Christmas Gift Guide - The Last Minute Edition!

Happy Monday! The week may have started off a little rainy and cold but there are only five working days separating us from the festivities and well deserved time off. Only five tiny days between us happily retreating to the sofa, opening a box of chocolates and enjoying a much needed glass of bubbly. Now, that is something to truly celebrate and look forward to! If you've been super organised this year with presents, gift wrapping and everything in between, you can ease into the smugness of having the festive season ticked off. However, if like us, you're a bit of a panic shopper and there is a big ol' list of presents still waiting to be sorted out, our last minute gift guide is here to help. With three last minute gift ideas for him and her, you will have all your outstanding gifts ticked off in no time. Time saved panicking about gifts = more time for festive drinks, right?

For Her 

So whether you're shopping for friends, mums, sister or grandmas - we truly have something for every gal in your life. Our luxe Clemmie tote comes in a range of shades and is perfect for a special lady in your life while our Flora and Clara  pieces are perfect for sisters, best friends and your girl squad. We also love a touch of personalisation with our monogrammed key rings - the perfect stocking filler or Secret Santa Piece. All the pieces mentioned come in a wide array of colours for you to mix and match - we just couldn't resist showing you our glitzier numbers for the festive season!

For Him

And what about the boys? We hear you ask. Don't worry, we have gift giving sorted for them as well.

Our Lou Tote is simply a no brainer when it comes to charming the gentleman in your life while an assortment of our roomiest wash bags is perfect for the jet setters who need to carry shaving balm, toiletries and tech equipment around the globe. As for the girls, we also can't resist a key ring perhaps with a special date or nickname engraved in gold.


Happy Last Minute Shopping - don't forget our signature gift boxes are back this year in three sizes to   add a festive touch to your presents!

Love,

Pepper Alley HQ X 

Father's Day Goodies!

Happy Hump Day from all of us at Pepper Alley! As we are getting closer to Father's Day, we thought we would share our favourite pieces with you which are sure to impress the boys in your life. Remember, there is still time for you to grab some Father's Day goodies from our website and, why not, personalise your leather totes and accessories with our signature engraving service making the gift giving experience all the more special.

For The Dad Who Works in the City - Our Lou tote is perfect for those busy dads who are constantly rushing in a whirl of business meetings, family responsibilities and daily errands. This gorgeous leather tote is a real multi tasker effortlessly taking the modern gentleman from office to gym and after work drinks in the City. Our Lou tote looks incredibly elegant both when heading into the work or jetting out of London for a quick weekend away from the office - the perfect present if you are looking to spoil your dad rotten this Father's Day.

For the Creative Dad -   His office is a mess of crumpled up pieces of paper and old newspapers, he is impossible to get hold of when inspiration strikes and his head is always a little in the clouds. You wouldn't change your creative dad for the world and this Father's Day, you are looking to treat him with a little gift he can use everyday. Our Edie pencil case sits perfectly on his desk, is miniature enough for the bare essentials in his cluttered life and works perfectly to remind him of his loved one while he is busy drawing or writing.

For the Sentimental Dad -  He always remembers when you have an important meeting or exam, was there when your first boyfriend broke your heart and has a picture of you and your siblings as his phone screensaver. For this total softie of a dad, you will need something as thoughtful as he is and that is why our Ollie personalised key rings are the perfect gift for him. Our iconic keyring with its signature Italian leather and chunky silver hardware can be personalised as you wish and is the perfect present for a dad who needs to be reminded that you are always close to him, regardless of physical distance.

Ultimately, while it's funny to find the 'perfect' gift for Dad depending on his passion, there is never such thing as a 'creative' or 'sentimental' dad only but instead a parent with a myriad of characteristics, interests and personality trait which makes him so unique. Similarly, the dad figures in our life may not be our actual dad but grandads, brothers, uncles and friends. Whoever you're buying for, we hope we have given you a little inspiration and, as always, do not hesitate to drop us a message if you have any questions about our products.

