At the pinnacle of technical skill and stylish innovation, Moncler’s new Auckland flagship in Westfield Newmarket is a step in the right direction for the brand’s contemporary fashion takeover.
The history of one of the world’s fastest-growing luxury brands begins with its iconic down jacket, which was initially manufactured and designed to keep factory workers warm in the mountainous village of Monestier-de-Clermont — known as Moncler for short. Good design travels fast, and before long French mountaineer Lionel Terray wore the outdoors brand for his extreme expeditions to the far reaches of the globe. Then, Jacqueline Kennedy was spotted wearing the label on the resort ski slopes.
At the peak of practical design and polished style, the heritage label is seeking new horizons under CEO Remo Ruffini. After a year of significant change for all, Moncler’s new collections are designed for those with a new sense of purpose.
Left: Robin Wright Penn and daughter Dylan Penn for Moncler’s Winter 2021 campaign.
The womenswear collection is designed for a range of altitudes and attitudes, taking the wearer from ski fields to fashion weeks. Feminine trench coats are statuesque in proportion and sweeping woollen capes are updated with tech-savvy hoods.
With a newfound appreciation for the elements after indoor lockdowns, Moncler is reinvigorating its technical down and nylon materials. In particular, sporty leather trousers and nylon skirts create a modern edge of elegance.
Left: ANASTASIOS MONOGRAM JACKET FROM MONCLER FW21 ENFANT COLLECTION.
The menswear collection welcomes an elevated cabin-core aesthetic — think onion-quilted zip-up jackets and vintage-faded parkas in earthy hues. With a focus on multiplicity, the new parkas and bomber jackets are reversible and their sleeves can be removed.
Moncler has been at the summit of streetwear-cool since Milanese teenagers started to don its parkers off-piste at the piazza in the 70s, then the Parisian creative Chantal Thomass reworked the classic look in the 80s. It was a natural expansion then to see high-top sneakers and all-weather bucket hats added to the 2021 collections.
With an already dedicated local following, the arrival of Moncler’s flagship boutique in Auckland will further expand the appeal of this globally revered luxury brand.
If you’ve ever wished you could see inside a renowned designer’s abode — where everything has its place in a form of minimalist mindfulness — look no further than Lee Broom’s New York pied-à-terre, affectionately called The Penthouse. It’s the British designer’s much frequented and finessed second home with his partner Charles Rudgard, who is also the co-founder and CEO of his eponymous brand. Located in Tribeca — that Manhatten neighbourhood known for its celebrity residencies and lofts alike — the apartment also acts as a by-appointment showroom for Lee Broom collections, and the owners’ private art collection.
Occupying the fifth and sixth floors, and accessed by a private elevator, the light-filled, high-ceilinged space boasts two terraces, two kitchens, two bedrooms, a living room, dining room and a study. But what really attracted Broom to the apartment in a converted cast-iron office building was that it was part of the first sustainable historic refurbishments in New York. Eighty percent of the materials in the renovation have been reclaimed, and the remaining 20 percent was sourced locally.
White Street Sofa and Tribeca Tables by Lee Broom from ECC.
Like the patina on the hand-reclaimed panelling, the apartment tells its own story within the soaring architecture. Broom is best known for his modern lighting, and here he spotlights a new collection of furniture and accessories, each room a stage to play out his personal designs.
The living room is prefaced with a monochromatic colour palette with glints of brushed brass, gunmetal and matte black. The view of the iconic New York cityscape imbues the personality of the room. One of Broom’s favourite skyscrapers, the brutalist Long Lines, inspired a bespoke fireplace carved from Travertine in Italy. In front of it, the bouclé White Street sofa appears to float over the skyline with its soft, curved backrest. While it appears an apparition, it was designed specifically for this space as a modular piece connected by sculpted armrests and side tables.
The Tribeca coffee tables unite design ideas, appearing to defy gravity with its black silk marble and travertine tabletops cantilevering over monolithic squares. Then, a sense of play swings in with the Hanging Hoop Chair. The refined round shape might look familiar — another Tribeca regular, Beyoncé, featured one in her Black is King visual album, and bought it for her own home.
The room is dressed for any occasion, and offers an insight into Broom’s earlier career. After graduating with a fashion design degree from Central Saint Martins, he learnt under legendary designer Vivienne Westwood and worked on store design and window displays for brands such as Fendi and Bergdorf Goodman.
As a dedicated collector, Broom’s private study showcases art and artefacts. An original leather jacket owned and painted by Keith Haring is on display, as well as a wall of mid-century art with a specially commissioned painting by artist and fashion stylist Shirley Amartey at the centre.
