Stylish gift ideas

We asked a variety of tastemakers to tell us about their versions of ‘The One,’ the go-to gift they’ll turn to this season.

Jenni Kayne, fashion designer

L’Artisan Parfumeur amber balls, $75 for the small size, luckyscent.com.

“They are earthy and beautiful and they smell amazing. They are all different because they are handmade, which I love. They look great in everyone’s houses, and everyone loves them.”

Brooke Hodge, curator of architecture and design at MOCA

Calendars of Henry Evans’ botanical prints, $14.95 at henryevans.com.

“When I was growing up, my parents had a signed Evans botanical print (linocut) that they had bought in Berkeley, Calif., when my father was a grad student (in the late 1950s). Evans started making botanical prints in 1958, so at that time it was definitely affordable art for young people living on a student’s budget. A few years before I moved to L.A., I made a trip to Napa Valley and discovered Evans’ printmaking studio in a storefront in St. Helena and immediately made the connection with my parents’ print!”

Magda Berliner, fashion designer

Signed books

“I collect books throughout the year and give them to people. Especially signed books. I’ll go to a book reading/signing and buy a copy and give it as a gift.”

Simon Doonan, creative director, Barneys New York

Jonathan Adler Hashish candles, $68, jonathanadler.com

”Yes, he’s my boyfriend [husband actually], but I still went to the store and bought them in case anyone thinks, ‘Oh, he just gave them to Simon for free.’ ”

“I love the Hashish candle because it has this slightly louche association, but it is completely wholesome.”

Tatiana Sorokko, former model and contributing editor to Harper’s Bazaar

Homemade pickles

Using her Russian grandmother’s recipe, she hand-cans jars of dill pickles for her best friends. She’s been adding to the list each year and the tally now stands at 70 jars, which requires an entire August weekend to make -- and now touches off dinner party speculation about who has or hasn’t made the cut. The recipe has been such a hit, it even landed her an appearance on “The Martha Stewart Show” last month. “So this year I’m sending along a DVD of the program so everybody can make the pickles themselves.”

Isaac Joseph, publicist

Marc by Marc Jacobs “diamond” rings, candles and flowers

“A favorite budget item is those pingpong ball-sized acrylic diamond rings from Marc by Marc Jacobs [$1 each at Marc by Marc Jacobs], which I tend to buy in bulk each season. I also love to give handmade lavender vetiver candles from Liseanne Frankfurt’s LFrank shop on Abbot Kinney [Boulevard] and sculptural flower arrangements from artist Holly Vesecky (hollyflora.com).

Tobi Tobin, interior designer

Gift bags

“I like to use the classic L.L. Bean canvas tote bag, and I usually choose the green or red straps. I choose a novel or a great photography book (I like to go to Book Soup -- they are really wonderful there in helping to choose the right book), a bottle of French red wine or Champagne (love Wally’s or Greenblatt’s, both are very helpful in making the right selection at the right price point), a box of chocolates (I love pretzels dipped in dark chocolate from Hoffman’s Chocolate in Palm Beach, Fla.) or caramel corn, a wonderful holiday scented candle (I love Ralph Lauren’s), something cashmere, like a pair of socks or scarf or a throw (I like the cashmere items at Williams-Sonoma Home), a great CD or boxed set (Barnes & Noble is great), gift cards to various restaurants and coffee shops, and of course a hand-signed card.”

Cameron Silver, owner of Decades and co-owner of Decades Two

Woven leather Hermès pencils, $80 at Hermès Beverly Hills

“They’re not that expensive but you’re still getting the impact of that orange box.”

Mary Norton, accessories designer

Gardenias or FedExed barbecue

“Both have a distinctly Southern theme as my home is in Charleston, S.C. The Mary Norton nosegay is a simple arrangement of six gardenia blossoms in a clear, round, short vase tied with a big black grosgrain ribbon bow. No. 2 is down-home barbecue FedExed to your doorstep! Jim ‘N Nick’s barbecue out of Birmingham, Ala., has the best barbecue in the South! My husband was one of the original partners, so as a special treat I began sending barbecue care packages off to New York fashion editors. Now I FedEx care packages to friends around the country to give them a taste of home.”