It would be an understatement to describe the global following of Augustinus Bader as merely ‘enthusiastic’. Since it was founded in 2018 by the leading stem cell and biomedical scientist with whom it shares its name, the highly hailed beauty brand has accumulated countless accolades for its visionary products. Harnessing the science behind Professor Bader’s decades of experience working with burns victims, the central technology in the range is the patented Trigger Factor Complex that supports the skin’s natural process of renewal.
The latest addition to join the luminous product line-up is The Serum, further rounding out the range that includes The Cream, The Rich Cream, The Cream Cleansing Gel and more. The fast-absorbing, silky concentrate supports complete complexion correction, addressing the skin’s most persistent challenges from dehydration and environmental damage, to the appearance of imperfections and loss of elasticity. According to the Professor himself, The Serum is designed to be “an all-in-one problem solver for your skin”, and leaves it looking bouncy, radiant and restored.
Combining the Trigger Factor Complex technology with unique ingredients like alpine plant Edelweiss, it blew expectations out of the water with its clinical trial results, with 85 percent of participants reporting reduced appearance of wrinkles, 84 percent reduction of fine lines and 80 percent reduction in the appearance of hyperpigmentation. When it comes to on-market user results, these percentages are even higher.
The packaging is also stunning and very unique; a high-quality glass outer case can be placed on your vanity, within which sits the recyclable copper-toned aluminium ‘Nomad’ (product bottle). The Nomad is designed as a refill, so you can simply swap it out when it’s empty. And, its superior airless pump design means you get every last bit of that precious product. Trust us, you won’t want to be wasting any of this.
As retail re-opens and we set our sights on new beginnings, Parker & Co is opening a bold new home for eyewear aficionados. Found on Newmarket’s Teed Street — and inspired by Italian architect Ettore Sottsass and his colourful Memphis Milano movement — the space is as vibrant and playful as the eyewear on the shelves. “This movement resonates with the store design,” says Founder Lynne Parker. “We wanted a place where clients would enjoy exploring our curated eyewear and sunglasses collections.”
To coincide with the new store are several new curated collections. From the arbiter of understated English cool, Cutler & Gross has delivered a refined line of optical and sunglass frames inspired by the melting pot of cultures and creative characters during the halcyon days of Soho, London. Styles include the 1392, inspired by the sleek unisex uniform of the 60s Beatniks, and the glamorous oval 1395, which reflects the tenets of the Bohemian fashion of the 70s.
From Left: Cutler & Gross 1392; Moscot Lemtosh Fliptosh.
New-York based Moscot has been worn by almost everyone from Andy Warhol to Johnny Depp, and its latest range continues its celebrity-worthy streak, including the Zindik, with a thick acetate frame and available for both sunglasses and opticals, and the new Lemtosh Fliptosh — the ultimate flip-up sunglasses.
From Left: Dior Club M2U; Dior Signature A3U.
As a premium selected stockist for Dior, the store also has early access to the luxury brand’s new styles, which are known to set the trends each season. The most head-turning styles include the Dior Club M2U, with a shield style and monogrammed lenses, and the Signature A3U, which upgrades the sophisticated frame style with finesse.
When it comes to trying on a new pair of glasses, nothing can beat an in-store experience. With an experienced team there to help you, Parker & Co Teed Street will ensure you find your shades for summer.
The importance of supporting local has never been more true. Our local retailers, boutiques and brands have officially reopened after thirteen long weeks, so if you’ve had your eye on a new pair of boots or a swish new jacket for summer, now’s the time to invest. We hope this selection of new season arrivals provides inspiration for where to start.
Diorsignature Sunglasses by Dior available at Parker & Co.
Parker & Co, Newmarket A leader in the local eyewear field, Parker & Co. brings in-demand brands such as Celine, Moscot and Victoria Beckham. You’ll find these in its bright and brilliant new home on Teed Street.
Faradays,Parnell New Zealand’s newest destination for luxury fashion, homewares and beauty. Here you’ll find an incredibly alluring selection of brands from Loewe to Alaïa; Givenchy to Christian Louboutin; La Perla, Ginori 1735, and many more.
Saint Laurent, Newmarket The heritage French luxury brand, Saint Laurent, has opened its first store in New Zealand at Westfield Newmarket. Here, you’ll find a curated yet substantial selection of women’s and men’s collections, including ready-to-wear and accessories.
Dadelszen.
Dadelszen, Parnell The ultimate go-to for lovers of impeccable cuts and silhouettes, with an emphasis on beautifully-crafted fine natural fabrics.
Partridge Jewellers, Newmarket & Auckland CBD Family-operated in New Zealand since the 1800s, the Partridge Jewellers name is inexorably entwined with the highest-quality jewels and jewellery designs, for an intoxicating array of precious sparkles.
