WIN a Beautiful Ceramic 3-wick Candle from Purnima
worth £255*!

Designed has partnered with English home fragrance brand, Purnima, to offer readers the chance to win* an amazing large sized ceramic bisque 3-wick candle in a choice of colours and scents, worth £255. Sussex-based Purnima produce exquisite handmade candles, inspired and defined by soft silhouettes, intricate design and delightful textures. Purnima is named after the full moon in Sanskrit, and was founded with a vision to be a celebration of beauty, harmony and quality. The timeless collection of delightful scents has been expertly blended by a renowned perfumer, then perfected in wax to fill any space the candles grace with exquisite fragrance, while burning beautifully. 

The candles are available in sleek black 190g glass with a burn time of around 45 hours, and in a 1750g ceramic bisque vessel made in Stoke-on-Trent with a burn time of around 145 hours. 

To enter the competition, just reply to this email answering the question: 

What is Purnima named after? 

Please also add your preferred choice of ceramic vessel between White (voluptuous Rose scent), Mustard (vibrant Boronia scent), Charcoal (exotic Encens scent) or Stone (sensual Ambar scent).

Instagram: @purnimafragrances 

www.purnimafragrances.com

*Entries must be received by 5pm GMT on Thursday 14th November 2024. One prize only, winner picked at random. No prize money alternative. The decision of Designed Magazine is final.

Lalique Vie en Rose                        

The Iconics Rose Nebula collection from Lalique is inspired by the ancient Greek νεφέλη, nephélē: the cosmic pink cloud. The exceptional pieces in the ephemerous pink range are created by Lalique master glassmakers using a painstaking pink lustre process. A colourless, vaporous mist, partly composed of precious metals, is applied to the crystal, the pink revealing itself as if by magic during the annealing process. The collection spans vases, lamps, sculptures, perfume bottles, bowls, boxes and lighting in classic and new designs, among them the Tourbillons vases (left, from £850), Bacchantes vase (centre, £4,200), animal sculptures including the Zeila Panther (front, £1,850), and the Champs-Élysées bowl (right, £3,300). Available from:

www.uk.lalique.com

Slipping Into the Perfect Sleep                            

Simba is best known as being responsible for the original 'mattress in a box', following up their success with a full range of technologically advanced beds, mattresses, toppers, duvets, pillows and weighted blankets. Next in their quest for a good night’s sleep, Certified B Corporation Simba has developed a collection of men’s and women’s indoor/outdoor slippers with incorporated reflexology points for pre-bedtime relaxation. The slippers are made with a durable outsole, light midsole and cushioned insole with nine stimulating support zones, and come in three designs: the moccasin-style ROK, £89, sandal-style YLUR, £79; and felted wool clog-style STORMUR, £69. All available from:

www.simbasleep.com/collections/slippers

Weighing up the Gift Options

Adding to its portfolio of cooking essentials, and part of the Collezione line, Smeg has introduced for the first time countertop scales, with a fun and unique cup-shaped design and a choice of white, black or emerald green in a soft matte finish. The scales offer both metric and imperial measurements with an easy to read LCD display, and hold up to 5kg of dry goods or up to 5 litres of liquid. There are just two touch buttons: to power the scales on/off and set the scale to zero, and to change between units. Comprising a hardwearing plastic body and dishwasher-safe removable stainless steel inner, the digital kitchen scales have been designed to be a long-lived staple in the kitchen. Smeg’s KSC01 Digital Kitchen Scales cost £129.95 RRP, available from the Smeg London flagship store and select stockists, and from:

www.shop.smeguk.com

The Natural Scents of Winter       

The winter collection from Carrière Frères features three scents perfect for the cold season: Winter Forest, Winter Fire and Winter Flower. Warm and comforting, the fragrances pay tribute to the great fir forests, to the warm, smoke of a fireplace and to the sweet, creamy softness of a fragrant winter bouquet. The scents are available in candles, made in France from 100% vegetable wax and with a burn time of 40-45 hours. The collection also includes a pretty octagonal Winter Forest Palet in wax to hang in wardrobes, with a woody, aromatic scent. Scented candles, £60; wax Palet £45.
Available at:

www.carrierefreres.co.uk

Photo by Robert Sanderson

Swanning Around at Assouline

Swans Bar at Maison Assouline on London’s Piccadilly is a bastion of elegance and culture. Location for the Designed Magazine cover photoshoot ‘Poker’ shot, the bar is surrounded by walnut panelled bookcases displaying sumptuous Assouline publications on travel, art, photography, and jewellery, and quirky objets. Swans celebrates the art of expertly crafted cocktails, exquisite salads and small plates, and the most delicate coffee concoctions in the capital – all served from exquisite tabletop delights from around the world. Developed exclusively by on-site mixologists, many of the drinks developed by the on-site mixologists are inspired by popular Assouline book titles, transporting guests to unexpected destinations with each sip. To mark the ten-year anniversary of Swans Bar, this beautiful red newly released book from Assouline features text by award-winning spirits and hospitality writer, Millie Milliken, and includes over twenty cocktail recipes, to recreate the unique Swans ambience at home. The Swans Bar publication is £23 from:

www.assouline.com

Good Vibrations with Vyrao

Vyrao was started by Yasmin Sewell, driven by her belief that good feelings are foundational to wellbeing to create fragrance that embraces emotions and energy through scent, colour, crystals and natural ingredients. The eight genderless eau de parfums, incense and scented candle variants – in names like Witchy Woo, Magnetic 70 and Mamajuju – are made in collaboration with master perfumers, and formulated to lift and shift mood, harnessing the principles of neuroscience and the art of perfumery. The name Vryao itself comes from ‘verdant’, invoking images of green growth and transformative energy. The Ember Candle, with sustainably sourced black wax in a white porcelain cup (£69), or bowl (£165), blends organic cistus, elemi and birch tar with cedarwood and frankincense for a sharp woody, smoky aroma. Every Vyrao Candle has embedded a ‘V’ talisman, supercharged by Quantum Energist, Louise Mita.
Available from:

www.vyrao.com

A Gift-Giving Spectacle Inspired by Cinema

This year’s gift kits from Certified B Corporation Aesop draws on a longstanding reverence for the cinema. Film has influenced everything at Aesop from the formulation of products – Breathless is a hydrating body oil named after the New Wave masterpiece, to the design of their store environments – Aesop Knox features a projection of Paris, Texas on repeat and many other Aesop spaces directly influenced by different genres or specific films. Drawing on this enduring cinematic influence, the trio of limited release gift kits features designs that echo the glitches, light leaks and scratches that are seen on well-worn celluloid. ‘Screen 1’ kit, £107, includes a quartet of formulations for the hands and home, ‘Screen 2’, £95, is a sprightly trilogy of products from the Geranium Leaf range, and ‘Screen 3’, £69, is a three-part saga for the hands and body.
Available from:

www.aesop.com/uk/c/gift-guide/seasonal-gift-kits/

Around the World in Four Fragrances

Bentley Beyond The Collection is a sumptuous capsule of four scents, mainly for men, from the Bentley Motors heritage, taking wearers on an olfactory journey to exotic destinations. After Acapulco, Mexico with Exotic Musk, Goa, India with Majestic Cashmere, and Java with Wild Vetiver, the newest addition, Magnetic Amber, is an inclusive scent invoking the spirit of Panama. The fragrance opens with sunny bergamot laced with aromatic rosemary and a lemony green flash of cardamom. Resinous olibanum adds citrus brio and woody tones to the fresh accords. The fragrance unfolds with sensual, smoky vanilla, and tonka bean with almond and tobacco facets. Salty, smooth white amber Ambroxan, a raw material yielded by clary sage conjuring driftwood, is highlighted by the warm, resinous scent of labdanum and elegant cedar, to create a rich, potent drydown. Created with the designers of Bentley Motors, the weighty faceted flacon is inspired by the signature cut-crystal glass headlights of the Continental GT.