In the main bedroom, a fluted metal piece matches the glimpses of the Empire State Building. A heavy and heady mix of brass and steel, it was once part of a New York skyscraper, its Art Deco style belying its 70s design. It correlates to a 1960s stainless steel and brass bed frame, which has inspired much of Broom’s spherical lighting. It was too bulky for Broom’s London home, so he was relieved to find a space for it here.
The furniture designer re-uses as much as he can from shows, and the oversized headboard in the guest bedroom was stylishly salvaged from an exhibition at the London Design Festival in 2017, titled On Reflection.
For entertaining, the kitchen is encased in reclaimed oak, which is over 300 years old. It’s seen in a new light thanks to Lee Broom’s twin Tube Lights, created from conscious Carrara marble and brushed brass. The marble on the bench-top below is from a sustainably-minded underground quarry in Vermont, which is carried through to the bathrooms.
Left: Musico Dining Chair and Musico dining table from ECC.
The dining room is a plot twist, with dramatic blue moiré walls and pleated grey velvet drapes. Alongside the new Lee Broom Musico dining table and blue velvet chairs is an original 80s bar, designed by the inimitable Steve Chase. It leads out to the rooftop terrace for an audience with another striking city backdrop.
If all this apartment is a stage, this sophisticated double-act is one to watch.
Lee Broom lighting is available from ECC in New Zealand.
In the fresh-faced news of the day, Emma Lewisham has announced it is officially the world’s first carbon positive beauty brand, and has the world’s first 100 percent circular-designed product range. To commemorate the occasion, Emma Lewisham received a written endorsement from the iconic environmentalist and United Nations Messenger of Peace, Dr Jane Goodall.
“Emma Lewisham is demonstrating what it means to be a truly sustainable business,” Dr Goodall wrote. “Through their carbon positive and circular business model, Emma Lewisham is creating environmental prosperity and showing their peers that this business model is not just possible but paramount if we are to make a meaningful difference.”
One to take matters into her own hands, the brand’s eponymous co-founder Emma Lewisham had written to Dr Goodall about her work, and was overwhelmed with this response from her personal hero. “It’s just a dream come true. I’ve looked up to her since I was a teenager and she’s always been someone I’ve been in awe of and fascinated by,” says Lewisham. “I think what it means for the brand is that we’re going to accelerate change in the beauty industry and bring about systemic change.”
Dr. Jane Goodall. Photo by Michael Collopy.
Being carbon positive means Emma Lewisham is taking more carbon emissions out of the atmosphere than it puts in, which creates a positive environmental impact. While many international brands match their emissions to be carbon neutral, Emma Lewisham is going above and beyond by offsetting an additional 25 percent. The carbon offset credits will go towards regenerating New Zealand’s Puhoi Forest Reserves, supporting Gyapa’s Cook Stoves technology in Ghana and supporting Malya’s Wind Power Project in India.
To be in a position to offset positively, Emma Lewisham needed to work out what exactly its carbon emissions were for each product. A pottle of potent skincare may be small but its impact on the environment begins to stack up beyond the shelf, from transportation needs to end-of-life solutions. The brand worked with another Auckland-based and world-leading company, the independent environmental certification agency Toitū Envirocare, to quantify its carbon numbers before reducing them. “You have to be really committed to the challenge,” says Lewisham.
Achieving carbon positivity at the in-depth product level, as opposed to a general corporate level, meant tracing 150 complex ingredient sources — including a secluded edelweiss plant grown in a Swiss town, known to strengthen the skin’s natural barrier and restore the appearance of youthfully firm skin in Emma Lewisham’s Supernatural Crème. Traditionally, the beauty industry has operated under secrecy for such special ingredients, but transparency is needed to ensure ethical production. “And so it was convincing them to see that we want this information because we wanted to be empowered and be able to make good choices,” says Lewisham.
Emma Lewisham has always been a problem-solver. The brand’s entire range is both scientifically validated and 100% natural. From its Supernatural Vitamin A Face Oil that nourishes the skin while protecting it against environmental aggressors, to its Skin Reset Serum that evens skin tone while restoring radiance, each product meets a need that was not yet smoothed over successfully by the industry. But the biggest problem was on a much larger scale — the 120 billion units of beauty packaging sent to landfills each year.
It’s a dirty secret that although many beauty products are labelled as recyclable, in reality, curbside recycling is not up to the task and it’s often added to general rubbish. “Recyclability for us is defined not by the potential, but by what actually happens in practice,” says Lewisham. “Brands have to take ownership for it. That’s why we have our Emma Lewisham Beauty Circle — we take material back with the aim of always being able to first and foremost reuse it. And if we can’t, then we pay for it to be recycled through Terra cycle.”
