Holiday Gift Guide for Creatives

Holiday Gift Guide for Creatives

Let’s face it – creative professionals are hard to buy for. We value quality, of course, but whatever the gift is, it better be well designed, too.

Let our team of writers, designers, developers and strategists help you out. From sleek headphones to natural skincare, we’ve curated a list of the items we’re pining for this holiday season.

1. Lark Skincare: When products are described as “skincare for the minimalist,” we’re in. Local photographer, hairstylist and maker of things Lisa Dolan has a line of natural products that are not only safe and effective — but the packaging is well designed, too. Buy now on Etsy and look for her website coming soon.

2. Productivity Planner: Even in the age of GCal, Slack and Basecamp, there’s nothing more rewarding than checking off a to-do list on paper. The Productivity Planner is a simple, no-frills option to write down what you have to do for the day, week or month. With inspirational quotes sprinkled in and a self-rating scoring system, this planner focuses on keeping you productive week after week.

3. Watches by The Horse: Designer Katie Werges wears this watch daily (and we have major watch envy!). Great quality, classic design and what designer wouldn’t want to glance down at a well-designed timepiece while logging their time? Shop their collection.

4. Marshall Mid Headphones: In open offices, headphones are a must. But at some point, you have to give up the Apple EarPods in favor of something a little more substantial. The new Marshall Mid are a well-designed upgrade that boast 30 hours of wireless music freedom.

5. Hello Lucky Cards: From one designer to another, you can never go wrong with cute illustrations and witty copy. Pick up your own holiday cards, or buy some for the coming year.

6. West Park Creative: This is a shameless plug for our friend Bill Bubenik and his “sweetly offensive” letterpress cards, enamel pins, magnets and more. Take a look at his Etsy shop and pick up a stocking stuffer for everyone on your list.

7. Frostbeard Studio Bookstore Soy Candle: We may sit behind iMacs all day, but creatives love the smell of the printed page. Pick up one of these candles online, and turn any cozy nook into your own bookstore.

8. RL Johnson and Sons: Our designer Jessica Davis already has a coffee table, dining room table and headboard from local craftsman Ryan Johnson, but even smaller items like his cutting boards make great gifts. Check out his catalog or go behind the scenes on Instagram.

9. Type Hike is a collaborative design project celebrating America’s National Parks. James Walker and David Rygiol invited 59 designers and typographers to create unique designs for the parks they love. The Type Hike shop sells these designs on pins, postcards, posters and shirts, with 100% of proceeds going directly to the Centennial Campaign for America’s National Parks.

10. Arch Apparel: We’re big fans of Arch Apparel at Atomicdust (in fact, most of us bought shirts from them at the St. Louis Design Week Pop-up Shop!). Check out their growing line of t-shirts, sweatshirts, hats and more.

11. And speaking of the St. Louis Design Week Pop-up Shop… We still have items for sale! Grab a mug, a set of Beertone glasses, a Draplin “Missouri” poster or 3-pack of Missouri Field Notes while supplies last. Shoot us an email if you’re interested.