5 Fashion Insiders Reveal What They're Gifting This Holiday Season

Jacquie Aiche, Jewelry Designer

Gift-giving can be a challenge, not to mention, insanely stressful. There's an art to it—an art that so few have really mastered. The exception? The naturals, like fashion insiders whose jobs revolve around forecasting trends, planning for seasons ahead, and tapping into what consumers want (without them knowing what they want). Curiosity prompted us to ask these experts to reveal their gift guide for the season. If you have a BFF who loves yoga or a sneakerhead of a brother, keep scrolling for present ideas from these five fashion insiders. Your gift conundrum, solved.

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Holly Russell, Senior Buyer at Net-a-Porter

Holly Russell, Senior Buyer at Net-a-Porter
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1. For my best friend: "She is yoga mad so I've intended to buy her this Adidas by Stella McCartney yoga mat ($70; net-a-porter.com)."

2. For my dad: "The round-frame acetate Ray-Bans in black ($145; mrporter.com) are perfect for my dad. He spends a lot of time at our second home in Portugal, and Ray-Bans really suit him. He has a collection of a few pairs already."

3. For my boyfriend: "My boyfriend is definitely getting The Sleepy Jones gingham cotton pajamas ($130 for shirt and $100 for pants; net-a-porter.com) because he keeps stealing mine!"

4. For Hannah, my amazing assistant buyer: "Diptyque's Ambre scented candle ($90; net-a-porter.com) is my personal favorite of the Diptyque range. It will be nice for Hannah to relax with it at home after a hectic market schedule. I've just bought myself one for my newly renovated bathroom."

5. For my brother: "He's a bit of a sneakerhead, so these Nike Internationalist suede trainers in black ($105; mrporter.com) will certainly put a smile on his face."

6. For my sister: "My sister is super cool and a bit of a sun worshiper, so I'm going to buy her the Aztec round printed beach towel by The Beach People ($120; net-a-porter.com). It's so fun and will be perfect for the beach in Ibiza. I bought myself one also and totally love it—I can't wait to book a vacation."

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Han Chong, Designer and Founder of Self-Portrait

Han Chong, Designer and Founder of Self-Portrait
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1. For my BFF: "My best friend and I are huge fans of taxidermy, as it brings life after death in such a beautiful way. For her, I was thinking of a beautiful glass dome with butterflies (Ayre & Co., $529; ayreandco.com) The multi-coloured butterflies are inspiring and represent renewal. She is moving into a new place and I think the timing couldn't be more perfect, as a new home is a new start. This would make a gorgeous centerpiece for her home."

2. For Selina, my co-worker: "I am very grateful for the team of people I get to work with every day. My brand manager Selina handles the studio whenever I travel and makes sure everything that has to do with the brand is running smoothly. She loves a good lingerie set and nobody does it better than Agent Provocateur ($167; harrods.com). Oh, and she just got a new boyfriend!"

3. For my mom: "I hardly see my mom these days, but whenever I do go back home, she makes me the best traditional boiled soups. I hope that with this slow cooker (Sage by Heston Blumenthal, $137; johnlewis.com), she will be able to make healthy soups for herself and my family every day—even when I am not around."

4. For my significant other: "Hans Wegner is our favorite furniture designer. He has always been a huge inspiration for my partner especially and being able to gift him a piece by the designer (Flag Halyard chair, price available upon request; danishdesignstore.com) would be very special."

5. For the Self-Portrait team: "I work with a bunch of crazy fun-loving girls at the studio, so for the holidays, I would love to let them choose an item each from the collection ($340; self-portrait-studio.com)."

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Katie Ermilio, Designer

Katie Ermilio, Designer
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1. For my mom: "I'm giving my mom an Audubon membership ($100 for Supporter Membership; nycaudubon.com), so that she can go on guided birding tours with Audubon in N.Y.C. I know she will love it!"

2. For my sister Meg: "She instantly fell in love with the navy cashmere turtleneck from the Katie Ermilio fall/winter 2015 collection ($1,250; modaoperandi.com) when she saw it on the model during fashion week. It's so cozy and oversized—it'll be just right once the dreaded N.Y.C. winter finally hits."

