While John Lewis has billed their “Christmas companion” as the perfect present shopping guide, and Fenwicks is inaugurating a new Christmas gift registry, here’s our guide for the slightly more scrupulous loved one. From the perfect party dress to a one-off piece of jewelry, this is the Christmas list for those well acquainted with the less tangible world of bona fide style.

If the gift is a killer party dress, then Roksanda Ilincic is your propagator (after all, there can’t be a Christmas party without the dress). Stop into B store to check out her genius with pattern and proportion; her hand-drawn print dresses marry graphic colors (mauve, red, black, and white) with simple cuts, and come sealed with a pussycat bow. If you’re after intellectual elegance, look to the Didier Ludot’s concession at Dover Street Market, where you will find some very bold reinterpretations of the little black dress (think an avant garde take on Audrey Hepburn).

Where there are dresses, there must be hats, bags, and gloves. For the entire ensemble turn to Christine Bec‘s hauntingly chic cocktail hats, vampy lace gloves, and matching bags. For shoes, a pair of Adele Clark’s custom-made leather pumps from Liberty will do the trick. Having worked with Hussein Chayalan for six years, her intricately detailed renderings on colored leather could easily double as art.

Jewelry? As we’ve touted here, individual style is the way forward (the more outre, the better) and the first stop is Judy Blame. Unconventional, ostentatious, and strangely refined, the contributing I-D Magazine fashion editor’s one-off necklaces and clustered gems combine everything from safety pins and buttons to crucifixes, key rings, and pearls. For a bit softer yet equally unorthodox look, there’s Jean Francois Mimilla selling at Concrete. He uses real teeth and hundreds of tiny, adjoined rectangle photographs, for cuff-style bracelets and necklaces. And for couture craftsmanship, Scott Stephen’s woven glass beads will provide the right amount of boho elegance.

A few more carefully culled tinsel-time treasures: Carola Eureler perfectly reconstructed white T-shirt works for men and women at B Store and JB Classics‘ outlandishly designed trainers are available from Gloria’s in Truman Brewery. There’s Stockman’s uniform theme Vision Fragments 2005 calendar to be had online and Bottega Veneta’s zip-around wallet that many are hailing as the perfect hold everything available at their Sloane St. store. With phones updating at lightning speed, Nokia 7280, a deco-inspired model is the new addiction. No bigger than a piano key, the it-phone comes with a camera, mp3, and navispinner. A few choices to show your keen eye for little treasures.


-Gudrun Willcocks

Photos: Vision Fragments 2005 calendar
Scott Stephen jewelry
Nokia 7280
Roksanda Ilincic dress
Adele Clark shoes