Christmas Gift Guide 2

Here are some more products for this week's Christmas Gift Guide (see also last week's here):

In looking for Christmas gifts there's one British brand I'd recommend that I've shared with you on the blog several times before: Sir Plus, based in Portobello Road, London. They make exceptional menswear using the finest surplus and eco-fabrics. Their Liberty print dressing gowns, boxers and pocket squares would make great gifts, as would their recycled cashmere beanie hats and scarves, with prices starting from £12. The brand’s current hero piece is the impressive Charcoal Field Coat (see below), inspired by the American Military M-65 field jacket. It’s made in England using a surplus wool-angora blend for a really soft finish, featuring real horn buttons, patch pockets, zip closure, raglan sleeves and moleskin-lined side pockets. www.SirPlus.co.uk

A great stocking filler for a stylish chap is a pair of silk knot cufflinks. I have cufflinks in many different shades to add a splash of colour to my shirts. A really affordable gift, I particularly like these quality silk knot cufflinks (see below) from Cuffs & Co. Priced at just £2.99 for one pair, or £14.99 for a set of six presented in an elegant black travel tin. Go to https://www.CuffsAndCo.com/silk-knots to buy and to browse their many other products that would make ideal gifts.

A Grey Fox Christmas Gift Guide

As we enter December, I’m on the look-out for Christmas gifts and will bring some suggestions over the next week or two. Details below.

From top left clockwise: Regular readers will know I love to support small brands and I recently came across a new business making a luxury scented candle just for men: the Seven Scents Man’dle (top left). The Seven Scents brand was created earlier this year at the school gates by two mums looking for a stylish candle made with quality organic fragrance. Produced in small batches in Leicestershire to guarantee the highest quality control, the Mand’le fragrance is a delicious Cuban Tobacco & Oak. 

Another interesting company is Jayjee, a luxury British waistcoat brand (middle top) founded in 2016 by Indian fashion designer, Jaysree Pawar who, working together with her husband, aims to inject spice and colour into the British gentlemen’s wardrobe. Jayjee’s flagship product is the double-sided Nehru waistcoat, one side made from beautiful colourful handwoven cotton Ikat fabric and the reverse from the highest quality plain or herringbone English wool. The finest cotton Ikat fabric is dyed in India using a technique dating back to the 12th Century before being hand-made and manufactured in London, England.

I’m also excited by the success of another partnership, Donhall & Bell, the brainchild of Londoners Peter Mulhall and Martin Bell who got together five years ago to offer men a sleek, modern slipper (top right) as an alternative to mainstream footwear. 

If you'd like to give a touch of Italian luxury in a Christmas stocking try the rather fetching Carl Friedrik briefcase, (middle) designed with Scandinavian minimalism in mind. Carl Friedrik’s Vallance briefcase comes in a variety of colours and can be matched with wallet and laptop case. 

Gift vouchers have the great advantage of allowing the recipient to select their own gift. Peter Macdonald of Empire's Union is a tailor whose made to measure service I've used myself and I can vouch for his care, quality and stylish input into anything he makes. You can make a gift of a voucher (bottom right) for his services. More information at Empire's Union. 

I've featured Sarah Gilfillan of Sartoria Lab on the blog before. She's one of the most talented menswear stylists I've come across and a voucher will buy her professional advice for a man (or woman) looking for help with their shopping/wardrobe or styling. Very highly recommended. Sartoria Lab (bottom middle).

Finally, these cufflinks from EDG London (bottom left) are designed and made in the UK.

All these gifts were selected by me - many thanks for the brands for their help in providing images and information

Where To Buy Last-Minute Christmas Gifts

Where to go for last-minute Christmas gifts? Rather than suggesting specific presents, I've listed here a few sites with a good selection of products from which you're bound to find something suitable:

L to R top: Kinoko, Realm & Empire, Check Me Out Designs
L to R bottom: Holdall & Co, Rose Fulbright, Lissom & Muster

Kinoko sell a good selection of carefully curated gifts from clothes to accessories. Their Gift Guide is useful.

