What Gen Z's Coolest Editors, Stylists, and Creatives Are Giving (and Getting) This Holiday Season
Gen Z Says is a bimonthly column chronicling Wholesale Replica Bag trends in the fashion-and-beauty space through the lens ofBest Knockoff Luxury Clothing 's own Gen Z editors. Expect a download on the upcoming class of tastemakers, emerging designers, and shopping and style choices straight from the generation setting the trends.
There's a particular kind of magic that happens when you ask Gen Z's most stylish, plugged-in tastemakers what they actually want for the holidays. It's not algorithm-approved best sellers or last-minute panic purchases. Instead, it's all about the objects—beautiful, clever, useful, or just delightfully unserious—that genuinely spark joy for the people shaping the zeitgeist right now. In essence, that's the spirit behind this year's Gen Z gift guide: a curation from the editors, stylists, creatives, and digital multi-hyphenates who define our generation's sensibility, each with a distinct vision, craft, or aesthetic lens.
What emerged from these conversations is a refreshingly intentional approach to gift giving. Our picks aren't about excess for excess's sake. They're about thoughtfulness, pleasure, and the small luxuries that make everyday life better, whether that's a velvet eye mask for the friend romantically devoted to their sleep routine, a viral hairbrush for post-subway hair recovery, a device designed to curb terrifyingly high screen-time habits, or a list of charitable organizations worthy of meaningful end-of-year donations. There are indulgences, too, including an engagement-ring upgrade, the perfect It-girl phone case, and a cult-favorite lip gloss we're all still obsessed with.
As lifelong gift givers, we've learned that the best gifts are the ones chosen with intention, not impulse. Our hope is that these taste-driven, deeply personal recommendations inspire your own holiday gifting, whether you're shopping for your Gen Z friends, coworkers, and family members or even treating yourself (which you absolutely should).
Ella Emhoff
Ella Emhoff is a Brooklyn-based multidisciplinary creative known for her boundary-pushing knitwear, playful design sensibility, and growing footprint in the fashion and art worlds. A model, designer, and visual artist, she brings a quirky, craft-driven perspective to contemporary style, shaping conversations around individuality and the future of independent fashion. Emhoff is also the creator of Soft Hands Craft Club.
I always feel a lot of stress around holiday gift giving—this mix of pressure to top whatever you did last year and a looming antsiness about getting it right. This year, I'm focusing more on gifts centered on health and wellness mixed with goodies from my favorite independent brands. The last thing the people in my life need is more stuff, especially useless stuff. I want to be intentional about what I'm buying, really evaluating whether it will be a positive addition to someone's day-to-day.
To be fair, I usually prioritize handmade gifts, but I know that isn't accessible for everyone, so I always encourage tapping the crafty people in your life to step in.
I love all of Makena [Andros]'s one-of-one pieces, but I was deeply excited when she released this basic cotton sweater. I'm always on the hunt for cotton knitwear (I run hot, and wool can feel suffocating), so this is very high on my wish list.
Okay… I know this looks wild—just hear me out. Bailey [Hikawa] sent me this phone case years ago, and I tried it on my phone just for a laugh. I didn't take it off for three years until I upgraded my phone. It's incredibly comfortable in your hand.
There are many things I could say about how awesome this case is, but the highest compliment I can offer is that it survived falling off a cliff without a scratch.
My dear friend Danya convinced all of us to get this app blocker as a way to recenter our lives in reality, and it truly hasn't disappointed. Once you get over the existential dread of being at the point where we need something like this to get off our phones, it's actually a great product and a great gift.
One of the best gifts you can give during the holidays is helping others. Too many people are experiencing food insecurity with inconsistent support from the people in charge. So many organizations have stepped up to give people access to food and a healthier life. This is of my favorite New York based organizations along with One Love Community Fridge.
PJ Middleton
PJ Middleton is the founder of Peej PR, a New York based digital communications and bespoke consulting agency. Middleton is also the voice behind Prêt-à-Peej, her Substack newsletter that effortlessly blends industry insight, personal perspective, and fashion commentary with styling advice.
I'm feeling especially grateful this holiday season, which has me thinking about gifts that genuinely enhance the everyday. I'm drawn to thoughtful upgrades, the little luxuries that make the mundane meaningful. At the top of my list this year (to give or receive) is a forever clutch, my go-to basics, and the beauty essentials I can't imagine my routine without, each one tried-and-true.
I never leave the house without an Ân-Gloss, and I always swipe before bed for the perfect overnight pout.
At the very top of my wish list if I can get my hands on one. Feels like a two-for-one: a chic clutch with a removable strap for an easy over-the-shoulder moment.
Without a doubt, my favorite basics. Luxe, elevated, and the kind of quality you feel the second you slip it on.
I'm a lifelong snail-mail lover. There's real power in a handwritten note, and personalized stationery makes it all the more special.
Stephanie Mazuera
Stephanie Mazuera is a New York based, Miami-born fine jeweler celebrated for her meticulous craftsmanship and intimate approach to bespoke design. Specializing in custom engagement rings and one-of-a-kind wearable pieces of art, Mazuera blends old-world techniques with a modern, sculptural sensibility.
This year, I'm excited to give and receive the kinds of little luxuries that elevate the everyday, pieces that feel personal, sensory, and indulgent. A lot of people in my family, including myself, tend to be more practical when shopping for themselves, but I love to give them beautifully made essentials that make daily routines feel more considered. My wish list leans into thoughtful items people might not buy for themselves but will reach for constantly.