After significant business investments, all of Emma Lewisham’s products are 100 percent designed to fit within a circular system, as well as made with 100 percent renewable energy. Designed to out-smart waste from the outset, Emma Lewisham products now use refill pods, so the outside packaging can be kept and reused by the customer. And the empty refill pods can be sterilised and refilled when sent back to base.
“Circularity is how we can reduce carbon emissions more than anything in the beauty industry,” says Lewisham. In fact, Emma Lewisham’s refillable product vessels have up to a 74% smaller carbon footprint than its original packaging.
Seeing the importance of collaboration over competition, Emma Lewisham is sharing its carbon positive and circular packaging intellectual property with the wider industry this week, as it announces a new stockist in Net-a-Porter. “We feel by helping others it will only in turn help us achieve what we’re trying to do, bringing about change in the industry,” says Lewisham.
Of course, the work is ongoing. Emma Lewisham’s goal over the next two years is to reduce the carbon number of each product by a further 50 percent, while continuing to be a voice for change in the industry as its influence grows.
As in the pertinent words of Dr Goodall’s recommendation letter: “The greatest danger to our future is apathy. I sincerely hope that the beauty industry can follow Emma Lewisham’s lead. I believe they are paving the way for the future.”
As consumers and businesses cotton on to the benefits of body firming products, the skincare industry is expanding its reach — down your décolletage, along your arms and well past your waist.
“More recently we have been starting to question why we are investing so heavily in our skincare, but not thinking about what we are applying to the body,” says Mecca Skincare Education Lead Lucy Connell. “The body faces many of the same skin concerns, such as dryness, congestion and loss of firmness.”
A mediocre moisturiser on our nightstand no longer seems sufficient as facial-grade ingredients and high-potency actives are pumped into results- driven body care. “With the boom in body care, more brands are getting involved, even those that traditionally stuck to skincare,” adds Connell. “This means they can leverage all their science and technology that creates wonderful skincare, into body care — which is only going to mean better, more effective, products on the market.”
But this doesn’t mean skin and body care are one and the same. The epidermis of the skin on our body is thicker than on our face, so creams need to be more penetrating, and the components more potent. “Products formulated for the body may be richer in texture, and if it is an exfoliating product, it can be more active than what the skin on our face could handle,” says Connell, who recommends daily exfoliating with an AHA based body wash to remove dead skin cells and encourage cell turnover.
If you’re not evangelical about exfoliating, dry brushing can also prepare the body for oils and lotions. Working in quick upwards flicks can help moderate the distribution of fat deposits under the skin, as well as encouraging blood flow for more tone and elasticity. For the chest and stomach, clockwise sweeps are advised — be sure to adjust the pressure so it is comfortable.
Compared to the face, the body produces less collagen — which can make the skin appear saggy. If you’re dipping your toe into body care, try serums saturated with peptides and retinol that will promote the body’s own production of collagen, smoothing out stretch marks at the same time as improving texture and tone.
Caffeine is another ingredient to look for on the back of a bottle. It dehydrates the fat in skin cells to help your body break it down. Green coffee extract could be one step ahead, blocking fatty acids from entering cells. Sothys Paris’ Essential Slimming Care formula employs the antioxidant, and astragalus root extract, to reduce cellulite development from the outset.
Hydration is vital when using such active ingredients, and Sothys Paris’ Pro-Youth Body Serum employs a hyaluronic acid substitute and sacred lotus extract (along with collagen-boosting peptides) to quench the skin’s thirst while targeting problem areas.
CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: NUFACE NUBODY DEVICE, DR. DENNIS GROSS DRX SPECTRALITE BODYWARE PRO, BEAUTYBIO GLOPRO BODY MICROTIP ATTACHMENT ALL FROM MECCA COMMERCIAL BAY.
Devices have done wonders to our facial routines, and now a new generation of tools are enhancing the body’s denser skin lipids. The NuFace NuBody microcurrent device is a gentle yet powerful way to boost blood flow and stimulate collagen production for the trifecta — toning, firming and reducing dimpling. Meanwhile, BeautyBio’s more analog micro-needling attachment for its GloPro stimulates the body’s healing process while helping solutions sink further into the skin.
For those who prefer pampering over programmes, anti-cellulite and body toning treatments are showing up all over town. East Day Spa’s Guam treatments use an advanced seaweed formula to reduce dimples found on the tummy, waist, bum and thighs, and to drain away toxins — all while enjoying a pleasant massage. The experts also offer lymphatic drainage and an abdominal treatment called Chi Nei Tsang, which help reduce bloating and inflammation as well as toning the skin.
As with skincare, barrier protection is the most important step — so shielding exposed skin with SPF daily is also essential. Like all well-intentioned rituals, body care is about taking the time to care for yourself — with the added benefit of connecting with the body that will carry you through a busy day.
