16 Valentine's Day gifts for designers

Valentine’s Day is right around the corner and if your other half – or secret crush – is a creative type, chances are the traditional chocolates and flowers might not cut it this romantic season. 

So, we’ve put together a list of gifts with the designer in mind; through sleek and innovative branding, helpful practicality or just a plain nice-looking present, these last minute treats will show you care about the creative in your life.

01. Illustrated cards

There are so many cards to choose from when it comes to Valentine’s Day but why not go for something a little different this year? Illustrators Nikki Farquharson and Alex Screen are among some of our favourites, with their ace typography skills and er, interesting character design.

02. Enamel pins

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Is your partner pop culture crazy? These pins will be the perfect present

Is your partner pop culture crazy? These pins will be the perfect present

Is your partner pop culture crazy? These pins will be the perfect present

Picking out your partner’s favourite pop culture character in enamel pin form is probably one of the most romantic things you could do. Heartificial have a massive range of cute designs featuring characters from Friends to Daria, Gilmore Girls to The Office and Jurassic Park to cult Wes Anderson characters.

• 11 inspiring design toys for your desk

If you’re looking for something more Valentine-focused, why not try the first one on our mini-gallery above from Diglot etc?

03. Typochocolate

A simple box of chocolates from the corner shop just won’t do if it’s for a creative. Instead, we’ve found this typography-inspired treat created by Montreal-based design studio, Dynamo. Featuring positive messages, such as "heck yes" and "best day ever" in original typographic designs, this will be a sweet gift for your loved one.

04. Tattly temp tattoos

Tattoos are one of the best ways you can express your creativity and your other half may already have a few. However, if your partner isn’t quite ready to take the plunge, Tattly’s range of gorgeous temporary tattoos are the perfect present. They’ve also just launched a their ‘heartfelt’ collection just in time for Valentine’s Day.

05. CMYK cuff links

CMYK is a go-to choice when it comes to picking out a present for your creative partner. If they like getting suited-and-booted, you can’t go wrong with some CMYK cuff-links from Etsy maker Fairycakes. Their enamel finish and colourful execution will make your loved one’s shirt stand out from the crowd.

06. CMYK necklace

Or perhaps they’re looking for something a little more dainty? An accessory that screams style, the CMYK necklace is a brilliant pick if your partner wants to show off their love of all things Cyan, Yellow, Magenta and Black. 

07. Valentine’s pencils

Pretty much any creative uses a pencil. Whether it’s for straight-up sketching or to write down a new idea in their notebook, you can make their simple tool sweeter with these cute Valentine’s Day theme pencils. There’s even a science-themed one if your creative partner’s interests lie a little further afield.

08. Ico Bottle Opener

Everyone knows that a creative loves to crack open a beer on a Friday afternoon; you might have even bought them some extra-special tipple to mark the most romantic day of the year. Thankfully, they won’t have to open their beverages with your usual run-of-the-mill bottle opener thanks to this gorgeous, 3D-printed design from Othr.

Next page: eight more Valentine's Day gifts for designers