Gifts for the 'hard to shop for' people on your list

Every Christmas list has a few of those “hard to shop for” people. You know the type  that jetsetter friend who’s been everywhere and seems to have everything; your significant other who, when asked what’s on his wish list, shrugs and says, “Nothing,” or even just dear old mom and dad.Whenever I want to give a unique, stylish gift that doesn’t break the bank, I head to Adora. The store’s well-appointed interiors may lead you to think the only thing on offer is luxurious designer fashions, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Adora is actually a department store with a diverse array of items at an accessible range of prices.So, make your list. You won’t even have to check it twice. For certain Adora will have something for every “hard to shop for” person under one roof. Here’s a handy guide:

Shoes

• Stella Luna – Even veteran stylists go gaga over this ultra-fashionable but reasonably priced Italian brand, which is actually a collective of master shoemakers who used to craft footwear for fashion designers. These expert cobblers banded together to form their own brand and launched in China, which they believe will become the world’s future center of fashion.

• Pretty Ballerinas – Style icon Kate Moss wears these flats, which have been handcrafted since 1918 in a small Spanish village but were launched in London’s Mayfair district. The different styles are named after icons from the ’40s, ’50s and ’60s (like the Marilyn) to help customers remember the ballerina that fits them best. They even have matching pairs for mothers and daughters.

Watches

• Bell & Ross – Only Adora carries Bell & Ross’s Phantom series of Swiss watches, which is designed to replicate an aircraft’s cockpit instruments in both look and performance. Water-resistant enough for professional divers with a highly accurate Swiss movement, the black Phantoms are the height of cool, with gray watch hands and digits that are low-visibility in the daytime but light up like neon at night.

Sunglasses

• MDG by Madonna and Dolce & Gabbana – Madonna’s first foray into the world of sunnies was exclusively for pals Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana. The singer personally designed the oversized, wraparound styles that are as sexy, feminine and fatale as D&G’s clothes. Madge even masterminded the starry MDG logo.

Jeans

• Dr. Denim – Inject skinniness into your man’s denim wardrobe with iconic Swedish brand Dr. Denim, which revolutionized the denim industry with their meticulous attention to detail and slick Scandinavian style. Skinnies for men come in different colors like Petroleum Wash and textures like faux leather.

Makeup

• Becca – Get that elusive “back from vacation” glow with this skin-loving Australian line, which boasts one of the widest ranges of foundation and concealer to match the fairest to the darkest skin tone. Personally I can’t live without Becca’s Beach Tints for lips and cheeks.

Shaving stuff

• eShave – Is the male in your life obsessed with manscaping his visage? His ultimate companion for home and travel would be eShave, from the experts in men’s shaving. Choose from state-of-the-art shave creams, soaps and oils or luxury razors and badger-hair brushes — these products are designed to give him the best shave of his life.

Perfume

• Maison Francis Kurkdjian – Adora offers the most modern ways to wear perfume with scent lines like Comme des Garçons, Etro and A Different Company. My current love is boy wonder Francis Kurkdjian, the perfumer who composed his first fragrance blockbuster at 25 years old and has since blended numerous hit scents. Among a collection classified for ease into day and evening fragrances, I’ve gotten the most compliments while wearing Aqua Universalis, an eau de toilette that smells like the olfactory meeting point of skin, fresh laundry and air.

Home fragrance

• Bungalow No. 9 – This Hong Kong brand of home fragrance diffusers and scented candles is hand-poured in the USA. The soy-wax candles with lead-free wicks burn longer and cleaner than regular paraffin candles, while the reeds diffuse high-quality essential oils imported from the US and Europe. There’s a rich scent for every taste, from Orchid Flower and Pikaki to Hazelnut and Espresso.

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All brands are available only at Adora in Greenbelt 5, Makati.