FROM LEFT: SOTHYSPRO-YOUTH BODY SERUM; RÉVIVE BODY SUPÉRIEUR RENEWAL FIRMING CREAM FROM MECCA COMMERCIAL BAY; CODAGE PARIS EXFOLIATING BALM FROM SPRING STORE; SOTHYSESSENTIAL SLIMMING CARE; GOOP G.TOX ULTIMATE DRY BRUSH FROM MECCA COMMERCIAL BAY; AUGUSTINUS BADER THE BODY CREAM FROM SPRING STORE.
In 2020, for the first time since the Second World War, the City of Haute Couture’s shows were halted. While Parisians were holed up in their arrondissement apartments, the international industry had time on their hands to question the future of the most prestigious form of fashion — would it be a tentative next step of tapered collections, or an all-out celebration of sumptuous style?
After the austerity of the war years, designers debuted new silhouettes that still shape what we wear today. The most notable of which was Christian Dior’s New Look from the couturier’s debut in 1947. With a cinched-in waist and full skirt, the exuberant style heralded a new era of (relative) excess after the French government’s fabric rationing. Fashion history seems to repeat itself, and the 2021 return to shows was closely watched as clients could finally see mesmerising made-to-measure couture up close again.
As one of the first storied Maisons to show, Christian Dior embraced materiality in front of an expertly embroidered mural conceptualised by artist Eva Jospin. “Reclaiming the values of haute couture after this period of restrictions when the Dior collections designed by Maria Grazia Chiuri were mainly presented through film,” read the show notes. “The materiality of fabric becomes form, while the subversive language of embroidery is expressed in a project that becomes a performance.”
Celebrating the crafts that are the essence of couture, the tactile tweeds were hand-loomed and the diaphanous goddess dresses were at times entirely hand-braided from strands of silk. As Monsieur Dior did in the post-war years, Grazia Chiuri drew attention to the ateliers and artisans that make her designs come to life.
Chanel Fall Couture 21.
Guided by another resilient spirit at Chanel, Virginie Viard continued her refined vision for the luxury fashion house — with a surprising lift of levity. Inspired by 1930s photographs of Gabrielle ‘Coco’ Chanel wearing 19th-century costumes for balls — a form of escapism from the concurrent Great War — Viard’s gentle romanticism gave way to a vibrant optimism.
The Creative Director began with tiered drop-waist gowns like Coco’s, recreated in the pastel shades of the Impressionist art movement. Then, a playful and painterly mood saw the introduction of Pointillist strokes, where sequin daisies on a jacket became as evocative as Seurat’s 1880s paintings of Parisians on the River Seine.
As restrictions eased and today’s Parisians flocked to the parks and riverside, Giambattista Valli’s tulle and silk confections were made for running around the reopened capital of couture. “There’s an energy that’s so beautiful, so youthful, so fresh. Everybody is out,” Valli said during a preview at the couture salon. “There is this kind of generosity of happiness and sharing, and being all together, and getting this lightness back again.”
While at first sweet, the cascading dresses spill over into after-dark fantasies, with hooded silk crêpe capes over intriguing suits. “The past is very heavy and the future is very uncertain, so it’s about being open and free,” he added. “You have this slight sense of danger — in a positive way — because you’re going out facing the unknown.”
Fendi Fall Couture 21.
At Fendi, an unexpected appointment created a new world of opportunities. Artistic Director Kim Jones’ first couture outing bridged layers of history (from another cultured city, Rome) to forge a new future for the House. After a “liberating journey”, Jones came to a cultural crossroads of goddess dresses and modern, statuesque suiting. “That is what is happening to me: connecting eras, the old with the new, the past with the present,” read the show notes.
Jones is not the only designer to turn his streetwear skills over to sublime swathes of fabric. Demna Gvasalia’s highly-anticipated couture collection was the first for Balenciaga in more than five decades. Giving equal value to turtlenecks as overblown taffeta gowns — in a restored version of Cristóbal Balenciaga’s original salon — the mixed men’s and women’s pieces honoured the greatest couturier of the 20th century with a new vision of inclusive grandeur. Here’s looking at you, Look 9.
“Couture represents freedom of creativity and freedom in fashion. And that’s maybe the reason why I wanted to do it so badly,” Gvasalia told WWD before the show. “I believe strongly that couture actually may save fashion, in its modern way.”
From left to right: Iris-Van-Herpen Fall Couture 21, Giambattista Valli Fall Couture 21, Balenciaga Fall Couture 21.
