There’s no denying that as days get colder, ‘rugging up’ will soon mean more than merely pulling on a long sleeve. And as we look to our wardrobes for cold-weather solutions that don’t compromise a well-considered outfit, there is one jacket that stands above the rest for its timeless style and textural quality — the shearling.
While the shearling jacket has had its moments in and out of fashion’s favour (and a number of iterations throughout the years) it really is a style that transcends trends. Our advice? Invest in a shearling jacket that will see you through more than one winter by sticking to classic styles and versatile tones. Think black leather or tan suede, with trim kept to a palette of neutrals.
Once you find that perfect shearling jacket, it will be more than just a look-enhancing layer. It will keep you warm through winter’s most inclement days — and piece to which you can always turn when in need a little something extra.
With the long weekend just around the corner, beckoning us to hit the road, take off or simply escape the hustle and bustle, we’ve corralled a quartet of travel-friendly things we couldn’t possibly leave without.
Dadelszen Boston Overnight Bag A good quality bag can only get better over time and Dadelszen’s Boston overnight bag is the kind of keep-all that you take on a weekend stay but won’t want to let go of. Complete with palladium hardware, an interior pocket and a removable shoulder strap, it’s a hardworking style that can take you anywhere. To buy, click here.
Abel Odor Layering Set Anything but the duty-free miniature fragrances of the masses, these handy atomisers are filled with Cyan Nori, Pink Iris and Green Cedar olfactory experiences by none other than the nose that knows, Abel Odor. Whether your getaway calls for smelling like a convent in bloom or a citrus orchard at dawn, look no further. To buy, click here.
Butterworth Estate The Skippers 6 Pack After a long and windy road trip sometimes a little holiday tipple is all you need. Our choice is the Butterworth Skippers pack. With 2 bottles of its divine Butterworth Pinot Noir, Butterworth Sauvignon Blanc and Regatta Rose, there is something to please each and every holiday maker. To buy, click here.
Ecostore’s Haircare Bars A stand-alone saviour from dubious hotel toiletries, Ecostore’s haircare bars make it even easier to reach for the gentle, plant-based ingredients that won’t strip your hair’s natural protective oils regardless of where you roam. The range includes both shampoo and conditioner in various formulas to suit every hair type and the compact size makes it easy to stash away in your luggage. To buy, click here.
Now, more than ever, we all want to feel our best — a fact reflected in verifiably booming beauty and wellbeing industries. While there’s no doubt research and development is taking longer to make its way around the globe, despite the pandemic there’s no stopping progress. Issues like climate change and societal shifts like increasingly blurred gender stereotypes are reflected in today’s beauty landscape, which, thankfully, is only becoming more inclusive. From the latest in cosmetic treatments to buzzy new product formulation techniques, expressing our individuality never looked so good.
Now grappling with the pandemic for a third year, the wellbeing sector has only ballooned as we seek mental and physical reprieve from the toll of life’s stresses. On a positive note, stigma around subjects like menstruation and menopause is also noticeably lifting, and the sexual wellness industry is well and truly booming.
Snack Session You may have heard the term “exercise snack”, but we’re not talking about food here. It refers to short, sharp workouts, the rise of which is set to continue this year. Well-known American fitness entrepreneur Joe Holder is an enthusiastic proponent of short workouts, espousing the many benefits, including the fact that they’re easier to fit into your day, they build up and contribute to overall fitness, and they’re great for increasing mobility.
Pleasure Seekers A marked trend in 2021, the global sexual wellness market has everyone hot under the collar, and it’s only projected to grow with Research And Markets estimating it will be worth USD$125 billion by 2026. Much of the expansion has been women-led, with female business owners redefining the space to celebrate pleasure as a form of self-care — New Zealander Ella McLean recently launched her stylish e-commerce platform Hello Lover as a conscious, inclusive antidote to the outdated “sex shop” concept.
That Time of the Month Far from the embarrassment many of us would have experienced in our youth, today’s openness around menstruation and period care has resulted in not only a welcome reduction of shame in young people experiencing something perfectly normal for the first time, but also the development of increasingly innovative and eco-friendly sanitary products. On TikTok, the tag #periodtok has 183.7 million views, as Gen-Z users lead the charge and the conversation.
In a similar vein but at the other end of the journey, increasing dialogue around menopause is bringing much-needed attention and understanding to something that was previously suffered through in silence by many women. In New Zealand, recently-released books This Changes Everything and Don’t Sweat It by local authors Niki Bezzant and Nicky Pellegrino respectively, are shedding light on symptoms and arming women with the tools to handle this stage of life both at home and in the workplace.
