Six beautiful reasons to choose craftsmanship over the ordinary—from a Harlem-inspired fragrance visionary to designers shaping contemporary luxury on their own terms.
Harlem has always understood a particular kind of elegance. Not the sort that demands attention, but the kind that earns a second look: a perfectly chosen hat, the rich texture of a coat, a fragrance that announces itself only when someone steps closer. It’s style with history, confidence, and a point of view.
That spirit travels far beyond Uptown. For our Black, Gifted & Giving edition, we’re celebrating six gifts from Black-founded luxury houses that know the difference between something expensive and something exceptional. Think fragrance with a story, leather with personality, jewelry worth keeping, and glassware that makes an ordinary evening feel like an invitation.
A Signature in the Air
World of Chris Collins — African Rooibos Intens, 50 ml
Chris Collins knows that a great fragrance can leave a lasting impression without raising its voice. His creative journey took shape in Harlem, and his fragrance house still carries that neighborhood’s appreciation for reinvention and self-expression. African Rooibos Intens looks farther afield for its inspiration: South African rooibos tea, illuminated by bergamot and cardamom, with vanilla bourbon and warm woods giving this concentrated extrait its depth. For the person who already has a signature scent, this might become the next chapter.
Price: $325 · Explore directly: World of Chris Collins
Savoir Faire — The Whiskey Rose Eau de Parfum, 50 ml
Roses, but make them grown. Chris “Classic” Davis’s The Whiskey Rose mixes rose absolute and jasmine with leather, woods, and dry vanilla for a fragrance that’s romantic without turning sugary. It’s equally at home beside a velvet dinner jacket or a favorite worn-in leather coat—and it doesn’t ask who is supposed to wear it. Savoir Faire blends and bottles its fragrances by hand, making this an especially personal gift for someone whose taste runs a little outside the predictable.
Price: $165 · Shop directly: Savoir Faire
Leather With a Point of View
Brandon Blackwood — Luna Bag, Dark Brown Leather & Fringed Wicker
Some bags complete an outfit. This one starts the conversation. New York designer Brandon Blackwood gives his crescent-shaped Luna an unexpected pairing: rich dark-brown oiled leather against natural fringed wicker, finished with brass hardware. The result is earthy, sculptural, and just daring enough. A soft microfiber-suede lining and an adjustable strap make it useful, too. A gift for the style original who can spot beautiful construction across the room—and knows exactly what to wear with it.
Price: $243.75 sale ($375 regular) · Shop directly: Brandon Blackwood
Silver & Riley — Geneva Messenger Bag, Wine Purple
The executive who travels light? The creative who carries half an office? Lola Banjo’s Silver & Riley has them both covered. Made in Italy from supple calfskin, the Geneva messenger balances a structured profile with an unexpected deep-wine color. Two zip-around compartments, space for a laptop and travel essentials, and a padded shoulder strap make its practical side every bit as thoughtful as its polished appearance. It’s quietly commanding luxury for somebody who’s going places—literally.
Price: $795 · Shop directly: Silver & Riley
Little Treasures, Lasting Impressions
Mateo New York — Gold & Diamond Initial Necklace
A single letter can say quite a lot. Jamaican-born designer Matthew Harris, founder of Mateo New York, turns a personal initial into a quietly luminous piece of fine jewelry: 14-karat yellow gold, brilliant-cut diamonds, and a delicate adjustable chain. It’s the sort of gift that feels considered rather than extravagant for extravagance’s sake. And because every letter is made to order, thoughtful shoppers should allow two to three weeks for production before shipping. Some gifts are worth planning for.
Price: $700 · Shop directly: Mateo New York
Estelle Colored Glass — Pastel Mixed Wine Stemware, Set of Six
The best holiday tables have something to talk about before dinner is served. Stephanie Summerson Hall named Estelle Colored Glass for the grandmother whose collection of beautiful glassware made Sunday gatherings memorable. Her own set of six hand-blown wine glasses crafted in Poland carries that tradition forward in blush pink, rose, cobalt blue, lavender, mint green, and yellow. Arrange them around a candlelit table and watch the colors do their thing. It’s a gift for a gracious host—and perhaps the beginning of somebody else’s family tradition.
Price: $195 for six · Shop directly: Estelle Colored Glass
Luxury, at its most interesting, has never been about a label doing all the talking. It’s about a designer’s vision, a craftsperson’s touch, and the pleasure of owning something with a story behind it. That appreciation has long lived on Harlem’s streets, in its music, fashion, and unmistakable sense of presence. We began there for a reason. Wherever these gifts travel, that spirit brings us home.
This Month’s Featured Articles
Buying Black can bring joy to the people on your gift list while supporting the businesses behind the gifts. Our November cover story explores Harlem’s entrepreneurial legacy, the economic realities facing Black owners, and the power of shopping with intention year-round.
The best gifts feel personal. Discover eleven picks for the cooks, culture lovers, hosts, and style originals on your list, featuring Harlem-rooted makers and standout Black-owned brands.
Bring holiday shopping back Uptown. Visit thirteen Harlem-connected businesses for books, distinctive style, sweet treats, fragrances, and gifts with real neighborhood character.
Luxury is more interesting when it has a point of view. Explore six gifts in fragrance, leather, jewelry, and design from Black-founded creative houses.
A memorable gift does not need a big price tag. Shop nine expressive finds under $50, from illustrated books and tea to a Harlem Boy Collection mug and heavyweight tee.
Let imagination lead. Seven gifts—from Harlem picture books and dolls to puzzles, crayons, and a coding kit—invite children to see themselves, play boldly, and keep asking questions.
