Sir Paul Smith to the rescue!
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Sir Paul Smith and models
Trying to buy a present for someone who appreciates the finer things in life can be a daunting task, but ticking them off your \'To Buy For\' list needn\'t become a nightmare before Christmas this year. We\'ve enlisted veteran British designer Sir Paul Smith to share his recommendations on what you can get to make your very own culture vulture happy.
The Paul Smith empire is formidable. Born in Nottingham, Smith opened his first shop in 1970, showed his catwalk collection in 1976, and has not looked back since. His business portfolio now spans the world and includes product ranges as diverse as fragrance, shoes, jeans, ready-to-wear, furniture and jewellery.
Having a keen eye for design, Sir Paul is a self-confessed magpie and his boutiques not only double as a showcase for his \'finds\', but often also serve as event spaces for the latest hip book or album launch.
Frankly, we couldn\'t think of anyone more qualified to give their verdict on the top present picks for the arts lover in your life. Read on...
Smythson notebook
smythson,Paul Smith
Smythson notebook
"I always carry a notepad and pencil for ideas."
\'Bright Ideas\' notebook, from £29.00,
smythson.co.uk
Paul Smith socks
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Paul Smith sock
"Christmas wouldn\'t be Christmas without them."
Ladies over-the-knee show socks, £21,
paulsmith.co.uk
Selection of music from Rough Trade
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Rough Trade montage
"This is one of my favourite shops in London."
Selected music, from £6.99, roughtrade.com
Opera tickets
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Royal Opera House, Covent Garden
"I love London because of its energy and the fantastic variety of things you can do. Two tickets to the Covent Garden Opera would make a perfect gift."
Tickets to a performance at the Royal Opera House, from £7 each,
roh.org.uk
Train set in a briefcase
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Paul Smith train set in a briefcase
"This suitcase is a new suitcase which I have had made as a copy of my original one, which I used to take to Japan on my many early trips. I\'d produce it at meetings - as you can imagine this caused a great shock and surprise but also a lot of fun."
Train set in a briefcase, £1,000, available at selected Paul Smith boutiques
River Café olive oil
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River Café olive oil
"The food there is wonderful!"
River Café extra virgin olive oil, from a selection, Liberty Wines. T: +44 (0)20 7720 5350 (minimum order £100 or 12 bottles)
Olympus camera
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Olympus cameras
"This was one of the best loved cameras of the 70s. I like them because they are very simple to operate, but capture some great photos."
Olympus camera, £60, available at Paul Smith boutiques
Technics deck
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Technics deck
"To play all of your new and old vinyl."
Technics deck, £POA, from Panasonic dealers. Visit Panasonic.co.uk to find your nearest stockist
