ice Bucket from Soho Home screams drama and glamour; perfect for the friend who also hosts girls' night.
Dr. Vranjes Firenze Scented Candle and Diffuser Gift Set - Ambra
Dr. Vranjes Firenze
Dr. Vranjes Firenze is hand-crafted in Florence and by far one of the best fragrance brands globally. The gift set includes a scented candle and their iconic diffuser in the scent Ambra, which is a blend of amber, patchouli, and sandalwood.
Assouline Capri Dolce Vita by Cesare Cunaccia
Assouline
You’ve probably seen these books in the background of your favorite TikToker, and for good reason. Assouline specializes in hand-crafted luxury books, across a range of subjects and industries. Their recent collection of travel books, written and curated by globally renowned artists, make the perfect gift for a friend who can’t stay still.
Anissa Kermiche Best Friend Vase
Anissa Kermiche
One positive thing that came out of multiple stay-at-home orders in 2020 was the resurgence of unique and creative home decor. This 'Breast Friend' ceramic vase playfully depicts a curvaceous bust and can be a stand-alone piece or filled with beautiful seasonal florals.
It’s Giving Luxury Fashion…
Fendi First Small
Fendi
Guaranteed to be on the Christmas list of any fashion addict, the Fendi First bag will be 2022’s IT bag. Available in a myriad of colors and sizes, you can’t go wrong with this under the tree.
MACH & MACH Double Bow 110MM Pumps
MACH & MACH
Be prepared to make anyone’s Christmas with the shoes of the season: the Mach and Mach Double Bow 100MM shoes. The lustful shoes reached cult status (thanks, TikTok!) and that energy doesn’t seem to be diminishing anytime soon.
VLogo Signature Earrings in Metal and Swarovski Crystals
Valentino
Give the gift of ultimate glam with these Swarovski crystal earrings from Valentino. The VLogo signature earrings are perfect for any glam girl on your list.
Olivia von Halle Queenie Printed Silk-Satin Robe
Oliva Von Halle
The past two years have taught of the importance of luxury at home, and the Olivia von Halle robe is just that. Featured in a variety of silk-satin patterns, this robe is designed in London and is a favorite amongst fashion IT girls.
Etoile Isabel Marant Dilys Belted Puffer Jacket
Neiman Marcus
This gift is reserved for the trendiest person in your friend group. It’s a great long-wear coat as it encapsulates the après-ski trendiest perfectly, but the silhouette keeps you going back for years to come.
Featured image by Getty Images
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RELATED
The seeds for these entrepreneurs were planted during their time as students at schools like Spelman, North Carolina A&T, and more, which is why xoNecole caught up with Look Good Live Well’s Ariane Turner, HBCU Buzz’s Luke Lawal and Morehouse Senior Director of Marketing and Comms and Press Secretary Jasmine Gurley to highlight the role their HBCU roots play in their work as entrepreneurs, the legacy they aim to leave behind through the work that they do, and more as a part of Hyundai’s Best In Class initiative.
On Honoring HBCU Roots To Create Something That Is For Us, By Us
Ariane Turner
Courtesy
When Ariane Turner launched Look Good, Live Well, she created it with Black and brown people in mind, especially those with sensitive skin more prone to dryness and skin conditions like acne and eczema.
The Florida A&M University graduate launched her business to create something that addressed topical skin care needs and was intentional about its approach without negative terminology.
Turner shared that it is important to steer clear of language often adopted by more prominent brands, such as “banishing breakouts” or “correcting the skin,” because, in reality, Turner says there is nothing wrong with the way that our skin and bodies react to various life changes.
“I think what I have taken with me regarding my HBCU experience and translated to my entrepreneurial experience is the importance of not just networking,” Turner, the founder and CEO of Look Good, Live Well, tellls xoNecole.
“We hear that in business all the time, your network is your net worth, but family, there’s a thing at FAMU that we call FAMU-lee instead of family, and it’s very much a thing. What that taught me is the importance of not just making relationships and not just making that connection, but truly working on deepening them, and so being intentional about connecting with people initially, but staying connected and building and deepening those relationships, and that has served me tremendously in business, whether it’s being able to reach back to other classmates who I went to school with, or just networking in general.”
