Must-have goods for fans

Wes Anderson fans are a special kind of movie buff, and shopping for them can be a fun piece in itself. Thankfully, you can find some great items online if you look in the right places. Think symmetry, pastels, nostalgia, and tactile analog treasures that look like they came straight out of a labeled prop closet.

This season’s best Wes-inspired gifts nod to the director’s fairytale world without feeling costumey, spanning collector editions, statement baubles, and accessories that practically beg to be placed in a satisfying central flatlay. In other words, an item worthy of the Margot, Gustave, or Steve Zissou in your life.

Check out the ultimate Wes Anderson gift guide for shopping this year below.

The Wes Anderson Archive: Ten Films, Twenty-Five Years, on sale at Barnes & Noble for $249.99 (regularly $499.99), features the director’s first ten films, from 1996’s Bottle Rocket to 2021’s Sunset in Liberty, Kansas, on a Criterion Collection 4K Ultra HD disc. This is a must-have item for Wes Anderson fans, especially during the holiday season.

Anderson’s latest work is a fascinating departure from his previous work. The 90-minute film stars Venetio del Toro as businessman Zaza Korda, who happens to be one of the richest men in Europe. Sleapleton plays his daughter, a nun named Sister Liesel, and Serra makes her long-awaited Anderson film debut as governess Bjorn Lund. This hardcover combines the complete script with a photo gallery and interviews with Anderson himself, making it a collector’s item for movie buffs.

The 288-page book is chronologically organized, showcasing Narbonne’s years of research and film expertise, and covers every short film and film Anderson has ever directed, including behind-the-scenes stories about how each project was conceived, cast, and produced. Narbonne also explores the director’s unique filmmaking style, his relationships with regular cast members such as Owen Wilson and Bill Murray, and the recurring themes in his stories. Also included are hundreds of photographs celebrating the visual images that made Anderson a cult favorite director.

A beautifully symmetrical confection of mid-century Americana, “Asteroid City” maps Anderson’s aesthetic onto the dusty stage of the 1955 Desert Games. This copy of the play includes full-color stills and a roundtable with Anderson himself (and his usual staff), inviting fans to peer behind the curtain at this meticulously constructed and eccentric world.

The latest volume of the best-selling “Wes Anderson Collection” series is finally here. Official behind-the-scenes look at Anderson’s 10th feature film, The French Dispatch. The 256-page book details everything that goes into bringing Anderson’s trademark style, meticulous composition, and rigorous production design to the screen. Written by film and television critic and New York Times bestselling author Matt Zoller Seitz, The Wes Anderson Collection: The French Dispatch tells the complete story behind the film’s conception, anecdotes about the film’s production, behind-the-scenes photos, production materials, and artwork.

Asteroid City comes with yet another companion book to the collection that inspired Wes Anderson’s latest film. The book brings together new and classic writing on midcentury film and the American West, as well as an exclusive interview with director Anderson, in which he details how each work influenced the film’s characters, story, and setting.

A #1 bestseller since its release in 2020, this captivating photo book celebrates Wes Anderson’s stunning visual imagery. Part travel guide, part visual adventure, this stunning book features more than 200 of the most beautiful, most singular, and most “Wes Anderson-esque” destinations around the world, known for their whimsical landscapes and cinematic aesthetics. Anderson helped Koval hand-pick the destinations featured on each page, with a very real, human story behind each photo.

This fall, take notes from Franklin Bean by making your own alcoholic cider. This DIY kit won’t be able to ferment and brew hard cider in just seconds like Fantastic Mr. Fox’s magical machine, but it comes pretty close. This all-in-one kit includes 10 no-twist-off bottles plus all the equipment you need to make up to 3 batches of delicious, bubbly alcoholic cider at home. Paired with this stylish carafe, it rivals Mr. Bean’s cider jug.

It might be difficult to recreate the delicious cream-filled pastry called courtesan au chocolat from the Grand Budapest Hotel, but you can take this classic pink mug with you to the quirky Mendl’s Bakery.

No one wears a red beret like Rushmore Academy’s Max Fisher. He’s the eccentric 15-year-old who is the central character in Anderson’s beloved 1998 film. Whether you want to dress up as Jason Schwartzman’s character for Halloween or give your style a Parisian twist, you can’t go wrong with a classic red beret.

Every Wes Anderson fan has a special fondness for the director’s acclaimed 1996 feature debut, Bottle Rocket, starring Owen and Luke Wilson. This Criterion Collection Blu-ray set includes a documentary about the making of Bottle Rocket from director Barry Braverman, as well as commentary from Anderson and co-screenwriter Owen Wilson. Additionally, the box set includes a booklet with 11 deleted scenes and an essay by executive producer James L. Brooks.

Aside from Ben Stiller’s red tracksuit and Gwenyth Paltrow’s fur coat, one of the most memorable visual elements of Anderson’s 2001 film is its richly decorated walls. Bring the stunning “Royal Tenenbaum” aesthetic into your home with this removable version of Margot Tenenbaum’s signature zebra-print wallpaper.

Anderson’s soundtracks are known for injecting perfect French tracks to set the mood, such as Yves Montand’s “Rue Saint Vincent” mixtape played by Max on “Rushmore,” Joe Dassin’s “Champs Elysées” from “The Darjeeling Limited,” and Françoise Hardy’s “Time of Love” during the fun “Moonrise Kingdom” beach dance. If you are very knowledgeable, why not buy a record containing your favorite Anderson songs? And if you find a vinyl copy of “The Young People’s Guide to the Orchestra” (also included on “Moonrise Kingdom”), please let me know.

Perfect for fans of Roald Dahl and Wes Anderson alike, this comprehensive coffee table book delves into the making of Anderson’s adaptation of Dahl’s popular 1970 children’s book. The Oscar-nominated film is a departure from Anderson’s usual filmmaking style, which is why the behind-the-scenes looks featured in these pages, from set photos to shot analysis, are so interesting to Anderson’s biggest fans. Check out the best coffee table books to gift this year here.

The essence of some of his favorite films, Bottle Rocket, Rushmore, The Royal Tenenbaums, Life with Steve Zissou, The Darjeeling Limited, Fantastic Mr. Fox, and Moonrise Kingdom are captured in this New York Times bestselling compendium. The book is written by film and television critic Matt Zoller Seitz, with a foreword by Michael Chabon.

The Grand Budapest Hotel is Wes Anderson’s masterpiece, packed with rich colors and captivating visuals, transporting viewers to the fictional country of Zubrowka in the 1930s. There, Gustave, an unassuming concierge boy, becomes the prime suspect in a mysterious murder. Any movie buff will appreciate this visual script, which takes readers line by line through action-packed scenes, along with the best shots and images from the movie.

Perfect for the office or reading room, these minimalist prints feature unique visuals of Anderson’s most famous movie posters, including “Life with Steve Zissou,” “Moonrise Kingdom,” and “Rushmore.” Measuring approximately 16″ x 12″, you can curate an entire Wes Anderson-themed wall or spread them out across different areas of your home. Plus, the 9-piece poster set is currently half price for a limited time.

You can’t book a room in the luxurious hotel at the center of Wes Anderson’s 2014 film, but you can at least collect some of the stylish props featured on the fictional set. Jot down shopping lists and notes in style with this pink notepad inspired by the highly stylized images of the Grand Budapest Hotel.