Fashion

Christmas gifts for friends and family who are too cool for school

If you’re stuck for a last-minute present, the world of fashion, design and arts can help

Dead Famous: a series of prints by Dublin designer Fintan Wall honouring amazing artists we’ve lost along the way. Photograph: @WallHello (Instagram)

Tue Dec 19 2017 - 06:00

1. You’d have to wonder at the level of thinking that gave birth to this art-inspired novelty socks, but even though socks may be a little overdone as a gift from Christmas these are guaranteed to raise a laugh when they’re unwrapped on Christmas day.

Andy Sock-Hole Socks, €8.50, Frida Callus socks, €8.50 from Nationalgallery.ie

2. Give the gift of empowerment-themed cheer. We are all in the need of female-positive reminders sometimes, so what better way than putting your message on the back of your phone that’s practically attached to your hand? Reading There’s no freedom until the freedom of women, all profits from the sale go to the Coalition to Repeal the 8th Amendment.

Phone case, €27.09, www.redbubble.com/people/Repealist

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3. Blending pop culture with historic French tailoring, Louis Vuitton sent Stranger Things t-shirts down it’s spring 2018 runway, luckily Toppers has done a version so you can pay homage to the hit sci-fi series. Top them off with Barb-style glasses.

T-shirt, €30, Topshop

4. A pop of colour for your Pop-art loving pal’s room. This clean soapy scented candle features one of Warhol’s most beloved works - the iconic red, white and blue Brillo Box sculptures.

Brillo Square candle soap, €70, Ligne Blanche, Brown Thomas

5. The booze is strong in this one. No self-respecting member of the rebel alliance would be without this Stormtrooper decanter that lets you toast to the dark side.

Stormtrooper Decanter, €29.95, www.thegadgetstore.ie

6. Ideal for the Ziggy completist, it features intimate and never-before-seen photos of Bowie courtesy of Mick Rock, the singer’s personal photographer during his Ziggy Stardust phase.

The rise of David Bowie, €60, Brown Thomas

7. Impress the architectural addict in your life with this stylish silk scarf, beautifully patterned after the arches in Trinity Library in Dublin.

Silk scarf, €70, www.designist.ie

8. For the political person who can still somehow stomach politics - smart, funny therapeutic exercises on surviving the Donald.

What the Trump, €10.95, Waterstones.ie

9. Do your friends (and the world) a favour and spread Emmet Kirwan’s wisdom from his Riot poem Heartbreak. With the slogan Stand in Awe of All Mna, these limited edition sweatshirts sold out in it’s first run, so if your friend or relative doesn’t own one yet, this gift is a pretty safe bet.

Sweatshirt, €35, Available at Tropical Popical, South William Street, Dublin 2

10. Simple, streamlined but surprisingly cheery, Dead Famous is a series of prints by Dublin designer Fintan Wall honouring some of the amazing artists we’ve lost along the way - from Prince, to Carrie Fisher and our own Phil Lynott are all immortalised in pop-art print form (main image).

Dead Famous Prints, €30 each, designist.ie

11. Little or big fingers will be itching to put on a symposium with this finger puppet set featuring four great minds from the history of western philosophy - Plato, Kant, Hegel and Nietzsche. Once your done they work double duty as fridge magnets.

Great philosophers puppet set, €35, Papermint Store

12. Full of colour and nostalgia, this appealing selection of Irish tea with all the trimmings has been curated and lovingly illustrated by Rachel Corcoran.

Back in time for tea art print, €23, April and the Bear.

13. Upgrade your loved one’s stubby No.2 pencil with this stocking filler for writers or literary lovers. Each pencils feature six different opening lines to choose from to help with their storytelling endeavours.

Pencil set, €5.99, Papermint Store

14. Art obsessives who are proud of their hometown will appreciate these prints. Depending on their city of origin they can study the iconic structures from Dublin or Cork.

Pigeon house print, €45 unframed or €120 framed, www.grandgrand.ie

Cork bridges print, €12, www.cloverrua.com

15. What’s winter in Ireland without a warm cup of tea with a tongue-in-cheek slogan? Fancy up your friend’s tea situation with this funny mug featuring the doomed Fine Gael slogan.

Keep the recovery going mug €10, www.grandgrand.ie

16. With her playfully elegant approach to life and dressing, editor, stylist and street-style fodder, Giovanna Battaglia shares her wisdom on style and beauty. Perfect for your buried in their ‘gram, double-tapping friend.

Gio-Graphy: Fun the wild world of fashion, €34, Brown Thomas

17. A tome that will please the most discerning gourmand on your list, The Monocle guide highlights the best spots to eat throughout the world, while also providing the perfect hosting tips.

The Monocole guide to Drinking and Eating, €56, Easons

18. With a killer collection of 16 games like Super Mario World and Super Mario Kart, the Nintendo Classic Mini is a great gift to bring on the nostalgia and relive the simple games of your youth.

Nintendo Classic mini, €89.99, Smyths

19. For the artistic foodie, who wants to decorate their kitchen with instagram-friendly everything, these Birds of Paradise Persian-inspired tableware portray mythical birds and geometric patterns.

Cake Plate, €10.95, Article

20. For your friend who enjoys combing through stacks of vinyl. This bluetooth-enabled turntable will get technophiles and audiophiles alike grooving.

Bluetooth vinyl record player, €119, Urban Outfitters

21. Photographer-loving cartoonists will surely appreciate this colouring-book that guarantees a therapeutic afternoon. Sunbathers in speedos, tea-drinkers and rainbow cakes - it will inspire to create a new version of a classic Parr photos.

The Martin Parr Colouring Book, €19, Waterstones

22. Because doing the housework isn’t all about scoring point unless you have this letterific tea towel that can make everyday’s washing up a triple word score.

Scrabble tea towel, €11.50, Harvey Norman

23. Made of modern asymmetrical geometric cubes, this bright and bold necklace by Arty Smarty is not just a fashion statement - it’s inspired by the cobblestone streets of Dublin Castle and the brass name plates outside the Georgian buildings.

Necklace, €24.95, National Gallery