£165 from:

www.shop.bentleymotors.com/collections/men/fragrance

12 Days to Beautiful Skin

The SkinCycles Advent Calendar is a carefully chosen selection of best-selling rejuvenating cosmeceutical skincare products in full sizes. Founded by Alice Henshaw, a leading figure in the global aesthetics industry, SkinCycles is designed to bring the anti-aging power of in-clinic treatments into everyday at-home skincare routines. Among the hero products behind the advent windows are a 5D hyaluronic serum formulated to plump, smooth and deeply moisturise skin; the award-winning hydrating Bio-Cellulose silk mask, for intense nourishing and penetrating moisture; Bio-Balance Face Cream moisturiser, to replenish vital hydration and refine skin tone and texture; DNA Defence Sun Shield sunscreen, a lightweight formulation with balanced UVA and UVB spectrum protection; and Revive Eyes, an eye elixir designed to illuminate and diminish dark circles and target puffiness. The advent calendar contains products worth £1150 and costs £450 from:

www.skincycles.com/products/advent-calendar-2024

Intoxicating New Fragrances from Day to Night

Soleil Lunar is the latest fragrance for women from Lalique, capturing the last rays of daylight and the arrival of mystical moonlight in a stunning ombré bottle of sundown intensity adorned with a golden crescent moon chain. The fragrance opens with the effervescent sparkle of mandarin, radiant heat from pink pepper, and a last top day note of sweet magnolia. The mid notes blend intoxicating Lady of the Night, a narcotic night blooming flower with spicy undertones, with powdery heliotrope and ambrette. Woody resinous notes of crystal moss and grey amber are blended with musk in the dry base. Eau de Parfum 100ml, £110, 50ml £79, 30ml £53.

Encre Indigo from Lalique is an avant-garde Eau de Parfum for men in a square flacon made of smooth, burnished glass with an elegantly carved wooden cap. This enticing, multi-layered scent opens with the crisp, refreshing brightness of Calabrian bergamot oil, juniper berry oil and the spicy sweetness of pink peppercorn. Mid notes of Madagascan bay oil diffuse subtle woody aromas that blend with saffron and the cocoa ripples of rare Korean Jukro black tea. The base notes of vetiver oil from Madagascar bring woody, smoky, coffee-tinged notes, balanced with sensual Sulawesi Patchouli oil and traces of musky ambergris. Eau de Parfum 100ml £89, 50ml £75.
Both available from:

www.uk.lalique.com

Fold and Go – Origami Kayaks from Oru

The Oru Kayaks range is a clever fleet of foldable portable boats which are packable and compact, and made for high durability and performance. The Inlet is the lightest, most portable and easiest to assemble Oru folding kayak, and can be put together in as little as 1-3 minutes. This origami kayak is made for calm water – smooth lakes, rivers and streams – where it tracks and handles better than standard inflatable kayaks. At 9kgs, the Inlet is about half the weight of a traditional kayak. It is 295cms long and folds down to a box just 107cms long, compact enough to store in a car boot and, with the Oru Pack, to be checked on to a plane or carried on a hike. The Inlet is stable and nimble, and the large, open cockpit is perfect for paddles with canine companions and ideal for first-time paddlers and beginners. Inlet costs £855 from:

www.eu.orukayak.com/en-gb

In the Bag with CloudTouch Blankets

The versatile and cosy VOITED CloudTouch PillowBlanket is a 4-in-1 blanket, sleeping bag, cape and pillow, perfect for outdoor adventures. Snapped with the poppers around the shoulders, the fleece-lined blanket is a hands-free water-repellent cape; stuffed into the built-in pouch it’s a soft, fluffy pillow; and folded and snapped together it’s a single sleeping bag than can be snapped to another PillowBlanket to make a double. The blanket is made from 100% high tech, recycled materials for warmth and breathability, and is washable at 30ºC, quick-drying and lightweight at just 1.63kgs. The quilted front comes in a range of outdoors-inspired graphic designs and costs £128 from:

www.voited.co.uk

Artful Gifting for Culture Vultures

The National Art Pass is the perfect gift for culture lovers, and the gift that keeps on giving. Every National Art Pass purchased helps Art Fund to support museums to share art and culture with everyone. Included is a comprehensive guidebook on using the pass at over 800 places, along with a subscription to the Art Fund magazine. Beyond the savings that The Art Pass offers with 50% off major exhibitions and free entry at over 250 venues are exclusive discounts at museum shops and cafés. Priced at £79, or £59.25 including a 25% discount for the first year with automatic renewal (anytime cancellation).