From the stylish story of couture house Balenciaga to our dwindling attention spans and quest for love, these new non-fiction books set the record straight on several fascinating subjects.
The Little Book of Balenciaga by Emmanuelle Dirix The godfather of conceptual design, Cristóbal Balenciaga was the most iconic and influential couturier of the twentieth century. “Haute couture is like an orchestra, whose conductor is Balenciaga,” quipped Christian Dior. Through a stunning compilation of images and captivating text, this very refined little story of Balenciaga depicts his work and life. By fashion historian Emmanuelle Dirix, it examines his legacy from his own designs and beyond.
Stolen Focusby Johann Hari Focus is something that is hard to find in our day and age. By internationally bestselling author Johann Hari, Stolen Focus addresses our shortening attention spans and finds these have not been dwindled, but swindled. The result is an informative book you won’t be able to put down.
Burning Questionsby Margaret Atwood From the remarkable mind of Margaret Atwood, Burning Questions asks the big questions, with the same uncanny curiosity that has led her to become a double Booker Prize-winning phenomenon. An exhilarating collection from a cultural icon, with an impish sense of humour, we may not get a better guide to the mysteries of our vast universe.
Let’s Get Physical: How Women Discovered Exercise and Reshaped the World by Danielle Friedman From jogging to Jazzercise, the culture of women’s exercise is often dismissed as a craze or way to deal with cravings. Award-winning journalist Danielle Friedman limbers up her investigative skills to uncover the history of women’s exercise, and how physical strength can be converted into other forms of power.
The Lonely Hunter: How Our Search for Love Is Brokenby Aimée Lutkin After attending a fateful coupled-up dinner party, Aimée Lutkin embarked on hundreds of dates and hundreds of hours of research. Part memoir, part cultural criticism, The Lonely Hunter reveals society’s pathologising of love and loneliness for an insightful and full-of-heart read.
Zoë Robins is in her apartment in Smíchov, looking across the river to the main centre of Prague. It’s dark over there — due to the opposite time zones. Far from the shores of the Coromandel she visited this summer, she got up to work in negative two degrees this morning. “It was quite a shock to the system,” she relays over Zoom.
Playing Nynaeve al’Meara in Amazon Prime’s ambitious adaptation of The Wheel of Time, sometimes she feels a world apart. With the show based on a series of 14 fantasy novels by Robert Jordan, the actor is aware of the perils of her own adventure. Many watchers have come of age with the lead characters like her — something she was acutely aware of when she first stepped on the enormous, sprawling sets built to transport even the most exacting fan of the fictional universe in 2019.
After six weeks of boot camp, including learning to horse-ride, Robins was ready to go head-to-head in an early scene with Rosamund Pike. She plays a magical noblewoman Moraine who is searching for ‘The Dragon Reborn’, who is believed to save the world, and who could be Nynaeve.
Zoë Robins as Nynaeve al’Meara in The Wheel of Time
Surviving for season two, Robins is settling into her role, and picking up archery with the stunt team in her downtime. The Wheel of Time is Amazon’s bid at Game of Thrones success (with each episode setting Jeff Bezos back around US$10 million). A discernible difference is it’s set in a realm where magic is mostly wielded by women and a diverse cast. It’s an important element to Robins, who finds success in meaningful work that holds its own quiet power. “We forget how much we rely on stories in society, and how they help reflect the world back onto us,” she says. “I’m part of something that has the possibility of changing people’s lives and making an impact in whatever way, be it big or small.”
Even before filming began, Robins and her crew were given the agency to help build their characters — including being part of dress, hair and makeup conversations. “It was a magical kind of escapism.”
Nynaeve is known to be self-assured, compassionate and selfless — all characteristics Robins is growing with. “In order to play someone of her energy, I’ve had to believe it too,” she says. “Stepping into this crazy world and recognising how significant my part was in it all, I had to lean into the fact that I’m worthy of being here.”
Both Robins and her character have also had to learn to let go of any semblance of control on their respective quests. With Covid delaying filming processes, and making it hard to get home, the crew have become their own kind of family.
Surrounding herself with like-minded and passionate people, as well as defining success on her own terms, has assuaged the uncertainty. Being a New Zealander has also helped the actor keep a level head. “My upbringing and who I surround myself with at home has meant that I can feel a little bit more relaxed and content with how my career has panned out,” she says.