Realm & Empire have plenty of clothing and accessories but they're offering collection of Christmas kit bags containing specially curated menswear classics, from warm wool overshirts and chunky knitwear, to winter essentials and British-made accessories. There's a special introductory price of 30% off and a free screen-printed canvas tote bag with every order. See here.

Check Me Out Design only stock British-made scarves, but they are beautiful and you're sure to find a last-minute gift here.

Holdall & Co. Made in England leather folios, brief cases and accessories. Beautifully made, some of my favourite leather goods. 

Rose Fulbright offers something for him in printed silk loungewear from the Morgan Collection or something seductive for her here. 

Lissom & Muster has a large collection if interesting gifts, many made in the UK. I like this John Smedley roll neck and tweed throw by Mourne Textiles, but there is a good choice for men and women.

I suggested specific gifts for you to give for Christmas recently here and here.

Christmas Gifts for Him or Her: A Grey Fox Guide

Christmas approaches with alarming speed and you're thinking about Christmas presents. Here are a few ideas for the man or woman in your life priced from under £20 to four figures:

Thomas Clipper Tuscan wash bag (below). Made from beautiful Italian leather, this bag will only improve with age. £149. 

Akhihiro Woodworks Jincup Urishi from Kinoko. Japanese handmade wooden cup from Kinoko (below). £125

SirPlus makes all manner of clothing in this country, some from the leftovers from other manufacturers. This grey marl submariner rollneck is a favourite of mine and is made in England from British wool. A snip at £85.

Pantherella personalised monogrammed socks (below). From £19.00:

Cravat Club Haruki pattern tie (below). £95:

Donhall & Bell, formerly Dapper England, make luxury footwear such as these bespoke Grey Fox slippers. Ideal as a gift, they also make sneakers. £190 - £395.

Hemingway Tailors bespoke shirt gift (below). Select a fabric and it will be sent with a voucher for a bespoke shirt fitting session (5% of revenue donated to Macmillan Cancer Support). From £250:

Bailey of Sheffield stainless steel cable bracelets and jewellery engineered in Sheffield (below). £various:

Mühle Glasshütte Terrasport IV GMT watch for travellers (below). From £1910:

Frances Nutt Hackney Empire silk scarf, made in Britain for men or women (below). From £220:

British Boxers men’s Hartington Royal Satin Stripe Pyjama Set. (For women too) £79.00 (below):

Penrose bow tie. Penrose make a good range of silk products (ties, squares, scarves) made in England's oldest silk mill, Vanners (below). See here for stockists. Bow tie £75:

Black.co.uk navy and tan driving gloves (below) £75.

Cravat Club Hidden Curiosities scarf (below) £160.

DR Harris Arlington cologne, from a range of largely British-made products at this 1790 chemist and perfumer (below). One of my favourites. From £15.

Johnstons of Elgin cashmere dressing gown. Beautifully soft. £1495 (hers) £1695 (his).

Mia Sabel bespoke watch strap. Give your watch a new lease of life with a custom-made strap. Give a Redeem Me voucher for delivery early in the New Year of a bespoke watch strap. Some made-to-measure belts and personalised card cases available before Christmas. £various.

This feature is unsponsored and is a selection of my own from some of my favourite brands.

St James's London: A Gift Guide

I was recently invited by The Crown Estate and Heart of London Business Alliance to to visit St James's, one of my favourite areas of London, to put together a gift guide for readers. While this is a sponsored post, I had a free choice of brands to feature so I chose a couple of my favourites and a few I wanted to find out more about.

I visited them all recently to see what they have. I've suggested three or so gifts from each, affordable to luxury in price. I hope you find something here, whether shopping for Christmas, for yourself or some other reason and whether you need something for town or country, formal or casual. All sell online and you don't need to visit London. 

Floris London have been family perfumers since  1730 and a visit to their Jermyn Street shop, Floris premises since foundation of the business, is a sensory treat. I've selected three gifts:

Floris Gifts - see below

Floris Special No. 127, a favourite fragrance of mine, this was originally created for a Russian Grand Duke and later devoted followers included Eva Peron and Winston Churchill. A refreshing citrus blend of bergamot and orange with petitgrain introduce the heart of neroli, lavender and geranium in this floral cologne. Patchouli and musk add depth and character. 100ml £75.

