Looking for a unique host or hostess gift to bring with you to all your summer soirées? Gift Me Chic, a new gift-giving platform, is a one-stop-shop mix of fun party and gift-giving ideas for those perennially left scouring the internet for something unique. As a former buyer for both Bergdorf Goodman and Saks Fifth Avenue and former North American CEO of the luxury fragrance company, By Kilian, founder Elisabeth Jones-Hennessy was already well-versed in sourcing luxury items. Her bi-continental life, split between New York and Paris, allowed her to look at what the market was missing.
Black Dhalia CBD Bonbons Gift Me Chic
“When I was thinking about what I need and what I felt was missing in retail, it was really the gift-giving category,” she says. “When I was looking for gifts, I was going to the big department stores or looking on their websites and trolling through thousands of products and was super overwhelmed. So I thought, where can I go online that is a concept store for gifts, like a Colette [the now defunct Parisian retailer]? That’s when the idea hit me.” Gift Me Chic launched in time for the holiday season of 2019 with 10 brands including Assouline, Paige Novick Jewelry, By Kilian and Fleur du Mal. It grew by word of mouth until Covid-19 hit. During that time, Jones-Hennessy worked on expanding the range, which now includes 35 brands, 13 of which are exclusive.
Studio Drift Dandelion Light Gift Me Chic
One of those exclusives is Studio Drift, a design duo based out of Amsterdam, known for large-scale light installations. Jones-Hennessy is the sole retailer of the small table-top iterations of the designers’ dandelion light. “They harvest dandelions and then one by one they pick the seeds from the head and insert LED light, then hand-glue one by one the seeds back onto the head so it become a ‘dandelight’ encapsulated in domed glass,” says Jones-Hennessy. “It’s my number-two biggest seller as a category, after the experiences.”
Dani Garcia Paella Cooking Class Gift Me Chic
The site also offers everything from a $60 sea-salt caramel CBD-infused bonbons by Black Dhalia for the stressed out party thrower to a $500 astrology reading by Jones-Hennessy’s own guru, Rakesh Mishra, for the spiritually inclined. More traditional gifts like a $39 trio of jams from Mr. P’s or truffle-infused products for the foodie like Maison de la Truffe’s $250 gift box set are also available—simple ideas that offer an “aha!” moment for the less seasoned gift giver. But for a truly over-the-top present you might opt for a $4,500 exclusive paella cooking class for a group of up to 20 by three-star-Michelin chef, Dani Garcia. Even the jewelry selection has a unique spin—a $4,325 18-karat yellow gold Santo by Zani necklace transforms from a spherical orb pendant into a flower with five gold petals sprinkled in rubies, sapphires and emeralds.
Santo by Zani Necklace Gift Me Chic
In the future, Gift Me Chic plans to grow the company by hiring personal shoppers that can help with more bespoke or personally tailored gifts and experiences. So, whether you are throwing a party, going to one or simply looking to wow someone special, this e-tailer could be your new secret weapon.