Robins was brought up in a loving Lower Hutt home, by her mother Bridget. At the age of 10, she had what they call in showbiz a ‘lightbulb moment’ while watching TV, and she shortly landed her first professional job at 12. Once out of school, she moved to Auckland for The Actors’ Program in 2014. Like many plucky local actors, she took on roles in The Power Rangers and Shortland Street — before starring in Netflix’s Black Christmas and Regina King’s The Finest.
In her latest work, she strives to bring out the truth in her acting — something that can be especially challenging when on such an intense set as The Wheel of Time. “We’re not doing it on a green screen, we’re going through very similar emotional beats as our characters,” she says. “Things definitely take a toll on you, so looking after yourself is really important.”
If season three is given the go-ahead, Robins will be spending more time in the Czech Republic as her epic on-and-off screen adventure continues. She’s also looking forward to coming back home for a break, and getting involved in more film work. “I want to continue to do good work with good people,” she says of her overarching goals.
This season ankle boots take centre stage, where they’ve otherwise been neglected for their thigh-high counterpart. Platform, stiletto or simply flat, the choice is yours, but the only non-negotiable is investing in a staple black pair; it’s like a little black dress for your feet.
If you’re craving something bold, Saint Laurent’s Cherry Buckle Platform Booties lean into the platform trend we’re seeing all over fashion month. For a boot that can take you into the winter season in style, Moncler’s Caroline Leather Ankle Boots have après-ski written all over them. If sleek is more your style, then the stiletto on Balenciaga’s Leather Ankle Boot is enough to prove your point.
Clockwise from top left: Leather platform ankle boots from Giuseppe Zanotti, Arcade boots from Christian Dior, Brushed leather and nylon booties from Prada, ankle boots from Louis Vuitton, CHERRY BUCKLE PLATFORM BOOTIES from Saint Laurent, Caroline leather ankle boots from Moncler.
Clockwise from top left: leather ankle boots from Balenciaga, ankle boots from matchesfashion, Giuseppe zanottiametista booties from faradays, RHODES HEELED ANKLE BOOTs from Christian Dior, Shark lock biker ankle boots from Givenchy, BOTTEGA VENETA Leather Chelsea boots from Net-a-porter.
Never has there been a fabric that has managed to transcend seasons and styles as seamlessly as denim. And while cuts and colours may change more frequently than you wash your favourite pair of jeans, fashion’s hardest working fabric has been renewed once again via runways and street style icons, just in time for winter.
While skinny jeans remain on the out, high-rise straight-leg shapes are very much in, such as Re/Done’s iconic 90s High Rise Loose Fit and St. Agni’s Mid Rise Wide Leg (jeans that will take you from day to night with ease).
Y2K trends are at the forefront yet again, with denim becoming the handbag material of choice, adorning quintessential styles like Balenciaga’s Hourglass, Louis Vuitton’s Loop Bag and Saint Laurent’s Puffer Bag.
With the inclusion of classic jackets from Gucci, pinafore-style dresses from Prada and sneakers from Dior, there’s never been a better time to embrace your inner blue jean baby and add a little more denim to your closet.
Clockwise from top left: 90s High Rise Loose Jeans by Re/Done from Workshop, Hourglass Bag from Balenciaga, Denim Dress with Horsebit from Gucci, DENIM COCOON SLEEVE MINI DRESS from Scanlan Theodore, WALK’N’DIOR SNEAKER from Dior, Ecowashed Denim wide brim hat from Gucci, Oversized Vintage Denim jacket by Acne Studios from Workshop.
Clockwise from top left: Denim Mini Dress from Prada, Denim Bucket Hat from Prada, Denim Mini Skirt from Wardrobe NYC, Loop Bag from Louis Vuitton, Mid Rise Wide Leg Jean by St.Agni from Muse, VLogo denim slingback pumps by Valentino from Mytheresa, GG Denim Jacket from Gucci, Puffer Bag from Saint Laurent.
Chairs are no longer solely for sitting in, and art isn’t exclusive to walls. Where modernity lies is in collaboration with both art form and functionality; a way to transform seemingly mundane essentials like lighting fixtures or dressers into pieces that tell the story of a room.
When it comes to functional art, there are few studios that curate it better than Bonham. Revered for their exquisite forms, sculptural furniture and fine & functional art, the focus of the brand looks to interior design and how to break away from the norm — a value that Bonham has long retained as an architecture and interiors studio.
Pearl Cabinet by Aguirre Design, Arp Lamp Mini by Roark Modern.
