Designer’s Gift Guide: Bay Area Edition

A Few of Our Favorites

We've rounded up a few of our favorite gifts for designers by designers in the Bay Area. Spend your holiday giving back to not just the people in your life but people on a mission to make good in the community and beyond.

Atelier Dion Mug

Oakland-based husband and wife duo, Jay and Ria Dion met at California College of the Arts and began their small-scale production pottery studio, Atelier Dion in 2011. You've likely sipped from one of their mugs at Sightglass, Four Barrel or the Mill, but did you know that these mugs come in a rainbow of colors?!

Shop: Atelier Dion

Borscht Tote: Cipe Pineles

Cipe Pineles was one of the most influential yet unsung art directors of the 20th century. Now her vibrant legacy comes to light in the new book Leave Me Alone With the Recipes: The Life, Art & Cookbook of Cipe Pineles (Bloomsbury, 2017) featuring dozens of unpublished paintings, recipes, and stories of her remarkable life and work.

Shop: Cipe Pineles

Brainstorm Socks

Designed by Ideo alum, Beau Bergeron, these socks feature tried and true brainstorming sticky notes! The perfect gift for all of the design thinkers out there.

Shop:Teespring

Explorations in Typography

Winner of the AIGA + Design Observer 50 Books/50 Covers 2016 and Type Director’s Club (TDC no. 63) Certificate of Excellence 2017, this typography must have, has recently been expanded to include more typesetting examples, more typefaces and a visual index of page layouts and grids. The updated edition, written by Carolina de Bartolo, includes excerpts from Stephen Coles and Erik Spiekermann.

Shop:Explorations in Typography

Dandelion: Making Chocolate

A serious San Francisco favorite, Dandelion Chocolate's complete guide to making your own chocolate! A gift that really keeps on giving.

Shop: Dandelion Chocolate

Case for Making Watercolors

Drool-worthy handmade watercolors and custom ceramic palettes. Located in the Outer Sunset is worth the trek. Hint: The Aesthetic Union, next to Tartine Manufactory in the Mission also carries a limited supply of CFM watercolors.

Shop: Case for Making 4036 Judah Street @ 46th Ave

In the Company of Women

In the Company of Women: Inspiration and Advice from over 100 Makers, Artists and Entrepreneurs features a few of the Bay Area's own such as singer, songwriter Thao Nguyen, Oakland chef Preeti Mistry, and artist, designer Christine Schmidt, among many others. Every creative woman should have this on their bookshelf.

Shop: Powell's Books

Ideo Design Kit Travel Pack

Two-gifts at once as the Travel Kit also benefits Ideo.org and human centered design! Help them put their design tools in the hands of problem-solvers everywhere.

Shop: Ideo Kickstarter

Fingerprint No. 2 Postcard Set

Joyfully illustrated and wonderful to the touch, this set of 8 postcards celebrates design thoughtfully engaged with handwork. Beautifully and expertly letterpressed by our friends at Full Circle Press, the cards include quotes by design luminaries Stefan Bucher, Christian Helms, Michael Mabry, Debbie Millman and Robynne Raye. Chen Design Associates designed and illustrated the set, originally created to promote the release of our book Fingerprint No. 2.

Shop: Chen Design

Playful Presents: Fomosapians

One of a kind ceramic vessels hand made by Tergel Pure. Grab one up while you still can!

Shop:Playful Presents

AIGA SF Event Gift Certificates

For a limited time, you can purchase a gift certificates to our events. Perfect for colleagues, employees, design students or just someone that you know who loves design and AIGA SF! We'll send you a printable voucher that you can wrap, stuff or email. Simply select Gift Certificate as the ticket type.

Purchase via AIGA SF Eventbrite

AIGA SF Gift Donation

Make a donation to AIGA SF in someone's name to be included on our forthcoming Gratitude Page. Your gift will support our mission to offer education and scholarships, tools and resources, unparalleled networking opportunities, mentorship and inspiration. Donate to AIGA SF in Someone's Name