30 Uniquely South Bank gifts

Stand-out Socks 

You can never go wrong with socks at Christmas, right?! Up your festive sock gifting game this year with something original.

For thespians pick up some William Shakes-Feet socks from the National Theatre Bookshop or for film-loving hipsters the BFI has some iconic patterns, including socks inspired by the Overlook Hotel from Kubrick’s The Shining.

And for something fun and quirky Brand Academy at Oxo Tower Wharf stocks themed novelty socks that come complete with novelty packaging (yes the beer socks come inside a beer can!).

South Bank prints & posters

From bold statement posters to framed screenprints, a South Bank-inspired artwork makes a wonderful gift for any devoted art and design fan.

Explore the exhibition poster collection at the Hayward Gallery shop, where you can buy posters from contemporary art shows past and present. At the Southbank Centre Shop on Mandela Walk check out the colourful South Bank London poster series, each themed after the seasons.

For a unique artwork visit Gabriel’s Wharf, home to two friendly galleries specialising in print art and works on paper. At Southbank Printmakers the collection of mini- and midi- prints with works by more than 40 printmakers to choose from. Skylark Galleries studio also represents dozens of artists working in a range of mediums. Their fine art prints collection includes highly giftable and eye-catching images inspired by iconic South Bank scenes.

Quirky accessories

For those fashion-conscious friends and loved ones, consider investing in a unique statement handbag, a cosy cashmere hat or a luxurious artist-designed silk scarf.

Regarding statement handbags, they don’t come much bolder than Vendula, an all-vegan handbag label known for their quirky and whimsical designs. In addition to handbags and shoppers, Vendula's beautiful little shop at Gabriel's Wharf also sells backpacks, purses, clutch bags and cute phone cases in an incredible array of designs.

On the first floor of Oxo Tower Wharf printmaker and designer Patrick Morrison’s Furious Goose brings together bold designs, bright colour and crisp digital shapes with luxurious high-quality materials. Their signature silk scarves and pocket squares are veritable wearable artworks, as are their gorgeous merino wool, cashmere and pashmina scarves.

When it comes to winter wear, forget the high street and support a local maker instead. Find a great selection of (15) handmade bucket hats in various materials including faux fur, velvet or corduroy at Heads Rule Hearts. Joanne Plumb is another local maker with a shop here. Specialising in handmade wool items, there’s a wide range of winter scarves and gloves in luxurious materials including cashmere and merino.

Extra special stationery

Southbank Centre’s Block Scene range is inspired by the angular shapes of the site’s iconic Brutalist buildings. In addition to water bottles, t-shirts, tote bags and umbrellas, you can also get a Block Scene notebook from their Royal Festival Hall shop.

The National Theatre Bookshop has a beautiful range of notebooks, although we recommend the Cyanotype for something distinctly South Bank. An exclusive design created in collaboration with architect Will Creech, the Cyanotype notebook is handmade in Scotland from recycled leather, with the distinctive cyanotype pattern on the cover taking direct inspiration from Denys Lasdun’s vision for the National Theatre.

Wagumi at Oxo Tower is a small boutique specialising in Japanese handmade gifts. Their selection of traditional gilding washi postcards are perfect for those who place special value on the art of letter writing. Crafters will also be delighted with their beautiful Japanese origami paper.

And finally, for that perfect Christmas card to suit every personality? You’ll find the biggest range of greeting cards in the Brand Academy shop at Oxo Tower Wharf. Whether you want something with a savage sense of humour, a chirpy and colourful card to dazzle a toddler, a novelty music-playing card or something suitably warm and cheerful for a beloved grandparent, this is the spot.

A really good read

Head to the newly revamped branch of Foyles at Waterloo Station for all the essential bestsellers, or visit their sister branch at the Royal Festival Hall where you can often find books on sale that have been signed by the authors themselves. The collection of beautifully bound hardbacks of classic novels currently on sale make for particularly nice gifts.

The BFI Shop at BFI Southbank stocks a comprehensive range of books about and by filmmakers, while you won’t find a bigger selection of books related to all things theatre, actors and acting than the National Theatre Bookshop.

For poetry lovers the Southbank Centre shop inside Royal Festival Hall boasts a finely curated selection of poetry anthologies – Brian Bilston’s And So this is Christmas is a festive favourite.

All things Paddington Bear

If there are children (or for that matter, grown-ups!) in your life who adore all things Paddington Bear, make sure to pop into the charming Mr Gruber's, the official shop of The Paddington Bear Experience in County Hall. Inspired by the magical shop from the Paddington stories, it's a lovely space packed to the rafters with official Paddington Bear goodies, ranging from books and plushies to T-shirts, tote bags and the most adorable 'please look after this bear' luggage tags.

Sparkling jewellery

South Bank is heaven for those with a passion for one-of-a-kind jewellery.

For unique handmade pieces that you won’t find anywhere else Oxo Tower Wharf is a must-visit. Meet the makers themselves at the small and enticing owner-run studio shops. Favourites include the Jewellery Designers’ Collective (JeDeCo), Loveness Lee and Alan Vallis.

For something more mainstream there’s Oliver Bonas or Accessorize at Waterloo Station, and if it's novelty you're after snap up a laser-cut necklace or a pair of earrings from National Theatre’s popular bespoke collection created with artist Amber Joy.

A bit of pampering

After Christmas comes the long month of January – a perfect time to stay home and pamper yourself.

The agua spa at Sea Containers London is selling a special Christmas hamper this year, put together by all-natural luxury spa products label Hedgerow. The Hedegrow Hamper includes a signature body scrub, bath & body oil, muscle relief balm, lemon-infused essence and super salve balm, all beautifully packaged.

Waterloo Station also has some great options for picking up winter pampering gift sets. Head to Lush on the station concourse where there’s a huge selection of Christmas pampering hampers wrapped in the funkiest packaging. Over at The Sidings drop by Kiehl’s and shop their limited-edition Christmas range of gift sets for him and her.

And finally... the Novelty Mug!

Struggling with what to buy your colleagues for this year’s Secret Santa? A novelty mug is always an easy winner. In fact, the same goes for distant relatives, awkward teens and anybody else who you might not know exactly what they want...

The quirky gift emporium Brand Academy at Oxo Tower Wharf has a massive selection of novelty mugs to match every interest – from Mandalorian helmets to all things Harry Potter, while if the office team is upping their sustainability credentials this year, there’s a great selection of travel mugs to choose from.