Earlier this year Bonham Group, one of the leading architecture and interiors teams across New Zealand and Australia, launched Bonham Art & Design. Through Bonham Group’s existing network, they have been able to build long-standing relationships with some of the most sought-after designers and artists in the world. And in this evolution of the brand, the curators are exclusively bringing the world’s best luxury furniture, fine and functional art to the Australasian market for the first time through their new online platform and nearly-ready gallery space, with a roster of 35 internationally recognised artists and designers.
As far as functional art is concerned, some of Bonham’s most captivating pieces on offer include Sylvan S.F’s Balloon Dog Dry Bar — a nod to artists past — and J McDonald’s Terrace Mirror — a piece we are currently coveting. Here, functional art refers to larger objects like sideboards and sofas, or smaller additions like lamps and mirrors. Just like more traditional artworks, these objects are an investment that inherently become family heirlooms — it’s not until the object arrives in your home that it’s story truly begins.
Radiant Sconce by By John Pomp Studios.
By definition, functional art refers to aesthetic objects that serve a utilitarian purpose. It’s a medium of art that doesn’t discriminate or exclude, which can inspire creative genius and embraces the fluidity of both art and industrial design.
While not always serving a clear-cut purpose, the adornment of art-like attributes to furnishings (and vice versa) adds personality and narrative to a space, alongside simply providing the owner with a point of difference — an element that makes their home truly unique. Bonham Art & Design was imagined with a singular purpose; offering clientele a unique take on furnishing the home — one that escapes trends and will remain sought after for decades to come.
Terrace Mirror by J McDonald, Habitat Seductive by Eelco Hilgersom.
Ultimately, this foray into functional art was a natural fit for The Bonham Group, which has always looked holistically at how architectural development, interior design, fine art and luxury furnishings all come together to create elevated environments.
Those seeking Bonham’s coveted offerings across the country will be pleased to discover that there will be a more permanent presence in Arrowtown, coming soon, and the online gallery is now open to shop at your pleasure.
Try as we might, we can’t seem to escape the chokehold that divine Mediterranean food has on us all. Would it be a bad thing to admit that perhaps we don’t even want to? Seeking any excuse under the sun for a taste of carb-loaded, cheesy delights (paired with a good wine of course) has led us to the discovery of an under-the-radar food outfit that is serving some of the most delicious Italian-inspired food we have ever tried.
Passa Passa’s pizza fritta.
Passa Passa is an ode to Italian food done authentically, with a zest for marrying traditional flavours with modern fare. The trouble is, while regularly serving its handmade pasta and pizza fritta (which has quickly gained a cult following), you won’t ever find Passa Passa in the same place. It operates as a pop-up restaurant, taking over the kitchens of cafes across Auckland and this Saturday it is popping up once again, offering a chance to sample its tasty menu from the comfort of Kingsland local, Garage Project (from 12pm).
The menu changes weekly, and this week Passa Passa is dishing up crispy cacio e pepe arancini alongside its famed pizza fritta, served with either fior de latte, mortadella and caramelised onions, or hot honey, confit garlic mushrooms and gremolata. The team behind Passa Passa are no strangers to inspired Italian street food, having run pop-ups as far afield as Waiheke, and thanks to their skills in the kitchen they’re quickly becoming a weekend go-to for gourmands across the city.
But with growing popularity comes burgeoning crowds, and while Passa Passa is still a relative newcomer, dishes have been known to run out the door in weeks past. Our advice? Get in there quick before the menu sells out.
One of our favourite Princes Wharf eateries is ensuring that no one need miss out on their share of tasty seasonal oysters. Having recently added $3 oysters to its seafood-centric menu, The Crab Shack is the place you’ll find us for after-work drinks.
With Bluffie season in full swing, and juicy morsels from other parts of New Zealand taking over as our go-to dish alongside a crisp glass of wine, there’s never been a better time to take advantage of The Crab Shack’s exceptional offer. And while the ‘best oyster in the world’ has become even more rare and rarified due to difficult conditions recently — including a New Moon and high tides — even when the coveted Bluffies aren’t available, we still think this is one of the best oyster deals in town.
There is a catch, of course. The $3 oysters are only available between 4pm and 7pm each day, but we think that makes them the perfect appetiser for a sunset overlooking the water, and the ideal precursor to dinner and drinks in town.
Other happy hour offerings from The Crab Shack include $5 wines, half-price tap beers and $10 cocktails. That’s not to look past the daily $15 lunch specials and the family favourite, kids eat for free on Sundays. If you haven’t pulled up a seat at The Crab Shack recently, consider this a timely reminder to do so, STAT.
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