Six beautiful reasons to choose craftsmanship over the ordinary—from a Harlem-inspired fragrance visionary to designers shaping contemporary luxury on their own terms.
Harlem has always understood a particular kind of elegance. Not the sort that demands attention, but the kind that earns a second look: a perfectly chosen hat, the rich texture of a coat, a fragrance that announces itself only when someone steps closer. It’s style with history, confidence, and a point of view.
That spirit travels far beyond Uptown. For our Black, Gifted & Giving edition, we’re celebrating six gifts from Black-founded luxury houses that know the difference between something expensive and something exceptional. Think fragrance with a story, leather with personality, jewelry worth keeping, and glassware that makes an ordinary evening feel like an invitation.
A Signature in the Air
World of Chris Collins — African Rooibos Intens, 50 ml
Chris Collins knows that a great fragrance can leave a lasting impression without raising its voice. His creative journey took shape in Harlem, and his fragrance house still carries that neighborhood’s appreciation for reinvention and self-expression. African Rooibos Intens looks farther afield for its inspiration: South African rooibos tea, illuminated by bergamot and cardamom, with vanilla bourbon and warm woods giving this concentrated extrait its depth. For the person who already has a signature scent, this might become the next chapter.
Price: $325 · Explore directly: World of Chris Collins
Savoir Faire — The Whiskey Rose Eau de Parfum, 50 ml
Roses, but make them grown. Chris “Classic” Davis’s The Whiskey Rose mixes rose absolute and jasmine with leather, woods, and dry vanilla for a fragrance that’s romantic without turning sugary. It’s equally at home beside a velvet dinner jacket or a favorite worn-in leather coat—and it doesn’t ask who is supposed to wear it. Savoir Faire blends and bottles its fragrances by hand, making this an especially personal gift for someone whose taste runs a little outside the predictable.
Price: $165 · Shop directly: Savoir Faire
Leather With a Point of View
Brandon Blackwood — Luna Bag, Dark Brown Leather & Fringed Wicker
Some bags complete an outfit. This one starts the conversation. New York designer Brandon Blackwood gives his crescent-shaped Luna an unexpected pairing: rich dark-brown oiled leather against natural fringed wicker, finished with brass hardware. The result is earthy, sculptural, and just daring enough. A soft microfiber-suede lining and an adjustable strap make it useful, too. A gift for the style original who can spot beautiful construction across the room—and knows exactly what to wear with it.
Price: $243.75 sale ($375 regular) · Shop directly: Brandon Blackwood
Silver & Riley — Geneva Messenger Bag, Wine Purple
The executive who travels light? The creative who carries half an office? Lola Banjo’s Silver & Riley has them both covered. Made in Italy from supple calfskin, the Geneva messenger balances a structured profile with an unexpected deep-wine color. Two zip-around compartments, space for a laptop and travel essentials, and a padded shoulder strap make its practical side every bit as thoughtful as its polished appearance. It’s quietly commanding luxury for somebody who’s going places—literally.
Price: $795 · Shop directly: Silver & Riley
Little Treasures, Lasting Impressions
Mateo New York — Gold & Diamond Initial Necklace
A single letter can say quite a lot. Jamaican-born designer Matthew Harris, founder of Mateo New York, turns a personal initial into a quietly luminous piece of fine jewelry: 14-karat yellow gold, brilliant-cut diamonds, and a delicate adjustable chain. It’s the sort of gift that feels considered rather than extravagant for extravagance’s sake. And because every letter is made to order, thoughtful shoppers should allow two to three weeks for production before shipping. Some gifts are worth planning for.
Price: $700 · Shop directly: Mateo New York
Estelle Colored Glass — Pastel Mixed Wine Stemware, Set of Six
The best holiday tables have something to talk about before dinner is served. Stephanie Summerson Hall named Estelle Colored Glass for the grandmother whose collection of beautiful glassware made Sunday gatherings memorable. Her own set of six hand-blown wine glasses crafted in Poland carries that tradition forward in blush pink, rose, cobalt blue, lavender, mint green, and yellow. Arrange them around a candlelit table and watch the colors do their thing. It’s a gift for a gracious host—and perhaps the beginning of somebody else’s family tradition.
Price: $195 for six · Shop directly: Estelle Colored Glass
Luxury, at its most interesting, has never been about a label doing all the talking. It’s about a designer’s vision, a craftsperson’s touch, and the pleasure of owning something with a story behind it. That appreciation has long lived on Harlem’s streets, in its music, fashion, and unmistakable sense of presence. We began there for a reason. Wherever these gifts travel, that spirit brings us home.
This Month’s Featured Articles
Buying Black can bring joy to the people on your gift list while supporting the businesses behind the gifts. Our November cover story explores Harlem’s entrepreneurial legacy, the economic realities facing Black owners, and the power of shopping with intention year-round.
The best gifts feel personal. Discover eleven picks for the cooks, culture lovers, hosts, and style originals on your list, featuring Harlem-rooted makers and standout Black-owned brands.
Bring holiday shopping back Uptown. Visit thirteen Harlem-connected businesses for books, distinctive style, sweet treats, fragrances, and gifts with real neighborhood character.
Luxury is more interesting when it has a point of view. Explore six gifts in fragrance, leather, jewelry, and design from Black-founded creative houses.
A memorable gift does not need a big price tag. Shop nine expressive finds under $50, from illustrated books and tea to a Harlem Boy Collection mug and heavyweight tee.
Let imagination lead. Seven gifts—from Harlem picture books and dolls to puzzles, crayons, and a coding kit—invite children to see themselves, play boldly, and keep asking questions.