3. For my friends who are newlyweds: "One of our favorite couples just got married and these monogrammed cocktail napkins were made for them (Number Four Eleven, $96; numberfoureleven.com). They love to entertain and these are the perfect finishing touches to any party."

4. For my friend who is the best hostess: "Dinner Diaries by Daniel Cappello ($50; assouline.com) is not only beautiful as an object, but it's completely purposeful and useful. It contains everything one could ever want to know about their favorite style icons's dinner party rituals, and it's filled with little details to help form your own. It's a book that I keep front and center in my home, and it's one that I have gifted more times than I can count."

5. For my boyfriend, Tylee: "This navy Smythson washbag ($675; smythson.com) is perfect for everyday use or travel—and the monogramming is the perfect personal touch."

6. For my best friend: "One of my best friends is a bride-to-be, and I've had my eye on the Anya Hindmarch seating chart ($642; anyahindmarch.com) for months. I can't wait to see the look of surprise on her face when she opens it. It's not only beautiful, but something she can use long after her wedding for many parties and events to come."

7. For my friend with a baby girl: "It's the perfect shade of pink and super soft. They'll be many snuggle sessions with her in this adorable onesie (La Stupenderia, $154; childrensalon.com)."

8. For my team: "I am so grateful for all of their hard work and this year I'm putting together little gift boxes filled with some of our office favorite things (pictured, from left: Glossier balm, $12; glossier.com. Eufora hair repair treatment, $25; sleekhair.com. MAC In Extreme Dimension Lash mascara, $22; maccosmetics.com)."

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Elizabeth Stewart, Celebrity Stylist (Clients Include Cate Blanchett, Julia Roberts, Viola Davis)

Elizabeth Stewart, Celebrity Stylist (Clients Include Cate Blanchett, Julia Roberts, Viola Davis)
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1. For my friend Jenny: "I'm always going on to my friend Jenny, who wears a lot of black, about adding a "pop of color," so this necklace is the perfect gift (LFrank, $780; lfrankjewelry.com)."

2. For my BFF: "She loves bags and has too many black ones. This Givenchy one ($1,645; net-a-porter.com) is a brilliant color to wear with jeans or an all-black or all-red outfit!"

3. For my friend Laurie: "Love these handmade wooden bags for my friend Laurie who is always in between L.A. and Aspen, and needs a great evening clutch that still has a casual vibe (Sidney Molepo, $1,250; sidneymolepo.com)."

4. For my daughter Ivy: "My daughter loves to wear a handful of rings! Will get her several of these (Arme De L'Amour, $300 for eight; net-a-porter.com) from one of my favorite sites Net-a-Porter."

5. For my friend Abby: "Abby hates to dress up for anything. This is the perfect solution—it's a sweatshirt (Gucci, $1,980; gucci.com) she can wear out to a nice restaurant!

6. For my mom: "She spends a lot of time reading at home….love this bright pink dressing gown (LFrank, $550; lfrankjewelry.com) for her to lounge in."

7. For my dog Rufus: "He is very stylish and this modern Eames-inspired pet feeder (ModernMews, $68; etsy.com) would look great in our house."

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Jacquie Aiche, Jewelry Designer

Jacquie Aiche, Jewelry Designer

1. For my mother, Jeanette: "Growing up, my mother always had a candle burning and the Diptyque Advent Calendar ($390; net-a-porter.com) is the perfect gift to explore all of intoxicating scents from the brand. You can never have too much Diptyque."

2. For my husband, Ygal: "My love is an avid camper and we go to Lake Powell every year with the whole family. This North Face tent ($230; thenorthface.com) has an amazing '70s design and a star chart print inspired by the night's sky over the Teton Mountain Range."

3. For my daughter, Zoey: "My Zozo is a spunky, funky little me with a lot more energy. She's got a taste for the finer things and this Tutu Du Monde dress ($245; tutudumonde.com) has just the right amount of sparkle and glamour for my little babe."

4. For my best friend, Sabrina: "Every year by best gal and I head to the Esalen Institute to disconnect from all the craziness and tune into Mother Earth. There is no gift better for your bestie than this 5-day retreat ($650 to $4,850; esalen.org) filled with yoga, meditation and some incredible hot springs."

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