15 designer gifts from 5 to 5,000 euros

A package of table paper napkins might not sound like the best gift. But we are still talking about Charles and Ray Eames as well as Alexander Girard, one of the leading exponents of post-war American textile design. And what about the satisfaction of being able to boast a personalised paper pattern, that can be configured on the Vitra website by choosing from a pre-existing set of patterns and designs?

One of the great bestsellers in the history of design, Michael Graves’ 9093 kettle is not only an unexpected synthesis of different formal references but also the first kettle to make a sound when the water boils. With this set of two whistles, the iconic bird is joined by an unexpected dragon. What will its song sound like?

Although the Bugia candleholder was launched onto the market a few years ago, it is still quite relevant, especially when, as is the case at Christmas, the desire to multiply the presence of lights in the home is shared by lots of people. Made of porcelain and glass, Bugia is inspired by retro objects from a world without electricity and features a flame-dampening lid that encourages ritual gestures. 

  At a time of increasing digitalization, when the passage of time can be shown on any kind of screen, knowing that you can transform the passage of days into a manual and conscious act has a reassuring appeal. So, is the Perpetual calendar a detox process to which we would like to invite our loved ones? Taking it a little more lightly, it is a beautiful, discreet and seductive desk object, as well as being particularly in tune with the end-of-year festivities.

A concrete paperweight that recalls the iconic traffic bollard designed by Enzo Mari in 1980. An object-quotation that is bound to win over connoisseurs of the subject. Plus, it has perfect timing: is there a better Christmas present than one shaped like a panettone?

Distributed as a flatpack project, D.I.T. - an acronym for Do It Together - is a relaxed beech chair that doesn’t hide its DIY nature, also thanks to the visible presence of wingnuts and bolts. Above all, D.I.T. is an invitation to inclusive participation, like a game to play together that may be perfect for Christmas. Each component has its name printed on it, making it easier to assemble.

More than a light source, Dandelight is a true poetic statement, expressed through a delicate and particularly successful balance between low-tech intuition and patient manual assembly of one of the most fragile natural elements: the dandelion, symbol of unborn desires and the evanescence of time. Purchasing a glass bell is highly recommended, as it will allow you to protect the petals of the flower.

An open solution, perfect for those who have so far struggled to adapt their interior spaces to the range of lamps on the market. A clever modular system, the Monolights fluorescent tubes are combined through tubular aluminium connectors to dress up our space with pendant and wall lights like a tailor-made suit - and according to multiple formal possibilities.

This geometric stool stands out for its excellent camouflage skills, and at the same time maintains a strong personality despite its minimalist aesthetic. Available in three different sizes and several colours.

The first series of Roly Poly, launched by Faye Toogood in 2014, remains unparalleled for its material solicitation and sensual rarefaction. Driade’s more affordable version is made of polyethylene and can be accompanied by a soft cushion. 

This is a stool whose price is the reflection of the time it took to make it: 2 euros for every minute of production time. Developed by French designer Diego Faivre, this approach to the value of creation is intended to highlight the manual contribution that allows new products to be created, or more often to recover and transform existing objects, as in the case of this stool covered in natural plasticine with an organic aesthetic that hardens without having to be baked. The colour is also liberating, claiming a strong and sensual character.

  Phygital, metaverse: 2021 was the year of the maximum expansion of digital boundaries. Design also reflects this trend through objects suspended between 2D and 3D, between the physical world and the computer screen. Like this collection of highly fluid objects designed by Audrey Large, which exploit the versatility of 3D printing to escape any pre-established canon of form or function.  

The terrazzo is dead, long live the terrazzo! The year 2021 may have curbed our inclination for this form of flooring. And yet, the coffee table by Matteo Leorato from the Veneto-based company Portego can make us forget the recent inflation. This is due to the unpretentious cleanliness of its architectural line, which is enticing even in the larger oval version.

The neat lacquer finish on this chair designed by Linde Freya Tangelder restores the materiality of the horn, while its purged and blunted lines enhance its ethereal character. 

China is no longer so far away when it comes to design. And its creations can represent, as was the case for art a couple of decades ago, a targeted investment with great potential. The result of a collaboration between Shanghai-based designer Chen Furong and fashion brand Vega Zaishi Wang, this collection of benches inspired by the goddess Gaia is conceived as a tribute to femininity, demonstrated through the softness of the shapes and the fluffy fabrics.