The first and most important factor when deciding on a unique gift idea is understanding who the recipient is. Start by taking some time to understand who they are and how they spend their time. In many case if you're giving someone a gift you probably already know some things about them. Ask yourself questions like:

 - What are their hobbies? Is there possibly a new, fun product related to their hobby that they may not know about?

 - What is their work environment like? Is there a unique gift that could apply to their job either functional or aesthetically?

 - How do they spend their money? If they are usually pretty stingy with their money then a designer brand gift may have less effect than someone who is more brand conscious.