An eighties style house on Melbourne’s coastal strip The Esplanade has been given the 2020 treatment by Golden. The four bedroom, five bathroom received a glamorous makeover with Andorra Limestone flooring and a soothing palette of greys and charcoal providing a serene backdrop to bursts of colour from carefully curated furnishings. With the existing eighties-statement staircase replaced by a sculptural vertical balustrade and curved concrete, and light flooding the living spaces thanks to strategic skylights, the result is organic in texture and flow, leaving the past far behind.
Designer Maggie Hewitt’s streamlined and sustainable approach to femininity catapulted her to the fashion frontlines straight out of design school, when her first Maggie Marilyn collection for Net-a-porter sold out in 72 hours. In the following four years her star has continued to rise at home in New Zealand and internationally, with the launch of a capsule range called Somewhere and dreams of conquering California. So just how do you become the Southern Hemisphere’s answer to Stella McCartney?
Maggie Marilyn Somewhere Capsule Range
How did Maggie Marilyn start? I studied fashion and I think I always knew I wanted to have my own business or my own brand, so I went through university thinking that but when I reached the end of my degree I actually hated fashion.Hated it. I didn’t even really want to be in the industry and I felt pretty overwhelmed. I felt like I was going to let my family down because I had done this degree that I didn’t really want to use. I went to a university where sustainability was a really big part of our curriculum, so I learnt about the really horrific side of fashion and I think the more I knew, the more I couldn’t turn a blind eye. I took some time off and then realised that I still loved fashion in the sense of wanting to wear beautiful clothing. That tugged at my heartstrings. So I started thinking about where I was going to buy clothing that wasn’t vintage, where I felt comfortable buying into the brand. And at the time there really was only the likes of Stella McCartney and Gabriela Hearst, but they were at quite a luxury price point, so I saw a need for someone to create a conscious brand at an accessible price point. That started me on my journey — very naively I might add. In many ways I think it was good to start a brand with very little idea about how hard it would be.
Maggie Marilyn Spring 2020 Ready-to-Wear Collection
What are the core values of Maggie Marilyn? Our values of sustainability and wanting to make a difference in the world get me out of bed in the morning. It’s not the idea that I can make another beautiful dress, though empowering our customers to feel their best is important. But in those really tough times, what has kept me going is the positive effect that we could one day have on the industry, even worldwide. Sometimes I think that maybe, in five years, we won’t actually be known as a fashion brand but as something different.
What have been some of the biggest challenges you’ve had to face? I’m such a big advocate for talking about the challenges because people don’t talk about them as much and it can feel really isolating for an emerging designer to have to go through those challenges on their own, thinking that no one else faces them. It can look like everyone’s really successful from Instagram! But I feel like everyone goes through the same things and has those times where they are crying in the shower.
Maggie Marilyn Fall 2020 Ready-to-Wear Collection
What’s it like working with the big guns like Net-a-porter? You can’t underestimate the platform that something like Net-a-Porter can give you. It’s huge. And I can’t underplay what that did for my brand but it shouldn’t be the end goal, because ultimately, they’re in it for themselves. Wholesale definitely plays a huge part in the industry. It will always play a part in my business. We’ve learnt the hard way because we had some big retailers from the very beginning, so I didn’t get a chance to learn with smaller boutiques about how to navigate certain situations. I had to learn with the big guys who don’t really care about you sitting in New Zealand. Over the last 12 months we’ve learned that we really want to own that relationship with our customer. We want to know who that girl is, what she wants, and how we can be a part of that. We were also hearing how much people wanted to buy into the values of our brand, but couldn’t afford to. Going forward we’ll work with the wholesalers that help to amplify our story, and our mission, because they give great marketing leverage. Then it’s really about driving revenue and growth through our direct-to-consumer.
Maggie Marilyn Somewhere Capsule Range
What is the state of fashion production in NZ? You walk into the factories and there are no young people working. We’ve actually just launched an apprenticeship programme for the workshop, so we can teach them skills like how to pattern-make and become sample machinists. We’re trying to invest back into the industry because for me, I eventually want to create jewellery, shoes, handbags and swimwear, and we probably won’t be able to make those things here until we’re big enough to invest in the technology. For our ready-to-wear ranges, part of the enjoyment I get from creating them is the relationships we have with our makers.