She adds, “I don’t come from a business background. As soon as I finished school, I continued with my entrepreneurial journey, and so there’s a lot of that traditional business act and the networking, those soft skills that I just don’t have, but I will say that just understanding how to leverage and network community and to build intentional relationships is something that has taken me far and I definitely got those roots while attending FAMU.”
On Solving A Very Specific Need For The Community
Luke Lawal Jr.
Courtesy
When Luke Lawal Jr. launched HBCU Buzz, his main focus was to represent his community, using the platform to lift as they climbed by creating an outlet dedicated to celebrating the achievements and positive news affecting the 107 historically HBCUs nationwide.
By spotlighting the wonderful things that come from the HBCU community and coupling it with what he learned during his time at Bowie State University, Lawal used that knowledge to propel himself as an entrepreneur while also providing his people with accurate representation across the internet.
“The specific problem in 2011 when I started HBCU Buzz was more so around the fact that mainstream media always depict HBCUs as negative,” Lawal says. “You would only see HBCUs in the mainstream media when someone died, or the university president or someone was stepping down. It was always bad news, but they never shed light on all the wonderful things from our community."
So, I started HBCU Buzz to ensure the world saw the good things that come from our space. And they knew that HBCUs grew some of the brightest people in the world, and just trying to figure out ways to make sure our platform was a pedestal for all the students that come through our institutions.”
“The biggest goal is to continue to solve problems, continue to create brands that solve the problems of our communities, and make sure that our products, our brands, our companies, and institutions are of value and they’re helping our community,” he continues. “That they’re solving problems that propel our space forward.”
On How Being An HBCU Alum Impacts The Way One Shows Up In The World
Jasmine Gurley
Courtesy
Jasmine Gurley is a proud North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University alum. She is even more delighted with her current role, which enables her to give back to current HBCU students as the Senior Director of Brand Marketing and Communications and official press secretary at Morehouse College.
“It was a formative experience where I really was able to come into my own and say yes to all the opportunities that were presented to me, and because of that, it’s been able to open the doors later in life too,” says Gurley of her experience at North Carolina A&T. “One thing I love about many HBCUs is that we are required to learn way more about African American history than you do in your typical K through 12 or even at the higher ed level."
She adds, “It allowed us to have a better understanding of where we came from, and so for me, because I’m a storyteller, I’m a history person, I’m very sensitive to life in general, being able to listen to the stories and the trials that our ancestors overcame, put the battery pack in my back to say, ‘Oh nothing can stop me. Absolutely nothing can stop me. I know where I came from, so I can overcome something and try anything. And I have an obligation to be my ancestors’ wildest dreams. Simultaneously, I also have a responsibility to help others realize that greatness.
Gurley does not take her position at an HBCU, now as a leader, lightly.
“People think I’m joking when I say I’m living the dream, but I really am,” she notes. “So I wake up every day and know that the work that I do matters, no matter how hard it might be, how frustrating it may be, and challenging it. I know the ripple effect of my work, my team, and what this institution does also matter. The trajectory of Black male experiences, community, history, and then just American advancement just in general.”
On the other hand, through her business, Sankofa Public Relations, Gurley is also on a mission to uplift brands in their quest to help their respective communities. Since its inception in 2017, Sankofa PR has been on a mission to “reach back and reclaim local, national, and global communities by helping those actively working to move” various areas of the world, focusing on pushing things forward for the better.
“Through Sankofa, we’ve worked with all different types of organizational brands and individuals in several different industries, but I would think of them as mission-based,” says Gurley.
“So with that, it’s an opportunity to help people who are trying to do good in the world, and they are passionate about what they’re doing. They just need help with marketing issues, storytelling, and branding, and that’s when my expertise can come into play. Help them get to that moment where they can tell their story through me or another platform, and that’s been super fulfilling.”
Join us in celebrating HBCU excellence! Check out our Best In Class hub for inspiring stories, empowering resources, and everything you need to embrace the HBCU experience.
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