The Floris Bespoke Experience involves a two hour consultation during which, with a glass of champagne, you're guided through the process of creating and naming your own fragrance. From £450. See here.

Fragrance Travel Collection for Him: a selection of four of Floris's favourite fragrances. 4 x 14ml £65.

See Floris for more information.

Turnbull & Asser have two shops around Jermyn Street, one selling bespoke shirts, for which they have a Royal Warrant and the other store selling menswear from socks to suits. I've selected these three gifts:

Turnbull & Asser gifts - see below

The World is Not Enough silk tie, as seen on James Bond (part of a Bond collection). £125.

Pocket squares. Either capture a favourite dog on a bespoke silk square made in England, or try from a selection designed in collaboration with London-based tattoo artist, Mo Coppoletta. Prices various.

Cashmere sweater, made in Scotland. £395.

See Turnbull & Asser.

Cheaney Shoes have a store on Jermyn Street (and elsewhere) and offer a comprehensive range of very British footwear. I've selected these three gift ideas:

Cheaney - see below

Tiger Moth Military Style Mid Calf Boot in Black Calf Leather, available in various styles and also as shoes. £450.

1 of 1 is a service allowing you to customise any one of five types of shoe, with different colours and other details. Your shoes are delivered six to eight weeks later. Gift vouchers can be purchased from the Jermyn Street store, or by calling 0207 287 2996. £695. 

Belts to match your Cheaney shoes. £85.

See Cheaney for more information.

Farlows on Pall Mall was founded as a fishing shop in 1840 and still specialises in outdoor clothing and country sports wear. They've recently introduced a range of Farlows own-brand products made in the UK. I've selected the three gift ideas from those:

Farlows gifts - below

Farlows Shetland jumper. £89.

Farlows Litchfield field coat (available in loden, various tweeds and dry wax). Coat £695, breeks and waistcoat £various.

Farlows 6oz Planished Hip Flask with Leather Pouch. £69.

See Farlows.

New & Lingwood in Jermyn Street was founded in 1865, starting out as the school outfitters for Eton College. They serve an international clientele, selling shoes, hosiery, silk ties and squares, shirts and tailoring. The most striking of their products are the dressing gowns.

Scarves. From £55 to £255.

Silk dressing gowns. From £995.

Swarovski crystal slippers. £595.

See New and Lingwood.

St James's is an ideal area to shop, whether for gifts or for yourself. There is almost everything a man could need, from a good shave at Trumpers, through all sartorial products, off the peg to bespoke,  to good pubs, clubs, galleries, parks and fine dining. For more information, see the St James's London directory.

This feature is sponsored by The Crown Estate, Heart of London Business Alliance and St James's.

Check Me Out: luxury scarves for Christmas, made in Scotland

I've known Holly Pressdee and her love of tweed for a while. But until very recently she'd kept quite about a new venture, Check Me Out, designing and selling luxury cashmere and merino scarves, made in Scotland. If you're looking for a present that will really attract interest, you'd be hard-pressed to do better than buy one of her beautiful scarves. 

The cashmere London check £430

The merino London check £210 

The designs take inspiration from a special place or memory, here London, with colours of the London Underground being used.

As Holly pointed out to me, although she had women in mind when designing them, these scarves would suit anyone. Woven by one of my favourite manufacturers, Johnstons of Elgin, whose design , knitting and weaving skills are used by international household name fashion houses, this is knitwear of the highest pedigree. I'd love to give one this Christmas!

See Check Me Out. The scarves are also stocked at Dashing Tweeds, 26, Sackville Street, London, W1S 3HE (telephone +44 (0)20 7439 8633) where Holly is Studio Manager.

Sartoria Lab styling gift voucher men - an ideal Christmas gift

It's less than a week to Christmas and you need more presents. Here is an ideal one for yourself or a man in your life.