Maggie Marilyn Showroom in Newmarket, Auckland
Will we see a Maggie Marilyn store? We definitely want to do bricks and mortar but our first standalone store wouldn’t be in New Zealand — there’s just not enough people here. I have this dream of living in LA so I’m set on Melrose for our first store. I don’t know how it’s going to happen and I have no idea how we’re going to get there but that’s on the vision board.
What’s next? In the next few years we’ll aim to have a head office in New York, so the aim is to get the right talent so we can move our offices overseas. We look to brands like Patagonia as massive companies that are changing the world — so that’s where my ambitions are.
After 15 years on shelves in Britain, tongue twisting make-up brand Lily Lolo is finally making waves around the world. With a cruelty-free, chemical-free focus on ethical production and a range that’s 90 per cent vegan (including their make-up-artist-favourite mascara), founder and self-confessed introvert Vikki Khan is suddenly in the spotlight.
To celebrate Lily Lolo’s arrival in New Zealand, Khan shares the beauty habit she hates and the two products she swears by.
Vikki Khan
Where did the name come from? Honestly, I was really struggling for a name for the brand. I launched it completely on my own, without the help of any creative agencies or branding specialists, so I only really had friends to brainstorm ideas with. Nothing we were able to come up with felt right and so I just decided to make it really personal to me and name it after my two sisters, using their nicknames rather than their full names, Lisa and Lorraine. It’s really worked, people love the name and they love the story of how it came about even more.
Natural Lipsticks
What was the inspiration for the collection? The collection has grown over a 15 year period and so different ranges have had different inspirations. I’ve loved makeup and the way it can literally change how you feel ever since I was a child. Our natural lipstick collection was inspired by romance and passion, and of course our many eye palettes have all been inspired by different things, whatever takes our mood at the time.
Mineral Foundation
What is your hero product? Our mineral foundation is definitely our clean beauty hero. It’s been our unequivocal best seller for 15 years. It’s a simple formulation of only 5 ingredients, which I absolutely love as you can achieve very light natural coverage to full coverage, based on how much product you use and your application technique. We’re now starting to add additional foundation formulas, we’ve recently launched a cream foundation and liquid foundation will be next but I still love the original mineral powder as it’s so quick and easy to apply.
What has been the biggest challenge in starting Lily Lolo? Marketing… we just don’t have the budgets of the mainstream brands and being an introvert I haven’t put myself ‘out there’ like other brand founders might.
What is the make-up mistake that gets you worked up? It would have to be either foundation that’s completely the wrong shade or over pencilling eyebrows, I much prefer natural, pretty makeup.
You’re a global brand, do women want different things in different countries? There are some markets where we sell more lipsticks, some where eye products are bigger but in general everyone likes great foundation and a good mascara – that’s universal.
Where do you see the beauty industry heading? Beauty trends can be fleeting, cyclical and sometimes crazy so we try to focus on the basics. We’re experimenting with new textures at the moment, cream products which are lovely to apply and revamping packaging to make it more sustainable, which is a huge passion for me.
Is there anyone that you take beauty inspiration from and why? There are plenty of women in the beauty industry that inspire me. I think Christina Zilber of Jouer Cosmetics is fantastic and the brand founder that I would be if I wasn’t such an introvert! I’m also a huge fan of Jane Bradley, a UK make up artist; we use for all of our campaign images, she’s a true talent and just a lovely person.
Big Lash Mascara
Which product is your go-to every day? Can I have two? I’ve worn Lily Lolo foundation every day for over 15 years, mineral foundation in the main but more recently I’ve been enjoying the new cream foundation formula. I also wear the Big Lash mascara every single day, it’s my absolute favourite mascara, I would never trade it!
The fashion world is full of highbrow art collaborations, with Louis Vuitton having worked with Richard Prince and Takashi Murakami, Chanel with Cyril Congo and Dior with Marc Quinn but it has taken Alessandro Michele at Gucci to combine the worlds of fashion and fantasy for children.