Dutch designer Iris van Herpen also challenged what couture could be, by collaborating with leaders outside of the tight-knit industry. Her lace-like dresses were made with layers of hand-cut multi-dimensional materials by sculptor Rogan Brown. To launch the collection, French champion skydiver Domitille Kiger was photographed leaping out of a plane in a custom creation. From such lofty heights, the earth below appeared to be more united, at least to gaze upon.
In hindsight, the most lauded fashion week on the calendar could only have returned with a new sense of legacy and levity. Under the allure of unpredictability, the time-honoured inspirations and crafts of the métier have become a beacon of creativity, and hope. Vive la couture.
We’re willing to try almost anything in our quest for beauty but could the answer to a glowing, toned visage be as simple as a stone held in the palm of the hand? The gua sha (pronounced gwah- shah) was used as far back as the Yuan Dynasty in China as a vigorous health treatment, and has recently resurfaced as a calming facial tool to smooth over our skincare, and our skin concerns.
‘Gua sha’ loosely translates to ‘scrape away the pain’, and this was done to the body in the 1200s with any hardy tool on hand, including animal bone and horns, or spoons and coins. Whatever was used could help stimulate blood circulation and promote healing, moving on toxins and balancing the flow of qi, our life-force energy.
While traditional gua sha can cause intense redness (not to mention mottled bruising) on the body, today’s facials use much lighter strokes to cause a subtle flush of erythema as blood flow increases. Dubbed the natural facelift, gua sha treatments can sculpt angles, lessen lines and support lymphatic drainage — depending on your chosen technique.
In traditional Chinese medicine, imbalances in the body are connected to emotional issues. One of the reasons gua sha has been picked up again is its 21st century sense of self-care — letting your skincare, and self-worth, sink in that much deeper.
Focussing on strengthening the skin while soothing the mind, professional treatments such as Spring Spa’s Resurfacing Facial strike the balance. “Our master trainers have blended traditional, centuries old techniques with modern lymphatic drainage techniques to deliver an effective, relaxing flow sequence,” says Spring’s Director of Training and Spa Operations, Suyin Ginn, “You can expect a noticeably clearer, smoother and healthier skin complexion as the gua sha enhances your skin regeneration process.”
Across town at Commercial Bay, Skintopia’s tailored ProSkin treatments utilise ancient gua sha with modern concerns front of mind. “We use a combination of techniques but are more influenced by the needs of our clients today,” says Head of Training at Skintopia Caroline Parker. “We use the gua sha to heighten the effects of existing treatments and products — plus as a sculpting and smoothing tool to relieve muscle and facial tension.”
Both offer take-home gua sha stones to ensure you can extend the effectiveness of your spa treatment with your own serums and masques. While there are several different shapes and styles on the market, including body combs and under- eye spoons, Ginn looks for a versatile form. “A palm size gua sha, with smooth, seamless edges, crafted from a natural crystal works best,” she says.
Many gua sha have different angles and curves, so you can get a feel for what works with your unique contours. How you move your stone is the most important element. “It’s always best to work in an outward direction from the centre of the face,” advises Parker. “This is the way that lymph flows, which is the body’s detoxifying system.”
The secret is to be mindful of your needs, whichever stone you choose to hold close. “Your ritual can be brief, a few moments to a full indulgent session with each one of your facial products,” says Ginn. “The key is to use your gua sha consistently, and with intent.”
How to gua sha at home: • Experiment with the different curves of your gua sha and go with what feels best for you. • Always use the gua sha stone with a nourishing face oil, hydrating mask or rich cream to ensure there is no drag. • Glide along the skin in long connected strokes, with the stone held at a 45-degree angle. • Repeat each movement 5-10 times. • A lighter pressure works to improve lymphatic flow and skin regeneration. • Ease into a firmer pressure to engage and relax facial muscles as well as expression lines. • If you have any sensitivity or inflammation, lighten pressure or stop altogether.
Professional tips: • To reduce puffiness in the mornings, especially under your eyes, chill the gua sha in the fridge or a bowl of ice water. • Move from the centre of your cheeks outwards to the hairline. A slight wiggle at the end can help lymphatic drainage. • Going over brows and out to your temples helps with tension headaches. • Upwards between brows helps to balance and restore qi (or chi). • To release the tension of tech neck, work your way up with the flat side of the stone. • Heat the gua sha in warm water for a relaxing ritual in the evening. Stroke up the back of the neck, from the top of your spine to the base of the head to release tension. • Women, in particular, hold pressure in our trapezius muscles — run the gua sha along this towards the neck to soothe.
Between use: • Wash with soap and warm water between use. • Store the stone dry in the fridge, or wrapped and protected in a light fabric or pouch. • Start carefully with a couple of days a week, and work your way up to daily routines, if that works for you.
