Apollo Magazine

Exit through the gift shop

Apollo’s editors pick out some arty stocking fillers, from a glow-in-the-dark Leonardo figurine to Mondrian-inspired socks

Queen Victoria’s Christmas Tree at Windsor Castle (1850), James Roberts.

Queen Victoria’s Christmas Tree at Windsor Castle (1850), James Roberts. Photo: Creative Commons/via Flickr (user: irinaraquel)

With the festive season upon us, Apollo’s editors have picked out their favourite gifts from museum and gallery shops.

Design Museum

It comes as no surprise that the Design Museum’s shop has some excellently designed products – such as this zippy umbrella to brighten up the inevitably dreary months ahead.

DavidDavid Arrow Print Umbrella, £95, www.designmuseumshop.com

 House of Voltaire

Get wrapped up in Rose Wylie with this luxury cashmere blanket. (Note: made to order with a production time of two to four weeks.)

Rose Wylie 100% Cashmere Blanket, £1,200, www.houseofvoltaire.org

National Gallery

Forget Buzz Lightyear or any of the more muscular Marvel figurines; the action figure everyone needs in their life is surely a hirsute, sandal-wearing Leonardo da Vinci. Here is the ultimate Renaissance man: draughtsman, painter, sculptor, inventor, mathematician, engineer… You name it, he has the superpower – even glow-in-the-dark facial hair.

Leonarda da Vinci Figurine, £28, www.nationalgallery.co.uk

And if bearded artists are your thing at Christmas, why not complement the baubles on your tree with an embroidered miniature Van Gogh? Hurry while stocks last: ear today, gone tomorrow…

Vincent Van Gogh Christmas Decoration, £10, www.nationalgallery.co.uk

Royal Academy of Arts

Ever wanted to smell like an Antony Gormley sculpture? Now’s your chance. It’s lucky Azzi Glasser, Gormley’s scent-making collaborator and award-winning perfume designer, has such ironclad credentials – past celebrity clients include Kylie Minogue, Helena Bonham Carter and Orlando Bloom.

Antony Gormley Limited Edition Iron Eau de Parfum 50ml, £150, www.shop.royalacademy.org.uk

Tate

No stocking is complete without some novelty socks: the abstract pattern of this Mondrian-inspired pair may be, if anything, too tasteful.

Chatty Feet Mondrian socks, £8.50, www.shop.tate.org.uk

Continuing the geometric theme, why not add a silk pocket square inspired by the work of Frank Bowling – Apollo’s Artist of the Year 2019?

Frank Bowling After Matisse limited-edition pocket square, £85, www.shop.tate.org.uk

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