Tokyo-based Yuko Higuchi caught Michele’s magpie-eye not long after he took the reins of the Italian fashion powerhouse, having worked on several projects for the label including a wall of the Gucci Garden Galleria in Florence. It was the children’s collection for spring/summer 2018 that caught the adult world’s attention. Now in these uncertain times Michele is lifting our spirits with new pieces from Higuchi.
“I often get ideas from looking at antiques and old things, and I have the sense that in this respect my aesthetic taste is similar to that of Alessandro Michele, Gucci’s Creative Director,” Higuchi says.
The surreal characters that inhabit Higuchi’s imagination include walking mushrooms and cat octopuses, offering a Gothic twist to Beatrix Potter’s animalia and the dark creatures of Alice in Wonderland.
“I always draw what I get in mind spontaneously, casually, as children do,” Higuchi says. “I seldom go out, so probably I quite often imagine things like creatures living in somewhere far away… where I want to go but can’t.”
Who knows where children wearing pieces from the capsule collection of slippers, sweaters, bags and rompers might take Higuchi’s characters?
Words Albert Cho | PHOTOS Josh Griggs | 7 Apr 2020
Brothers Oliver, 24, and William Deane, 21, can attribute the success of their premixed alcoholic beverage company, Part Time Rangers, to a number of things: business acumen, youthful risk-taking and, perhaps above all else, compassion and kindness.
Last summer my friend handed me an RTD, which I naturally rejected. In my opinion, RTDs are a sure fire recipe for dehydration and disaster the following morning. She pointed to the label on the box, which read “less than 1g of sugar.” I grew curious. The packaging also stated “10%,” representing the percentage of profit donated to global animal conservation initiatives. I took a modest sip, was pleasantly surprised at the freshness and claimed the can as mine.
“Good right? It’s by Ollie and his little brother,” she tells me. Oliver Deane, the rambunctious rebel from my high school and his little brother had started a company Part Time Rangers together? Impressive.
As the summer went by, clutching a can with the white rhino became commonplace at parties. Part Time Rangers landed a partnership with music festival Rhythm & Vines, knocking out its previous beverage partner of almost a decade. In spring 2019 alone they raised more than $25,000 in donations, which would provide 1,000 metres of elephant-proof fencing and the removal of 15,000 litres of rubbish from New Zealand’s coastlines. In addition they signed a $70,000 pledge to relocate the 100th rhino, along with launching Shark Watch, a group that preserves marine life and ocean sustainability.
Oliver and William at the Part Time Rangers HQ in Auckland
What may seem like a swift road to success dates back five years, when the brothers went on a trip to Ethiopia as a part of one of the many humanitarian projects operated by their parents. After some emotionally intense weeks volunteering at schools, Oliver, William and their two older brothers, went on a safari in Tanzania — the Deane family’s idea of a stress-relieving holiday.
“All of us loved rhinos as kids, and we were really looking forward to seeing them in the flesh,” Oliver, says. However, during the two weeks, the family only saw one rhinoceros. “Our driver, who was an ex-ranger, explained that there was a huge poaching crisis across the entire continent of Africa.”
Fast forward to 2017, and the youngest Deane, William, was set to begin his studies at Wellington’s Victoria University. Before hitting the books, he was preparing for the rituals and traditions of university culture, from toga parties to joining his older brother, Oliver for Re-O-week in Dunedin. “I grew tired of sugary drinks and the bloating from all the beers, so I found this drink recipe online which was just gin, lemon and water and I drank just that for the entire week.”
Hangover-free and with waistlines still intact, the brothers quickly took a liking to the concoction, and after “one of those conversations after a couple of drinks,” they suggested starting a company together. Like most of these conversations, it was forgotten the following morning, or so they thought.
Part Time Rangers Great White Shark RTD (White Rum, Apple, Lime and Sparkling Water)
William returned to Wellington to begin his International Business and Marketing degree, while Oliver was completing his final year of Marketing and Human Geography. One of William’s assignments required him to write a business plan and he decided to weave legitimate commercial ideas into that almost-forgotten conversation about a business start up. Meanwhile, Dunedin-based Oliver was given a case study to improve a beverage business. “One of my ideas was to have different beers to support different charities within New Zealand. It was as if we had each other’s
missing pieces.”
