Whether you celebrate the Holidays or simply enjoy this festive time of year, gift-giving is a way to connect with the ones you love. The act of giving can be done in many ways: by sharing a warm meal, expression through song or dance, through the exchange of physical goods or by the sheer act of being present with others. In doing so, we capture the ability to light up the world of another whilst kindling our own.
La Gent curates goods from artisans and independent makers from across the world to bring you the best quality, craft and beauty for a seamless one-stop-shop for this holiday season. This year, we’ve teamed up with five inspirational and highly-instagrammable women with an eye for aesthetics and wonderful, unique tastes to help highlight some of the best gifts to give on La Gent. Read on below to discover these women’s gift selections, and to get to know them a bit better in the process!
Ume-Romaan
Introducing Ume-Romaan, a designer and creative widely known for her sartorial Instagram account, @umeromaan.
Through her considered, cool-toned posts, Ume expertly captures the balance between effortless dress and exquisite tailoring.
We chatted briefly with Ume to hear some of her thoughts on gifting, the holiday season, and of course, herself!
What three words would you use to describe yourself?
"Minimalistic, strong-willed and patient."
If your friends and family had to classify you as a type of gifter, what would they say?
"A mix between an emotional and practical gifter. I really like to think about the sort of gifts I purchase and
probably spend a lot more time than necessary ensuring I pick the right gift."
Are there any traditions that you like to carry through each holiday season?
"No traditions per se, but I come from a very big family and we are all pretty close. During the holidays it can sometimes be difficult to ensure
we are all together at the same time. But we do like to make a conscious effort to spend time together, whether that’s a big dinner or
just being in each other’s company."
We then asked Ume for her top-picks for gifting for the 2019 Holiday Season!
1. Catzorange Natural Cotton Rope Bucket Bag – Long 2. Sort of Coal Shiro Shampoo 3. Hasami Porcelain Teapot – Matte Black 4. The Coffee Registry The Clerk Coffee Pour Over Stand 5. Urban Nature Culture Warm Grey Pedra Vase 6. F. MILLER Necessity Kit
Estée Lalonde
Estée Lalonde, the multi-hyphenate creative and entrepreneur who has amassed a large followingacross a multitude of platforms, shares with us her lovely picks for the holiday season! Her sunny personality, openness and
excellent taste in beauty, fashion, interiors and more, gives us a great window into some of the ‘best-of-the-best’ of what’s out there right now.
We asked Estée to share some of her “favourites” with us in our conversation below.
What are three things that you are currently loving?
Do you have a favourite holiday food?
"Mash potatoes"
What is the best holiday gift you have either given or received?
"I love it when my mom gives me underwear as it’s always so comfortable and three sizes too big!"
Check out Estée's edit below!
Check out Estée's edit below!
1. Maison Balzac Amber Brule Parfum Oil Burner 2. Maison Balzac Opaque Carafe & Glass – Opaque Yellow 3. Octaevo Brass Serpenti Bookmark 4. Bermondsey Street Bees Exmoor Wildflower Honey 5. Maison Louis Marie No.04 Bois de Balincourt Perfume Oil 6. Ferm LIVING Tall Ripple Glass Set of 4 – Clear
Rachael Clifton
Blogger and all-round creative freelancer, Rachael Clifton, of the Instagram account and blog Bubbly Aquarius, is an expert at telling stories.
Whether she is sharing her latest outfit or taking her followers behind the scenes of her latest adventures, Rachael’s stories create an engaging
and intimate pathway for viewers to get to know her better – something that’s often hard to accomplish on social media.
And did we mention that she has a Northern flair and affinity for warm tones? – splendid!
Read on below to hear from Rachael and to see her La Gent holiday picks!
Whether she is sharing her latest outfit or taking her followers behind the scenes of her latest adventures, Rachael’s stories create an engaging
and intimate pathway for viewers to get to know her better – something that’s often hard to accomplish on social media.
And did we mention that she has a Northern flair and affinity for warm tones? – splendid!
Read on below to hear from Rachael and to see her La Gent holiday picks!
Your stories on Instagram are so compelling. What do you find is the most important part of storytelling?
"I always like things to be aesthetically pleasing and in order so that it’s enjoyable to watch and coherent, however I’m a bit less of control freak with Instagram stories and like it to be a little more behind the scenes, whilst also still curated!"
What is your favourite part about the holiday season?
"I love everything about it! But my favourite part is spending quality time with my favourite people. I always
go back home to the North East and I love being with my family and having our little traditions :)"
Do you have any tips for choosing thoughtful gifts for family, friends and loved ones?
go back home to the North East and I love being with my family and having our little traditions :)"
Do you have any tips for choosing thoughtful gifts for family, friends and loved ones?
"I love gift giving and seeing people’s faces when you get them something they really love or wanted! I would say to
keep a note of things they may mention in passing, I usually start my lists well in advance which helps!
I always think something personalised is a really nice touch too."
See Rachael's holiday gift edit below!
keep a note of things they may mention in passing, I usually start my lists well in advance which helps!
I always think something personalised is a really nice touch too."
See Rachael's holiday gift edit below!