The Sartoria Lab gift voucher for men comes from Grey Fox Blog contributor, Sarah Gilfillan. I know several people who have been styled by Sarah (including Mrs Grey Fox and me) and we all love her skilled and relaxed approach. Buy for a man who needs tidying up, or for the man of style who will take a lot from Sarah's styling expertise. It's a truly transforming and enjoyable experience. See Sartoria Lab for more information.

White Dove & Wonder - giving a new lease of life to old shoe lasts

I'm always on the lookout for unusual gifts for Christmas and birthdays and here is a business whose wonderful products are made from a beautifully-crafted by-product of Northampton's shoe manufacturing. Susan Gaston, an art and antiques dealer, had a family background in the shoe business. While sourcing stock for her business she stumbled on old shoe lasts originally made by one of the finest shoe factories in Northampton.

At first, Susan and her husband Jimmy had no idea what to do with the lasts. They had been bought on impulse, out of a sense of nostalgia. Both agreed they should be preserved, not least because they are an important symbol of industrial heritage. They set about making a range of objets d’art. 

They co-design the pieces, restoring each last before hand-making striking pieces using natural wood. They are made into coffee tables, mirrors, bookends, doorstops, coat pegs, table lamps and bookshelves. Susan and Jimmy also take bespoke commissions. For more information, or to buy, click on White, Dove & Wonder.

Christmas shopping: where to go for good selection of gifts

Where to go for a well-chosen selection of unusual, tasteful and well-designed gifts for Christmas? Online or high street, or a combination of both? There is a large choice, so it can be worth homing in on a few favourites whose offerings meet your tastes and requirements.

Original & unique gifts from 1of1

I found an excellent high street shop, 1of1, not far from my home and typical of many similar around the UK, selling a good variety of fascinating items. An online store, Black.do.uk, offers a wide selection of the type of gifts I'm looking for. Here is more information about them.

1of1, Teddington, Middlesex

This high street store has a fascinating selection, all carefully curated by the owner, Kate Winskill, whose collection of one-off artworks, jewellery and recycled ephemera provides a rich source of original gifts.

Cufflinks made from watch movements from 1of1

I was tempted by the watch movement cufflinks. Kate now supplies these as tie and lapel pins. Much of the jewellery is also made from recycled objets trouves and makes excellent unique gifts.

The shop, in Teddington, South West London, is well worth a visit, but products can be bought online. See the 1of1 website for more information.

Black.co.uk

Was founded in 2006 by Paula Reeves, who had a business background and whose life was changed by illness and then inspired by a trip to India. Run as a family business, Black sells a tasteful and well-curated selection of gifts for him, her and the home.

A selection of quality menswear gifts from Black.co.uk. Gifts for women and home are also available

Black's director, Toby Logue, summed up the offering for me,

Black.co.uk is a luxury accessories and gifts brand offering discerning customers high quality classic lines balanced with contemporary designs, all in exquisite fabrics such as cashmere, leather and silk. Their signature collections are luxury cashmere scarves and Italian leather gloves.

Our latest menswear collection embraces this season's Big Scarf trend and features oversized cashmere scarves in checks, tartans and houndstooth designs. Detailing on leather gloves features extensively with black and brown Italian nappa leather gloves adorned with zips, tweed inserts, cashmere cuffs and houndstooth patterns. Silk scarves and pocket squares showcase paisley prints in navy/brown, monochrome and earthy tones and complete the collection.

I have a pair of gloves and one of the houndstooth scarves (see below), the quality and feel of these are impressive. See Black.co.uk for more information and to buy.

Enter the #GreyFoxChristmas competition to win a hamper of made-in-UK gifts

Grey Fox Blog is approaching its third birthday. To celebrate this and the Christmas season, I'm delighted to announce a competition with a prize of a hamper full of gifts selected from some of my favourite British menswear and accessories brands. [Please note this competition ended 6th December; many thanks to all who entered].

The traditional wicker hamper with leather straps contains the following items. I'm extremely grateful for the generosity and support of the brands involved.