Lots of Love,

Pepper Alley HQ X 

An Addition to Our Clemmie

More often that not when buying a present, or treating ourselves to a little something, it is the little things that truly make the gift giving and receiving experience. What does the packaging look like? How is the tissue paper decorated and what will it hold? There are lots of little touches that add to the experience and here at Pepper Alley, we see ourselves as little gift giving elves running around our open plan office, always thinking of ways to enhance the Pepper Alley story for our customers.

This is why we are delighted to show you our new dust bags ready to hold and protect our precious Clemmie Totes to ensure they reach our customers safely. The creamy nature of our Italian leather products and the wide range of colours available means it is paramount to protect the bags and for this reason, we take every step to look after our products from the second they are made to the time they reach our customers and beyond.

Another thing that's dear to us at Pepper Alley? Working with like minded small businesses. That's why we were delighted to collaborate with Rose from Postbox Party, another Not on The High Street Partner to design these bags - with the iconic Pepper Alley logo and in a simple cotton design, they will protect your Clemmie en route and can be used to store your Pepper Alley goodies or as shoppers to take with you when shopping or hitting the gym.

You can find Rose and her business here. Alternatively, you can find Post Box Party on Instagram. We hope you love this new addition as much as we do and remember to share your thoughts with us on Instagram and Twitter. The dust bag is available with the Clemmie tote which you can shop right here.

Love, 

Pepper Alley HQ X 

Dear Dad, Thank You!

From fragrance to fashion to DIY tips and advice on bad boyfriends, we have an awful lot to thank our dads for!

It all started with an old article, one of those you loved reading and cherish in a memory box despite it being all crumpled up and almost illegible as the years inevitably make their mark on the ink. This particular one was courtesy of Annabel Meggeson at Red Magazine and reflected on the evocative power of male fragrance.  Meggeson explored fragrance and romance yet, on reading, we were instantly transported back into a childhood reverie of Sunday mornings, fresh croissants and dad's Hugo Boss waltzing round the kitchen as he read the morning papers. 

Nowadays, thanks to the phenomenon of brands such as Jo Malone, it is fashionable for women to wear male fragrance and a cloud of Dior's Sauvage on the tube radiating from an impeccably dressed woman is not uncommon. This truly got us thinking about how much we borrow from male fashion daily and, particularly, how many things we owe to our dads so to all the fathers, in no particular order, thank you for:

Your free advice from everything from finance to DIY:  You know the drill, you have just moved into your new flat and you just want to shout 'INDEPENDENCE' from the rooftops. You know exactly what decor style you're going for, you have the pinterest boards ready and you're planning your housewarming canapé menu until disaster strikes and you realise you need a hand with the painting, the floorboards and just about everything in this new house of yours. Cue the panic text to dad who loving comes around to help at no extra cost not counting numerous cups of tea throughout the day!

The Unlikely Fashion Inspiration: Had you told us twenty years ago that we would have been taking style inspiration from our dads, we would have laughed at you yet it is hard to deny that the 'dad charm' has taken the fashion world by storm. Think plaid shirts, fitted tailoring and structured silhouttes; yes, you've guessed it, if you're looking for us we will be raiding dad's closet!

The Free Taxi Service: 'Don't worry, I'll call an Uber', you shouted as you rolled your eyes ready to leave the house. However, it's now 2am, it's raining, you're in high heels and your modern day carriage has effectively stood you up as you refresh the app for the millionth time. Yep, little does it matter if you're thirteen or thirty, if it's late and you're stranded, you're calling dad.

The Right Word at Exactly the Right Time:  Dads sometimes get a bad rep for saying the wrong thing at the wrong time and being just a little clueless especially in relation to their teenage daughters. However, one day or more times than that (depending on how lucky you got with your dad!) the miracle will happen and your father will suprise you ; be it a mention at a new band you love, unexpected  yet informed advice into the world of social media or a snide remark at an ex boyfriend you hate, your father will completely surprise you and you will feel just a tiny bit proud!

So here we have it, a little thank you list for dads all over the world in time for Father's Day! And if you want to spoil pops this Father's Day, do treat him to a Lou Tote perfect for work and travel and impeccably stylish with its urban feel and creamy Italian leather!

Happy Father's Day!

Love,

Pepper Alley HQ X