The brothers knew they had a great idea, but with no assets, the next stage was to find funding. They pitched their business plan to BNZ for a loan where the bank demanded to see cash flow, a more elaborate business plan and a separate marketing plan, to which the brothers responded with one word — “What?”
Oliver and William at the Part Time Rangers HQ in Auckland
Oliver and William sought advice from various industry professionals and were introduced to Dave Anderson by their father. The former Head of Finance at Goodman Fielder, and CFO of Icebreaker, has witnessed the growth of businesses from start-up stage to empire-level. He is currently Part Time Rangers’ official mentor, and according to Oliver and William, the most valuable asset to the business.
Anderson was crucial to gaining their initial $50,000 loan. “People who think that they know everything, they’re just not going to get anywhere,” Oliver says. “You have to always be open to receiving advice, even if you’re not going to take action on it, as you’re never going to know everything.”
Social media, however, was an area within the brothers’ complete control, “We post online as ourselves, how we talk. It’s how we communicate with our market and we will never give that up,” Oliver says. “With marketing and society, it is constantly changing. You’re working with people who were and still are very smart people and did well in marketing maybe over a decade ago. But the culture and strategy is so fast-moving, we don’t know if their knowledge even applies anymore.”
So which advice qualifies as ‘gems’. “Sometimes, all you can do is trust your gut, which sounds cliché, but it’s true,” Oliver says. He recalls an encounter before launching Part Time Rangers, “I won’t name names, but he was someone quite high-up in the drinks industry. He said it was a terrible idea and not to go through with it. He finished by telling us that the bigger alcohol companies were going to ruin us, take us out, that we’re too small, that we’ve got no money — all those things were right, except for the fact that he didn’t understand the brand proposition, the changing market and consumer demands, and how they wanted not only healthier alternatives, but also to give back to the world.”
So is a social cause a key driver for success in this new age of entrepreneurship? While the brothers admit it’s an increasing trend, they don’t think it’s necessary, “unless it’s genuinely something you’re passionate about.” That passion has kept the brothers going. “Imagine this,” William says. “You’re driving around town in an old Subaru Legacy for your first production run, with a boot full of White Rhinos, getting told to piss off by one person after the other. Then one kind human lets you in, and now you have the pressure to prove yourself. Once you’ve proven yourself to one, that one snowballs into hundreds.”
Oliver picks up the thread. “When you start a business, everything goes back into the business. Seriously, you don’t see much in return until you’re an established business down the line.” Success isn’t reflected in numbers for the brothers, well at least not yet. “I’ll tell you what the benefits are; you have a whole lot of fun, you learn a lot and we get to work with some of the coolest charities in the world. That, alone, is one of the coolest things to do.”
Oliver and William Deane
As of now, the brothers are enjoying their youth, and being child-and-mortgage-free, at a time in their lives where they can take risks and be spirited in more ways than one. When I ask the brothers about their future plans, Oliver responds, “Our plan is to be open and flexible. If you have a three-year plan, you’re f-cked. Shit changes every two months and you have to adapt to change.”
The brothers share some final words of advice for other young and hopeful entrepreneurs. “You’re young, why not give it a crack? If you screw it up, you don’t have anyone relying on you and there’s not much to lose. What’s the worst that could happen? If it doesn’t work out well, you just go out and find another job.” It’s an honest and refreshing reminder that youth itself can offer as much of an advantage as experience. Part Time Rangers, full time enthusiasts.
Words Damien Woolnough | PHOTOS Felix Forest | 7 Apr 2020
If you were to align this striking house by Nina Maya Interiors with a particular artwork, it would be a sculpture of the female form. Feminine curves abound in the reconsidered mansion overlooking Sydney Harbour, from its glamorous Hollywood staircase to the plush sofas and armchairs in the living room. Even the recesses for starburst chandeliers are pleasingly curved to soften the impact.
