Style

Samantha Murray Greenway selects some beautifully made local gifts that you’ll want to keep forever.

While I can’t always justify buying for myself all the beautifully made things I discover through work, I can – and do – stow them in my mental gift drawer. It’s topped up throughout the year with items that are well-crafted (the more hand-work involved in the making process, the better) and more often than not, unique to this place.

There’s an old school charm that puts the focus on all that’s hand-made, local and labour intensive at Harry Were’s online store. It’s garnered a cult following. “I work with very talented makers, and I value both craft and the relationships that come through it,” says Were. You can find knitted sweaters made from handspun wool bursting with complicated moss stitch, cable stitch, bobbles and crochet and one-off dresses that are beautifully smocked and quick to sell out. Even the tea towels are hand woven.

“They may cost more than mass produced objects,” she says. “But they'll be cherished, repaired and passed on for much longer – I think you can feel the love that has gone into them.”

Perfectly imperfect-looking handknits with a colourful, light touch can be found at online store Monday Journal. “There’s the sentimental value in something that’s one of a kind, but there’s also a value in longevity,” says Wānaka-based owner and knitting enthusiast, Phoebe Paterson. “It’s amazing how much wool can take: these sweaters are so resilient.” Candy striped fluffy mohair-blend sweaters and orange sherbet tank tops can be made to order or bought as knitting kits.

Giving craft that you can make yourself is a clever present. Fashion and knitwear company Perriam offers knitting kits for the novice or more experienced knitter. “It’s not just the gift of a knitting kit,” says founder Christina Grant. “Someone will learn something new; knitting is such a nice, slowing down, meditative practice; and then you’re taking time out to do something for yourself, make something with your own hands – it’s all the experiences that go with the kit that make it special.”

Having something custom-made is always going to be appealing. Abigail Brodrick makes good-looking leather goods, including a neat cross body pocket bag, that sits comfortably about your body, large enough to contain the essentials and comfortable enough to forget you’re wearing it. The beauty is that you can choose from a range of custom colours and finishes.

What’s not to like about something that is both beautiful and useful? The Sans [Ceuticals] U-Pin is an accessory worth growing your hair for. Made from bronze, it’s a collaboration between Sydney-based jeweller Alexandra Dodds and the NZ-based beauty brand. There are some clever demos of how to use it to secure a simple updo on the website but even the article itself, free from hair, looks like a mini work of art.

Even the most apparently prosaic items are worth collecting if they are special. I have a lot of love for practical things that are well-made. There are the traditional possum merino socks from McDonald. A pair of those, or a stack in a range of colours if you’re feeling flush, is a seriously indulgent treat that can be kept for chilly winter feet.

Well-designed items that truly elevate the everyday make worthwhile stocking-fillers. The best-selling French Briefs from designer Rachel Mills’ Auckland workrooms are 100% organic cotton and have a look that’s verging on the sculptural. They come in sizes 6-24. Mills has given them a folded edge rather than elastic so that the fabric can stretch over every shape of bottom without digging in; it’s that kind of clever attention to detail that makes all the difference.

Finally, people tend to give the kind of gifts they’d love to receive themselves. If you’re ever stuck for ideas, that’s worth bearing in mind.