A handbag is so much more than an aspirational accessory — it’s there for us during many of life’s big and small moments, whether it’s been buffed and readied the first day at a new job, or stuffed to the brim as we head away on holiday. Some of the most coveted handbags have already been carried on the shoulders of history’s most stylish women, with a story behind every silk lining. Following on from a long history of iconic hold-alls, we share 20 cult classic handbags you can shop now, and hold close forever.
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Dior Lady Dior
Dior Lady Dior
Twenty-six years ago, the First Lady of France gifted Diana, Princess of Wales, the boxy, cross-stitched handbag that has since been named in her honour, Lady Dior. It became a favourite of Diana’s, and she wore it on several occasions, including to the Met Gala in 1996, paired with that midnight blue slip dress. To this day, it remains one of the Maison’s most prized purses. For 2021, it comes in all manner of sizes and looks, from Diana’s classic black to constellation embroidery.
As one of the first accessories to come out of Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons’s collaborative partnership at Prada, the Cleo is an instant classic. A polished adaptation of the brand’s signature re-issued nylon mini bag — which first gained traction in the early-aughts — the House has called it a “synthesis of classicism and futurism”. Designed to hug the body when worn over the shoulder, it’s the fashion comfort we need now.
While it’s synonymous with style today, Chanel’s 2.55 bag was a revelation when it made its official debut in 1955. Ever the innovator, Gabrielle ‘Coco’ Chanel was the first to offer a luxury handbag with a shoulder strap, the gold chain introducing women to a hands-free lifestyle. A hidden pocket zipped inside was introduced to hide letters from Coco’s lover. Still with its signature chain, you can now shop the style in quilted tweed, calfskin leather, or encrusted in crystal pearls — best picked up when travelling overseas.
During the 1960s ‘youthquake’ handbags had to shift shapes quickly if they wanted to remain relevant. The original ‘hobo’ bag by Gucci had a soft crescent moon shape and was beloved by Jackie Kennedy, whose name was given to the style. While still steeped in the House’s tradition, Alessandro Michele has added a contemporary edge to the Jackie 1961, with a sleek design and shined piston hardware.
No luxury handbag round-up is complete without a Hermès Birkin. Legend has it that on a Paris to London flight, Jane Birkin spilled the contents of her bag down the aisle, and the chairman of Hermès helped her pick it all back-up — promising to make her a bag that could hold all her belongings together. While getting your hands on a Birkin today is notoriously difficult, there are several fine, authenticated examples for sale on the secondary market, including on The Real Real.
Balenciaga Downtown
Balenciaga Downtown
In the early 2000s, It-bags became famous in their own right, and attracted long waitlists from eager fans. Balenciaga’s Motorcycle bag encapsulated tough-chic city living, with metallic hardware and practical pockets. Under its latest streetwear savvy Creative Director Demna Gvasalia, Balenciaga’s new Downtown shoulder bag follows along with the same sentiment, refined. The sculptural silhouette of the hourglass gives a novel yet sophisticated shape that you will never tire of.
Inspired by a French bread stick, Fendi’s long and skinny Baguette bag was under every celebrity’s arm after it was added to the Sex and the City wardrobe in the late 1990s. As that other fashion icon makes a comeback, so too is this cute style. Its latest revivals are slightly more structured and come in a myriad of materiality, including leather cross-stitching, embossed embroidery motifs and gold double F hardware.
Louis Vuitton’s cult brown and beige canvas monogram was created in 1876 by the House’s eponymous founder and a century later it was still the height of fashion when Audrey Hepburn requested her own, slightly smaller, Speedy so she could take it with her everywhere. Several sizes can be shopped at LV, as well as modern iterations, including the recent Speedy Bandoulière 25 created by Italian artist Piero Fornasetti, and customisable Heritage styles.
Yves Saint Laurent once said of his close friend and confident Loulou de la Falaise: “It is important to have Loulou beside when I work on a collection… Her presence at my side is a dream”. We could say the same of the LouLou handbag named after her, its soft but boxy structure comes with a front flap closure and puffer or quilted chevron finish that is a delight to take everywhere with you. Thanks to its success as a style, it’s now available in a range of sizes and materials, which are available through Auckland’s Westfield Newmarket store.
Spanish heritage brand Loewe was founded in 1846 in Madrid, and its bags have been held by many prominent figures from Marlene Dietrich to Sophia Loren, and even Ernest Hemingway. The brand has been brought into the 21st century by Creative Director Jonathan Anderson. His first bag design after coming on board in 2013, the Puzzle bag has an innovative cuboid shape that is meticulously handcrafted to create a supple yet distinctively geometric silhouette — impressively updated each season.