As a kid, princess cake was my favorite part of visiting my family in Sweden. Luckily for me, princess cakes seem to be trending at the moment, and I'm not complaining. I love the idea of filling my New York apartment with the nostalgic sweet almond scent reminiscent of my childhood.
My husband and I got engaged the year I graduated college—just before I began designing engagement rings myself. Our budget was small, our taste was still evolving, and I cherish my original ring for exactly what it represents. But now that I spend my days creating dream rings for other people, I've naturally started thinking about how I'd redesign my own. The pressure is real, but this old European cut ring I just finished had me seriously tempted to slip it on and call it my holiday upgrade.
Scent is so personal and unique to a person, so it can understandably feel like a hard thing to gift. I typically wear the same scent every day. My favorite for the last few years is Orphéon by Diptyque. It's sophisticated, clean, and feels very unisex. I'm in need of a refill, so this is at the top of my wish list this year!
I think giving (or receiving!) a classic cashmere piece is always a good idea. Lately, I've been very into bonnets, headscarves, and ways to keep warm that feel grandma chic. I love a cashmere bandana for its versatility. You can wear it as a scarf, wrap it around your shoulders, or use it as a scarf.
Daniela Guevara
Daniela Guevara is the associate social media manager atBest Knockoff Luxury Clothing , where she shapes the brand's digital voice through trend-forward storytelling, sharp cultural instincts, and a keen understanding of what drives conversation online.
I am really excited to gift a mix of handmade items and gifts that my friends won't expect. I think the key to gifting is to really listen to your friends' passions and hobbies and pick a gift that could be useful or just touch their inner child's heart, whether it's handmade or bought. I'm excited to hopefully receive vintage anything and stationery knickknacks for my journal's ecosystem. Also, it's so fun to conceptualize my gift-wrapping aesthetic for the year. It really makes me feel like Kris Jenner.
I'm not the best sleeper I'll admit. I don't think I ever actually hit my REM cycle, but in 2026, I want to prioritize a better night routine for the winter. What better way to do it [than] waking up like a princess? The tassels—are you kidding me? Chic!
It actually took me a while to understand the hype around this style, but [I'm] seeing the vintage ones floating around Poshmark and The RealReal. The lock detail really adds a flair to any outfit, and I'm just a sucker for boho-chic anything.
I've recently got back into journaling after a hiatus, but seeing Louise Carmen TikToks really unlocked my love for writing again. The Ernest leather cover is perfect for holding a passport and two notebooks, which is perfect for travel and writing down intrusive thoughts en route!
I've been loyal to the Glossier You scent for about years now, and I can't get enough. I've gone through multiple candles. My latest empty jar holds my pens. This [is a] gift I might just have to gift myself!
Ana Escalante
Ana Escalante is the associate features editor atBest Knockoff Luxury Clothing , where she works on thoughtful features, celebrity profiles, and data-driven trend guides. She runs White Whale, a Substack newsletter devoted to size-inclusive fashion and other musings.
As a tried-and-true, deep earth sign, my life revolves around material comforts and the little luxuries that make every day feel intentional. My love language has always been gift giving, and I take pride in my meticulously maintained Notes app tabs—ongoing lists of things my friends and family casually mention wanting throughout the year. Naturally, I keep one for myself too.
While I'm no stranger to the occasional splurge, I've learned to curb impulse gifting, whether for others or myself, by letting items sit on the list for a while. If something still feels meaningful weeks or months later, that's when I know it's worth buying. It's my personal system of accountability, a way to stay thoughtful about both spending and my generation's tendency toward overconsumption. In the end, it helps me give gifts that feel intentional, memorable, and genuinely wanted.
My sleep schedule is horrifically bad. It's so bad that my friends, Oura Ring, and primary care doctor tell me I need to "get my life together." Although it's a process of baby steps, I've been able to minimize the appearance of my deep-set dark circles by freezing under-eye patches and wearing them for an hour or two while doing chores around my house. Unfortunately, most of them have been single-use, so this season, I'm asking for reusable under-eye patches that are much more environmentally friendly that I can keep in my skincare drawer and travel pouches.
I got engaged earlier this year, and since then, I've become fascinated with collecting heirloom jewelry pieces that will complement my wedding-day wardrobe and serve as beautiful reminders of this time in my life. I'm eyeing a true investment piece I can one day pass down to my children: this weighty lab-grown tennis bracelet. I already have a very dainty tennis bracelet I wear every day in silver, but this gold-set piece comes at a much higher carat weight and lower cost per wear than the one I was gifted years ago, so in my eyes, it's cause for some girl math.
Over the last year, I've dived into haircare, mainly how to preserve my thinning hair due to hormones and stress. After doing a lengthy deep dive into the best boar-bristle hairbrushes, I've decided the It-girl brush I'd like to invest in is from the French brand La Bonne Brosse. I'm not a big color girl, but the brand released this black version just in time for the holidays, and it's calling my name.
If changing my aesthetic was as easy as changing my phone case, I'd do it in a heartbeat. For me, it's about the simple joys in life, and amassing tons of silly little phone cases is one of the ways I can feel like changing my outfit or my mood. I've loved everything from Wildflower Cases since I first discovered the brand when I was in high school, but its latest polka-dot collection is really doing it for me.
Shop More Gen Z Gifts