1. Paper Collective Serious Dreamer Print by Loulou Avenue 2. F. MILLER Face Oil 3. Susanne Kaufmann Oil Bath Winter 4. Maison Louis Marie Antidris/Cassis Eau de Parfum 5. Maison Balzac Amber Loulou Vase 6. Sort of Coal Shiro Shampoo 7. J.Hannah Ghost Ranch Nail Polish 8. Trademark Saddle The Bucket Bag
Claire Ptak
One could say that Claire Ptak of Violet bakery-café in London has really sweet taste
(we bet Prince Harry and Meghan would agree; after all, she did make their wedding cake!).
Claire’s glorious attention to detail and eye for beauty and aesthetics can also be seen in the other roles she takes on,
whether as a food writer, author, food and prop stylist, recipe developer or consultant. In our conversation,
Claire tells us what she’s currently "loving" and shares one of her favourite foods to serve over the holidays.
(we bet Prince Harry and Meghan would agree; after all, she did make their wedding cake!).
Claire’s glorious attention to detail and eye for beauty and aesthetics can also be seen in the other roles she takes on,
whether as a food writer, author, food and prop stylist, recipe developer or consultant. In our conversation,
Claire tells us what she’s currently "loving" and shares one of her favourite foods to serve over the holidays.
What are three things that you are loving right now?
"Reading investigative report books; I am currently reading Bad Blood and Catch and Kill, and have just bought
She Said – I feel the things that are happening in the world right now are so shocking they could be fiction! I have
also recently fallen back in love with going to the theatre. I recently went to see Mary Poppins the musical with my
daughter and then to see Philip Glass with some good friends. There are so many truly impressive shows
to see in London. Finally, Master Wei Xi’An can’t go unmentioned – it’s Guirong Wei’s first solo restaurant
where you can find delicious traditional hand pulled ‘Biang Biang’ noodles."
What is your favourite food to eat over the holidays?
She Said – I feel the things that are happening in the world right now are so shocking they could be fiction! I have
also recently fallen back in love with going to the theatre. I recently went to see Mary Poppins the musical with my
daughter and then to see Philip Glass with some good friends. There are so many truly impressive shows
to see in London. Finally, Master Wei Xi’An can’t go unmentioned – it’s Guirong Wei’s first solo restaurant
where you can find delicious traditional hand pulled ‘Biang Biang’ noodles."
What is your favourite food to eat over the holidays?
"Without a doubt, my homemade cranberry sauce – whole cranberries are roasted with
orange and just a pinch of salt - delicious!"
orange and just a pinch of salt - delicious!"
A tip from Claire: Pair numbers 4 and 6 together to make a beautiful gift set!
Desiree Kastull
Berliner Desiree Kastull, one half of the twin duo behind the blog teetharejade and jewellery designer for the collectionL’Or Liquide is seriously cool. Desi’s laid back but composed aesthetic sweeps us in with intrigue, as viewers peer into a life
that feels familiar, yet with a certain 'je ne sais quoi' that leaves us coming back for more. In our conversation, we touch
on Desi’s personal life, gifting, and celebrating the holidays in Berlin.
What would your ideal day look like?
"I cherish breakfast and it’s very important for me, so my day must start with a good breakfast.
Since it would be an ideal day I did a workout before that ;) Keeping the day productive, which always feels
good, I can’t miss out on work. And after that I would love having a nice home cooked dinner and spending
the rest of the evening in the bathtub watching a movie or going out to my favorite restaurant and
ending the night with a good whiskey sour."
Since it would be an ideal day I did a workout before that ;) Keeping the day productive, which always feels
good, I can’t miss out on work. And after that I would love having a nice home cooked dinner and spending
the rest of the evening in the bathtub watching a movie or going out to my favorite restaurant and
ending the night with a good whiskey sour."
In your opinion, what is the best kind of gift that someone can give?
"Something you can do together is always great, whether it’s a concert, a dinner or a pottery class. But I also love
gifts of personal favorites - favorite vase, favorite scented candle, favorite tea, favorite book, favorite beauty
product or favorite gadget - because these things are always thought through, and if you really love it yourself,
there is quite a high chance the one you gift it to loves it too :)"
gifts of personal favorites - favorite vase, favorite scented candle, favorite tea, favorite book, favorite beauty
product or favorite gadget - because these things are always thought through, and if you really love it yourself,
there is quite a high chance the one you gift it to loves it too :)"
What do the holidays feel like in Berlin?
"I love the holidays in Berlin. The city gets emptier because lots of people go home to their family and home cities.
So it’s more quiet and more calm. So as a Berlin native I feel like I have all the busy streets for my own then ;)
And you have so many Christmas markets all over the city, so you can spend all
December discovering all the different ones!"
So it’s more quiet and more calm. So as a Berlin native I feel like I have all the busy streets for my own then ;)
And you have so many Christmas markets all over the city, so you can spend all
December discovering all the different ones!"
Check out Desi's top picks below!
1.
Maison Balzac Amber Carafe & Glass 2.
MAST Almond Butter Chocolate Bar 3.
Bellocq No. 01 Bellocq Breakfast Loose Leaf Tea 4.
Maison Balzac Bonne Nuit Incense 5.
Maison Balzac Smoke Grey Brule Parfum Oil Burner 6.
L’Atelier du Vin Spiral Ribbed Wine Decanter & Corolle Stopper 7.
Hasami Porcelain Unglazed Plate – Large (HP005) 8.
Susanne Kaufmann Oil Bath Winter 9.
Urban Nature Culture Pampas Ikebana Vase 10.
Maison Balzac Medium Pink Tumbler Set of 4 11.
Kaz Morton Ceramics Peony Tumbler Set of 2