Considering Nina Maya Skrzynski’s background designing for Italian production house Grazia Bagnaresi on the outskirts of Bologna, echoes of the female form and an understanding of the impact of glamour is easy to understand. Skrzynski had moved to Italy after studying in Sydney but when her business was poised to take the next step she pivoted on her designer heels, took a year off in London, and decided to pursue design.
With an aesthetic that has been compared to Kelly Wearstler and the acclaimed architect Anne Decker, Skrzynski’s new role fits her better than any Italian dress, and has led to work at the Sydney Opera House’s beloved Opera Bar and Sydney social hotspot The Paddington Inn.
Redondo armchairs by Moroso from Matisse, Belt coffee table and Bongo side table by Meridiani from Studio Cavit
Belt coffee table and Bongo side table by Meridiani from Studio Cavit
Having created her clothing from scratch, Skrzynski adopted a similar approach to The Art House, which was originally built in the 1990s. Stripped back to its embryonic form with Bevan Boss Design, Skrzynski commissioned a marble fireplace for the living room, bespoke brass art pieces and the staircases spanning the three levels. Curves receive even more attention with a 20m crescent-shaped pool.
With The Art House, Skrzynski has made the curve the most direct, straight up route to glamorous living.
The curved shapes of three pool loungers by Paola Lenti from ECC complement the 20-metre crescent shaped lap pool
Claire Sullivan Kraus – Founder and Editor in Chief
House on Fire by Joseph Finder While we patiently await the third season of Succession here’s something to fill the void. Author Joseph Finder’s leading man has been described as a cross between Sam Spade and Jason Bourne.
The Wish List by Sophie Money-Coutts I’ve always loved Sophie Money-Coutts’ hilarious banter on the trials and tribulations of the British aristocracy in the pages of Tatler magazine. Her latest novel screams ‘chick lit’ but promises to be brimming with her usual self-deprecating humour. Just what we all need right now.
Damien Woolnough – Editor
Swimming in the Dark by Tomasz Jedrowski All the longing and desire of Call Me By Your Name, without the peaches. Set in Poland against a backdrop of uprisings targeted at the communist regime, this story of survival, compromise and coming of age is cinematic in its emotional range.
The Mirror and the Light by Hilary Mantel I loved the Man Booker Prize winning Wolf Hall and liked Bring Up The Bodies well enough to excited in joining half the world in third and final book in this imaginative look at Thomas Cromwell’s rise to influence in the court of Henry VIII.
Fran King – Art Director
The Woman In The Window by AJ Finn Has there ever been a better time to read a book about spying on your neighbours? A movie with Julianne Moore and Amy Adams is already in the works.
Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman This bestseller shows just what you can be missing out on by leading a regimented life. Here’s to spontaneity.
Fliss Grennell – Advertising Manager
Sunday Girl by Pip Drysdale The type of break up advice book to file alongside Gone Girl and Fatal Attraction. Broken-hearted Taylor Bishop consults the classic Art of War for modern day revenge.
Arabella Nelson – Digital Manager
Where the Crawdads Singby Delia Owens The misunderstood Marsh Girl, Kya Clark, is the prime suspect of dashing Chase Andrews’ murder in North Carolina in 1969. Coming of age with a dash of murder.
Part of the beauty of good chocolate easter eggs is that they look too good to eat, until you do. Liv Glazebrook from @kitchenoftreats has delivered a simple recipe for homemade chocolate eggs that will look incredible on Easter morning and be gone by Easter Monday. Maybe make a second batch.
Chocolate Easter Eggs Serves 8
Ingredients 2 cups Whittaker’s chocolate (we used White, Creamy Milk and 50% Dark Chocolate) 8 large eggs Food-safe paint (optional)
Method
Preparing Egg Shells 1. Using a pin, poke a hole in the bottom of a large egg; insert the tip of a chopstick (or equivalent) and gently turn to open the hole slightly. 2. Insert pin into the hole to pierce the yolk. Hold the egg, hole down, over a bowl, and shake the egg out (alternatively you can blow air into the hole with a rubber ear syringe – the air will displace and expel the egg). Rinse out egg. Repeat. 3. Sterilise eggs: Boil the egg shells in a saucepan of water with 1 tablespoon of white vinegar; then simmer for 10 minutes. Let egg shells drain. 4. To speed up the drying process, place the egg shells in an oven heated to 50°C until completely dry – check the inside of the shell to ensure there is no moisture. Be very careful, the egg shells will be fragile. 5. Once dry, remove from the oven and if you wish to paint the eggs – do so at this step with food-safe paint.