www.artfund.org/national-art-pass

The Coolest Gift from Veuve Clicquot

The Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label and Rosé Coolers are chic, charming accessories for alfresco celebrations, keeping bottles at the perfect temperature for up to an hour. With a practical retractable chrome handle, the coolers are made from recyclable tin and an integrated inner vac made from sugarcane waste, following the Veuve Clicquot minimal waste circular policies. In a nod to the Maison’s cuveés, the yellow and pink options are colour matched to the Brut and Rosé Champagne bottles and come with the relevant colour bottle of Champagne. £70 for Yellow Label Cooler, £75 for Rosé Cooler, from John Lewis.

www.johnlewis.com

Stop Smoking with ’Smokeless' Fire Pits

Solo Stove make a range of portable fire pits and camp stoves that are easy to use, versatile and fitted with the Signature 360° Airflow, which super-heats air to burn off smoke before it gets onto hair and clothes. Launched this year, Bonfire 2.0 metallic series is finished with a high-heat ceramic coating for lasting durability. Weighing in at just over 10 kg, and with its own carry case it can be taken for outdoor adventures or used in open air home spaces. Easy to light and to clean, the Bonfire has a removable ash pan rests under the removable base plate, catching all the fine ash in one place. Solo Stove accessories include the Shield and Stand for added safety, Heat Deflector to redirect heat for extra warmth, Lid to turn the Bonfire into a table when not in use, and a series of protective gloves, fire pit tools and roasting sticks for perfectly toasted marshmallows. Bonfire 2.0 is £244.99 from:

www.solostove.com/en-gb/c/backyard-fire-pit

The Mariage Frères Countdown to Christmas

This year’s Mariage Frères Noël Royal advent calendar (£49), celebrates 170 years of passion for tea in a beautiful royal blue box embossed in gold and silver and tied with a white satin ribbon. Inside the box, the numbered tea caddy windows on a starry night background reveal 25 infusions from this famous French tea house, whose story began in 1854, in the heart of Le Marais in Paris. Alongside the advent calendar in the festive range are Royal Fairy Teas collection of Christmas logs, spiced and fruity teas in bright green and red canisters, and the Noël In Love boxes of fragrant tea muslins, along with collections of beautiful Full Moon cups in translucent gem coloured glass and Zen bowls in handcrafted Japanese porcelain.

Instagram: @mariagefreresofficial

www.mariagefreres.com/en

Saving Seagrass with Mermaid Gin

The new Isle of Wight Distillery limited edition gift set contains a 50cl bottle of Mermaid Gin, crafted from recyclable glass in ombré blues and greens moulded with scales to resemble a ‘mermaid’s tail’, and with a sustainably sourced natural cork stopper. With the exclusive bottle comes a gold-embossed Mermaid branded tumbler. The gin is a small batch, London Dry Gin with ten locally foraged and sustainably sourced botanicals including organic lemon zest, peppery spicy notes of grains of paradise and locally foraged, fragrant rock samphire. The new gift pack is packaged in mycelium, a compostable alternative to plastic. Based on the Isle of Wight, the distillery sees first hand the damage human activity, pollution and climate change has on seagrass meadows in the Solent, and 10% of profits from the sale of each gift set are donated to Project Seagrass, a registered charity which helps protect and preserve seagrass ecosystems globally. 

This new gift set is £49, from The Isle of Wight Distillery

Buck the Trend with a Silky Smooth Irish Whiskey Liqueur

Shanky’s Whip is a smooth, dairy-free alternative to cream liqueurs this Christmas. The label, inspired by vintage Irish matchbox artwork, features the fantastical Irish jockey, Shanky, a wild boy of racing. Always one to buck the trend, when thrown from his horse, he returned to the racetrack with an ostrich and cart and – of course – a whip. Perfect as an after dinner digestif, served warm or well chilled over ice or as an indulgent cocktail, Shanky’s Whip is an Irish whiskey-based liqueur based on a combination of Irish spirits and aged pot still whiskey, blended in with the natural flavour of vanilla infused with caramel, and presented in a retro glass bottle. 

To make a Shanky’s Whip Espresso Martini, fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add 60ml Shanky's Whip, 30ml vodka, and a shot of good quality espresso to the cocktail shaker and shake vigorously until all the ingredients are well mixed and chilled. Strain into a chilled Martini glass and garnish with three coffee beans. 

Shanky's Whip is currently on Tesco Clubcard promotion, reduced from £25 to £20, available in select stores or from:

Tesco online