18 of the Best Gifts for Minimalists, Because Less Is More

Choosing the best gifts for minimalists can prove surprisingly difficult. After all, any streamlined enthusiast will tell you that less is indeed more, but what exactly does that mean in the present giving season, when so many cadeaux will be dismissed as simply superfluous? 

With that in mind, Vogue has curated a handful of understated tokens and extravagances alike that are sure to strike a chord with anyone who falls into the pared-back camp. This time around, there’s leather-bound planners and single pearls, out-of-print cookbooks and postcard subscriptions, made-in-France barrettes and logo-less bags… and the list doesn’t end there!  

Below, the 18 best gifts for minimalists. 

Subtly Chic Wardrobe Additions

For the stripped-down sartorialist, look no further than Totême’s extra-long virgin wool scarf; Dries Van Noten’s lasting, luxurious leather gloves; Araks’s classic cotton undies (surely the chicest, cheekiest present around); and Sophie Buhai’s made-in-France barrettes. For the past few years, the Los Angeles-based jewelry designer has been crafting hair accessories for the soigné set (think: elegant headbands, mature scrunchies), and this tortoiseshell clip is no exception. Meanwhile, even the most simply-dressed among us can’t refuse a little embellishment, especially when it’s crafted by Copenhagen’s Sophie Bille Brahe and adorned with smooth freshwater pearls and 14 karat gold. 

Timeless Treasures for the Hushed Home 

As we all tuck away indoors, a carefully chosen interior touch—such as Smythson’s 2021 planner, rendered in a super soft dark olive leather, or a set of Danish design giant Georg Jensen’s pebble-like reusable ice cubes—is sure to win hearts this season. Architect John Pawson’s cookbook, Living & Eating, has been out of print for more than a decade, but pages of the minimalist tome can still be spotted on Instagram—and with good reason: its recipes are as easy to follow as they are mouth-watering. Consider, too, a monthly subscription of Fotofolio’s fine-art postcards, which feature the photographs of Brassaï, Robert Mapplethorpe, and more. Staying in touch has never looked so good. 

Less-Is-More Beauty Thrills

Chances are the minimalists on your list prefer their above-the-neck equation as rigorously pared-back as what comes below. That’s why she’ll fall hard for Yves Durif’s classic ivory-hued resin comb or Susanne Kaufmann’s architect-designed face massager, which features hand-cut black obsidian stone and fine nut wood. Subtle though it may be, Sangre de Fruta’s jasmine-and-sandalwood-scented plant-based body butter is deceivingly, deliciously intoxicating—and don’t sleep on La Bouche Rouge’s new microplastic-free mascara, which is housed in a jewel-like 100% recyclable glass bottle (complete with an optional, monogram-stamped leather sleeve).