The Gift List 01. Shop Small
Featuring small brands and shops shared on The Essential List that more people should know about.
The Gift List is a series featuring some of the wonderful items, brands, and shops that were shared on the Essential List this year. Discover tried and true favorites for people on your list — or just have fun poking around.
When I interview people for The Essential List, I love to ask about their favorite small brands they think more people should know about. It’s one of the main reasons I wanted to start the Essential List to begin with — discovering small businesses, and getting beyond the items we see over and over, can be so hard. It’s tough to compete for eyeballs these days, especially without a massive marketing budget.
For the first Gift List, I want to highlight some of the small shops and brands that were mentioned this year. I could spend many hours exploring all of special and unique items they have to offer (in fact, I did!). I asked some of the owners to share their favorite gift ideas from their collections and I’m excited to share their picks and more.
My favorite thing about gift guides is discovery — whether you’re looking for gifts, a treat for yourself, or simply enjoy looking at beautiful things, I hope you find something new.
Quail Store
There's a store in Philly called Quail Store and their curation is just so great. They carry things that I've never heard of and that's one I look to a lot to discover new brands.
— The Essential List 08. Ali LaBelle's Favorite Things That Smell Good
Quail Owner, Ashley Olmstead, shared some of her favorite gift picks for this year:
(clockwise from top left)
Candles can be tricky, but this one is superbly universal. Spicy, smoky, woods. When your neighbor lights the fireplace and you catch it in the air….All the scents by Tsu Lange Yor are so unique and seductive, this one feels especially appropriate for the winter months.
The Arlo Set by Service Projects is one of my favorite gifts this season. It is the complete package and is guaranteed to elevate the at-home coffee experience for your coffee loving friends. Throw in a bag of locally roasted beans for extra credit, I will be adding beans from Philly based, Poem Roasting.
One from my personal wish list, the Princess Blanket by Magniberg. 100% Alpaca, oversized so large enough to fully immerse yourself into, in a modernized highland check. Definitely a future heirloom.
I specifically like to gift pieces that will be used in everyday life, as if to give a gift over and over each time it’s used. The Eva Napkin Set by Autumn Sonata is a cotton/ linen blend, and while special and beautiful (because Lili’s reference for archival textiles is vast) they are made for using and washing and using again. Perfect for the host of all of your parties.
Bon Tucson
I was introduced to this brand by my Mom who has honed her style perfectly (think oversized linen caftans) and I somehow have hopped on board with the vibe entirely. I love that their pieces feel special, but wearable, and ride the line perfectly between masculine/feminine. They also have some fun home, gift and kiddo items thrown into the mix.
— The Essential List 05. Anne Corgan’s Small Everyday Delights
Alex Eagle
In London, I admire Alex Eagle’s small edit of well-made foundational pieces (she has a varsity jacket I’d like to add to my collection).
— The Essential List 03. Camilla Nazeri’s Spring Transition Pieces
Porta NYC
Porta is a really chic shop in Brooklyn that I love. They stock unique, beautiful, European feeling pieces for your home and table. Last Thanksgiving I stocked up on a bunch of things like their Natalia Platters and Rayas Platters. The pieces feel really cool and unique and handcrafted.
— The Essential List 14. Michèle Ouellet’s Cooking and Hosting Favorites
Porta NYC Cofounder, Alice Russotti, shared some of her favorite gift picks for this year (clockwise from top left):
Gem Bud Vase: Hand-blown in Southern France, these jewel-like vessels elevate a single stem into an artistic statement. Gift with a beautiful bloom already in place.
Giant Box of Matches: Supersized whimsy in a box – these extra-long, colorful matches transform a practical item into a conversation piece. Perfect for the person who appreciates life's playful touches.
Testa di Moro Handcrafted by artists Daniel Maldonado and Luciano Galán (The Exvotos), these dramatic heads tell an ancient Italian tale. Equal parts art and vessel, they command attention whether showcasing plants or standing sentinel on their own.
Double Serpent Tray An exquisite collaboration with master porcelain painter Matilde Argiolas, using an 18th-century 'third fire' technique for unparalleled detail and color depth. As striking catching keys by the door as it is adorning a coffee table.
Roan Iris
Great little homewares.
— The Essential List 17. Annie Dabir’s Favorites for Balancing Work and Motherhood
Tori Jones Studio
I dream of going to her actual storefront on Block Island, but until then I've found plenty of gems for clients and myself from her perfectly curated collection.
— The Essential List 05. Anne Corgan’s Small Everyday Delights
Owner, Tori Jones, shared some of her favorite gift picks for this year:
(clockwise from top left)
Susanne Kaufmann, Mountain Pine Bath: This brand is beloved by editors and insiders— one soak with this bath oil makes it easy to see why. This entire line is a knockout and a foolproof gift. Luxurious, effective, entirely plant-based, and housed in chic, reusable glass bottles, what’s not to love?
Corey Daniels, Abstract on Board 2: A show-stopping gift for your loved one (or yourself), this large, framed abstract is an original work by revered artist, gallerist, and antiquarian Corey Daniels of Wells, Maine. This is an eye-catching piece to build a whole room around and love forever.
Antique Striped Mochaware Bowl: A handsome catchall for any and everything, this antique bowl is an example of mochaware— a style of pottery that was first produced in England and imported to America in the early 19th century. I love the rich, warm palette of its banded stripes; it’d make a beautiful and practical addition to a desk, vanity, or console.
Sac 1 in Honey by Agnes Baddoo: Stylish, practical, seasonless, and sure to get better with age, this is the perfect everyday tote by cult-favorite accessories designer, Agnes Baddoo. Each of her bags is handmade in LA by a small team of artisans from gorgeous hand-stitched leathers.
Salter House
Salter House in New York is another one where I discover a lot of new things.
— The Essential List 08. Ali LaBelle's Favorite Things That Smell Good
Incausa
Incausa incense is always on rotation.
&Daughter
I think &Daughter is the epitome of luxurious knitwear and also has the best styled lookbooks.
— The Essential List 03. Camilla Nazeri’s Spring Transition Pieces
Marla & Primrose
(Adding one of my own!) I love this UK homeware brand for their colorful and whimsical pieces. I have the Wild Bloom tablecloth in pink and it always makes me happy.
What are your favorite small shops and brands you think more people should know about? Share in a comment below or hit reply to send me a note.
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Love this list!!
Fantastic roundup!