• Pantherella/Scott Nichol, a voucher for £200 worth of English-made socks. A favourite sock brand, they combine beautiful designs with comfort and durability.
• Tusting, a waxed canvas and leather wash-bag from the English manufacturers of high quality bags and luggage whose factory I visited last year.
• Cheaney, your choice of a pair of Northampton-made shoes from their City range.
• Johnstons of Elgin, a cashmere scarf, made in Scotland. I visited their Elgin factory this autumn.
• Cravat Club, a silk cravat made in England, they make high quality pocket squares as well.
• D.R Harris, a selection of quintessentially British gentleman's shaving and grooming products, including a razor, shaving brush, shaving soap and other items. This brand has given me a real appreciation of high quality fragrances and shaving products.
• Drake's, a Black Watch tartan small knot Grenadine tie woven from a high-twist silk yarn on ancient looms over 100 years old. 8 cm in width and 147cm in length, untapped with hand rolled edges. Just reading this makes me want one! I visited their factory in East London this summer.
• Smyth & Gibson, white dress shirt in high quality cotton with Marcella bib, cuffs and collar. I wear a few of their high quality cotton shirts.

The contents of the hamper - all made in the UK. Socks illustrative only.

To win the hamper you must post on Twitter and/or Instagram (preferably both) an image (taken by you, not Cartier Bresson) that captures what the word 'British' means to you. Whether it's sunset over a Scottish loch, a cup of steaming tea, a tweedy gentleman, or a market in Leicester, the image must ooze Britishness, reflecting the character of its the country's scenery and peoples. 

The image must be accompanied by the hashtag #GreyFoxChristmas and be directed at @GreyFoxBlog AND @Pantherella (Twitter) @Pantherellasocks (Instagram).

The competition starts today, Saturday 29th November and ends at 3pm on Saturday 6th December. The winner will be announced over the weekend of 6th/7th December and the hamper posted as soon as possible around 9th December.

Please show your support by following @GreyFoxBlog and the supporting brands on Twitter and other social media. Good luck, I look forward to seeing your images.

This competition is only open to UK readers, due to the size of the hamper. The decision about a choice of winner is final.

During the competition Pantherella is offering a 10% discount on their products using voucher code GreyFoxXmas10. The deadline for orders is 19^th December 2014.

A few last minute Christmas gift ideas for him

Still stuck for ideas? Below are a few more suggestions for last-minute Christmas gifts. If that's not enough, here are some more, or try my curated suggestions on Inkling here.

Handwoven lambswool scarf from Arthur & Henry, ethically-made in India. Read their fascinating story on Grey Fox tomorrow

Gift voucher from Sartoria Lab styling service for men and women

Gift card from The Chapar

Gift voucher or selection of menswear and accessories at Susannah Hall Tailors

Wool tie from Marwood

Cravat from Swagger & Swoon

BUK Case Code iPad/iPhone case in Italian leather - 20% off voucher until 25th December 2013 - code 

Q457QER4AP07

Vintage Christmas pin-up wine glass from Toasted Glass

Here's a last minute gift for him from Monique Low of Toasted Glass - individually hand-painted and available from here in a variety of patterns - a message can be added - and all for £11.00.

A few Made in Britain scarves for the cold weather - Christmas gifts

With colder weather at last upon us and thoughts turning to buying Christmas presents we think of scarves - of course.

Here are a few that have caught my eye from my Made in Britain list here.

Helen Chatterton, Harris tweed and velvet - Perfection of Production

Hilary Grant - scarves and hats for men and women

Laslett & Stocker 100% silk twill, backed with 100% extra fine Merino (from Johnstons of Elgin)

From a small home business Just Wool Textiles in Derbyshire made from UK wool or Falklands Merino - the weaving of each scarf takes 2 to 3 hours - a bargain from £15.50 to £29.50. Also check out the blankets and cushions

Laura's Loom - from a selection made in Sedbergh, Yorkshire

Fairisle scarf from ERIBÉ

Hand-knitted (in London) mustard wool mix scarf from Scott Fraser