Mulberry is marking its 50th anniversary by re-issuing a number of its iconic handbag styles in the Sustainable Icons collection. The highly collectable Bayswater is a timeless shoulder bag that unites Mulberry’s craft heritage and effortless style, proudly finished with the signature Postman’s Lock. Worn by many British celebrities, the Bayswater was originally developed by Design Director Nicolas Knightly and has since been updated by Creative Director Johnny Coca, who commented: “Times change, our lives change. The Bayswater remains a Mulberry icon.”
In the 60s and 70s, Karl Lagerfeld designed bags for Chloé (where he worked before Chanel) that were rounded with exotic trimmings for the free-loving fashion set. Then, in the early 2000s, (the beginning of the it-bag), Phoebe Philo struck a chord with her slouchy Paddington bag. Under the new Creative Director Gabriela Hearst, the Chloé C brings together heritage shapes, an adaptable strap so it can be worn cross-body, and strong gold hardware to become a new cult classic.
Italian luxury jeweller Bulgari began designing its coiled Serpentini works in the 1940s, and they were beloved by true gems, including Elizabeth Taylor. The Serpentini handbag takes from the iconic snake bracelet design, in a boxy bag that sheds its skin each season for a whole new look. We currently have our eyes on apricot or emerald leather with a snaking gold chain.
Alexander McQueen’s longtime colleague and his eponymous brand’s Creative Director Sarah Burton has designed a whole new shape for spring/summer 2021. The curve is a structured bucket bag that offers something a little different to the soft bags that have been doing the rounds. The criss-crossed piped trims allude to the House’s harness silhouette, a favourite of the late McQueen.
With the appointment of Daniel Lee as Creative Director of Bottega Veneta, the Milan-based luxury fashion house has blown up both its fashion following and its classic silhouettes. Lee’s latest Cassette bag increases the proportions of the brand’s iconic ‘intrecciato’ weave for a truly new take on its heritage that has serious legs.
Named after the year the Italian luxury house was founded, Furla 1927 is a mini cross-body bag in soft Tejus-print calfskin that shows off the House’s time-honoured design. The bag features the iconic metal twist closure with a Furla logo on the front, whether you choose yours with a ladylike top-handle, or girl-on-the-go cross-body strap.
Stella McCartney is on a mission to change the fashion industry from the inside out, and her leather-look Logo bag is worth a look-in thanks to its innovative material and charming design. Its well-placed folds, punctured logo and comfortable shoulder strap are made for women who find beauty inside and out, too.
It is said the late Gianni Versace chose the Medusa head logo for Versace after remembering seeing it in ancient ruins he and his siblings played in as children. Unable to look away from Medusa for too long, like the myth, he retrieved this image from his childhood memory and turned it into the most alluring brand of the 80s and 90s. The La Medusa bag range heroes this motif in its bold hardware, crafted in Italy, of course.
Taking inspiration from Burberry’s archival Michelle Shopper — a soft luggage-style sold in the 80s and 90s — the Pocket tote is a reinterpretation by Creative Officer Riccardo Tisci. The vintage silhouette has a wide pocket on the front, as well as topstitching and leather tapping to evoke a contemporary feeling.
Available at Harrods online, and Burberry’s Auckland flagship when it opens in Westfield Newmarket.
Celine Luggage
Celine Luggage
Under Phoebe Philo’s practical and polished eye, Celine’s unfolding Luggage Tote was made for women who wanted to have it all in the 2010s. While the House’s Creative Directors have controversially changed, this enduring style remains — whether it’s micro or true to scale, in a muted tone or classic black. You now need a YouShop account to pick-up one of these from Celine’s online store.
When life gives you lemons, don’t just make lemonade — dress with a new zest for life. The ultimate boost of colour psychology, spring’s citrus outfit palette has a certain, effervescent zing to it. Whether dashed or mixed-in head-to-toe, sour yellows and squeezable oranges are at once nostalgic and new. Add a layer of lime, and you have the freshest ‘fit of the season.
While the sphere of our world may seem small at the moment, we must remember that there is much on the horizon, especially as the fashion world starts to land on our shores. In fact, luxury British brand Burberry is set to open its first New Zealand flagship store in its 165-year history at Auckland’s Westfield Newmarket (when it is safe to do so).
Coinciding with this life-affirming news, Burberry has released its autumn/winter 2021 campaign. With Creative Officer Riccardo Tisci’s interest in the duality found all around at this time, it contrasts photographer Chris Rhodes’ artistic backstage imagery from the collection’s presentation, with classical and candid studio stills captured by photography duo Mert and Marcus.