Filling Egg Shells 6. Chop up sufficient chocolate to fill the egg shells – allow for approximately ¼ cup chocolate per egg shell. 7. Melt chocolate in the microwave at steady increments to avoid burning. If you would like to temper your chocolate (optional) we recommend you do so at this step. 8. Place eggshells (hole up) in an egg carton. Place a disposable pastry bag in a tall glass and fill bag with chocolate, then snip the end. 9. Insert tip of bag into each egg, and fill with chocolate (about 1/4 cup per egg; fill a new bag with chocolate as needed). Leave to set completely, about 4 hours. 10. Gift to family and friends – remember to tell them to remove the shell before eating!
With the world in lockdown your front door is probably feeling neglected, which makes it the perfect time to contemplate a fresh coat of paint that could increase your home’s value, elevate the aesthetics or merely give you and your neighbours a much-neeeded smile.
For Luck We could all do with a bit of luck right now so borrow some from the Chinese and paint your front door Resene Guardsman Red. There are other meanings that also make red the perfect first impression from the footpath. In America a red door is traditionally a sign of welcome, letting travellers know that the occupants were open to assist the weary, while in Scotland it can be a sign of pride. Some Scots will paint their door when they’re out of the red and have paid off their mortgage. We say, why wait? Try Resene Disco for a deeper, darker option.
For confident types Yellow doors offer unexpected cheeriness along with the element of surprise, suiting homes that aren’t afraid to stand out on the street. Colour codes suggest that an upbeat yellow, such as Resene Turbo exudes energy and is perfect for south-facing homes in Feng Shui. A white trim, like Resene Black White, will let the yellow pop.
Nature calls Show your environmental credentials by painting your front door green. The colour represents healing and growth, making it one of the most popular colours in Britain, where it is often seen as a sign of prosperity. Get back to nature with Resene Camarone.
For wealth A US study discovered that houses with a black or charcoal door were more appealing to house hunters, helping properties sell for as much as $10,000 more than original expectations. The research factored in the kerb appeal of 135,000 homes using photographs, stretching as far back as 2010, with not so basic black and charcoal taking home the prize at the pick of the palette. So that you can start planning your home improvement, we consulted the experts at Resene to recommend the best of these dark shades with which to paint your door. Here they are:
1. Resene All Black — the blackest of blacks 2. Resene Nero — deep black with inky blue undertones 3. Resene Gumboot — a stately grey with blue undertones 4. Resene Masala — a brown-grey with a green edge
Use a high gloss finish for a sleek modern look and for more advice, visit your local Resene ColorShop.
The incredibly private and beloved New Zealand designer reveals her favourite things and career advice to Denizen.
Name: Helen Cherry Occupation: Fashion Designer / Co-owner & Womenswear Buyer for Workshop Suburb: St Marys Bay, Auckland
1.In one sentence, describe what you do in your job? “Eighty percent of what I do is discipline. The rest is creativity.” It’s stolen from Giorgio Armani but it couldn’t be more accurate.
Giorgio Armani
2. Who or what can you thank for your success? Hmmm, it could be my Croatian/Pakeha/Maori genes along with sheer determination, followed by a healthy dose of humour.
3. What was your first job? I was a part-time shampoo girl and floor sweeper at the local UNISEX (big in the seventies) salon.
4. What’s the best piece of advice you’ve been given? Breathe.
5. What advice would you give your younger self? Believe in yourself. Be confident.
6. What’s the best meal you’ve ever eaten in Auckland? Champagne and oysters on the deck at our bach on Waiheke.
7. What’s your favourite drink? Champagne.
8. What’s your favourite pastime? Reading, listening to music and swimming in the ocean.. whoops that’s three.
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