“This season is very much about freedom of expression and the importance of exploring creativity. I really wanted to build on these notions and have the collection captured from two different creative perspectives,” says Tisci, who also collaborated with stylist Katy England to create a powerful fluidity across the campaign.
The approach seems fitting for the freest collection Tisci has created since coming on board at Burberry. It’s inspired by clothing historically worn in the forest and nature, to rewrite the narrative of modern femininity and masculinity for a bold new adventure.
Femininity, the womenswear collection, tackles preconceptions with unflinching pride, including the flag intarsias appearing on silk satin and tulle skirts. Fluttering cape-sleeve dresses are a glamorous upgrade while ferocious faux furs with hoods play on the dichotomy of what is natural, and what is fashioned.
Escapes, the menswear counterpart, challenges assumptions with adaptable outerwear that pays homage to both iconic British tailoring and the country’s craft and outdoor movements of the early 20th century. With pleats, panels and fringes, they are made to move in the wind, as well as the campaign video.
Finding a kindred spirit in the movements where creatives felt the call of the wild, the new collection and campaign is a harbinger of exciting times to come.
Film and TV producers have a long tradition of being inspired by the book sitting closest to them on their bedside table. From Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale to Candace Bushnell’s Sex and the City, cult novels offer a depth of character and complex created world that seems to cry out for an on-screen adaption.
While we love a mesmerising motion picture or miniseries as much as the next streamer, there’s something so much more satisfying about reading a story before seeing it play out. Here are the books to binge before they become the most talked about movies and shows.
Daisy Jones & The Six If you’re a fan of Fleetwood Mac or Almost Famous, Daisy Jones & The Six is the cultural fix for you. The New York Times best-seller by Taylor Jenkins Reid is being adapted into a 13-episode miniseries for Amazon Prime Video by book-lover Reese Witherspoon. It stars Riley Keough as the face of a 70s rock band in the LA music scene, with their rise and fall told in documentary-style interviews with an irresistible sense of authenticity. Keough has recently shot to fame herself for her role in Zola, and she has her own kind of rock ‘n roll pedigree as the granddaughter of Elvis. She’s joined by Sienna Miller and Camila Morrone.
Anatomy of a Scandal From the writers behind Big Little Lies and House of Cards, Anatomy of a Scandal is a six-part anthology series that focuses on a group of women caught up in a sexual assault scandal in their elite British world. Based on the 2018 best-seller by Sarah Vaughan and starring Sienna Miller, Rupert Friend and Michelle Dockery, it’s sure to be a closely watched show when it arrives on Netflix later this year.
Milk Fed In 2020, Little Fires Everywhere writer Liz Tigelaar bought the rights to Milk Fed as soon as the book was released. As in the novel by Melissa Broder, the limited series follows a love affair between “an ambivalently Jewish woman with an eating disorder and the zaftig Orthodox woman who works at her local LA frozen yoghurt shop”. An ironic romantic comedy, it tackles the topics of sex, food and God — not necessarily in that order.
A Brief History of Seven Killings A slick social justice production, A Brief History of Seven Killings starts with the 1976 assassination attempt on Bob Marley, and follows through to its aftermath with New York City’s 1980s crack wars and the cacophony of Jamaica in the 1990s as the CIA moved in. While we are waiting on more details, we are reassured by the announcement that author Marlon James, who won the Man Booker Prize in 2014 for the novel of the same name, will be writing the limited series for HBO, and the inimitable Melina Matsoukas (Insecure) is on board to direct.
Fleishman is in Trouble Lauded journalist Taffy Brodesser-Akner has interviewed every celebrity from Gwyneth Paltrow to Nicki Minaj, and she recently broke into the world of the novel in 2019 with the perceptive Fleishman is in Trouble. Now her story of a divorced Manhattan doctor suffering from a mid-life crisis is getting the Hollywood treatment from FX on Hulu. While the profiler is being profiled, and the show cast is being confirmed, we recommend reading her debut novel to become intimate with its nuances and universal themes of love, loss and hope.
Lady in the Lake True crime meets period drama, meets vigilante heroines in this perfectly poised TV thriller. Based on Laura Lippman’s 2019 novel, Lady in the Lake is set in 1960s Baltimore, where a housewife and mother becomes an investigative journalist after a nearby murder goes unsolved. Starring Natalie Portman and Lupita Nyong’o, we can’t wait to see two leading ladies take over the small screen on Apple TV+.
The Last Thing He Told Me The name alone sends chills down our spine. Laura Dave’s 2021 suspense novel The Last Thing He Told Me has certainly made a strong first impression, already been picked up by Apple TV+. While the pieces are still coming together, much like in the book itself, we know Julia Roberts has signed up to play a woman whose husband unexpectedly vanishes in this twisting, thrilling limited series.
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