Simon James, Newmarket& Herne Bay Exquisite home and design pieces join an impeccably-curated range of fashion and jewellery, including Jessica McCormack (exclusively stocked at Simon James in New Zealand).
Moncler, Newmarket The excitement of the world’s fastest-growing luxury brands, Moncler, extends further than its iconic down jacket. The Westfield Newmarket boutique has a range of new season styles.
Elle & Riley.
Elle + Riley, Newmarket & Commercial Bay Just in time for summer knit season, Elle + Riley’s luxurious cashmere pieces will keep you cosy well into the evening. Keep an eye out for new store openings in the following months too.
Sutcliffe Jewellery, Parnell Artisan jeweller Brent Sutcliffe is one of the country’s most skilled craftspeople in the realm of fine jewellery, with over 30 years of experience creating bespoke pieces for discerning clients. A must for exquisite, hand-made pieces of unparalleled quality.
Wynn Hamlyn Striking a balance of playful palettes and relaxed textures, coupled with feminine elegance, Wynn Hamlyn’s knitwear and suiting, in particular, is some of the best around. Visit the Commercial Bay store to try on in person.
Maggie Marilyn, Newmarket & Britomart Championing transparency, sustainability and circularity, womenswear designer Maggie Marilyn’s pieces are uplifting for the conscience, the wearer and the beholder. Don’t forget to check out the new men’s range.
Muse Boutique.
Muse, Newmarket & Ponsonby Find Christopher Esber, Matteau, Victoria Beckham, Nanushka and so much more at multi-faceted boutique Muse — as well as excellent pieces under the in-house brand.
Yu Mei, Newmarket & Commercial Bay For understated luxury in the world of accessories, look no further than leather goods label Yu Mei. Its Commercial Bay store is an artful haven for the bags and wallets of our dreams — read all about its beautiful new collection here.
Kowtow, Newmarket Kowtow’s sustainability practices and ethical ethos have made it a pioneer in the fashion industry, and its simple, clean-lined wardrobe staples are what you’ll reach for again and again.
Acne Studios FW21 Drop 4, available at Workshop.
Our Legacy FW21 Drop 2, available at Workshop.
Workshop, Newmarket & Ponsonby Stock up on beloved New Zealand brands Workshop and Helen Cherry, as well as new arrivals from international favourites like Isabel Marant, Acne Studios, and Our Legacy.
Scotties, Ponsonby Scotties’ selection of highly coveted international brands is some of the best in the country — we can’t go past it for Issey Miyake, Dries Van Noten, Marni and much more.
Ruby, Newmarket, Auckland CBD, Ponsonby & Takapuna Family-owned local brand Ruby has you sorted for irreverent, playful pieces that will brighten up your wardrobe, and has just released its Resort 22 collection to see us stylishly into summer.
Wixii, Ponsonby An emphasis on natural fabrics and effortless silhouettes are the pillars of this Ponsonby Central-based brand.
When Tronque’s founder set out to create her own below-the-neck body care line, she quite literally set a new standard in natural skincare. Having struggled with her reproductive health, Tanné Snowden discovered the questionable ingredients in the bottles in her bathroom and was determined to create a new luxury range with total transparency.
After two years in development, her Bio-Cleanical® formulas — called such for their intelligent combination of plant actives, and lack of harmful ingredients and endocrine disruptors — are now on shelves.
Not to rush perfection, Tronque launches with three unique products. The Rich as Croesus Firming Butter renews elasticity as it intensely moisturises with nourishing ingredients, including the Marlborough Sounds’ bioactive wakame seaweed and high MGO mānuka honey.
To soften the texture and look of scars, the Soft Focus Scar Concentrate combats uneven pigmentation with not one but four high potency forms of deeply penetrating vitamin C and a complex of bioactive superfruits and antioxidants.
For the ultimate preparation, the Everyday Revelation Exfoliating Serum relies on natural AHAs and BHAs, as well as pineapple enzymes and hyaluronic acid, for gentle exfoliation and optimum cell renewal.
While these beautifully presented bottles have the same levels of high-performance, active ingredients we’ve come to expect in our most admired facial skincare, Snowden is bringing them to the body, so we can find all-inclusive peace of mind.
One of the most important components of a Tronque regime is not found in the formulas — but in the ritual of looking after our whole self. “Skincare means more than just your face,” she says. “Beauty is for head to toe and everything in between.”
When brothers Sam and Noah Hickey launched their fashion brand Asuwere in 2018, they filled a nationwide gap for simple, versatile and high-quality men’s clothing that boasts both ease of wear and everyday polish. Specialising in well-cut yet relaxed separates like linen shirts, organic cotton chinos, t-shirts and sweaters, where Asuwere also sets itself apart is that its core offering is a subscription service.
Recognising that many men don’t really love the activity of shopping, finding it “time-consuming at best and overwhelming at worst”, Asuwere’s membership allows for monthly drops of new product to be delivered to the door of the wearer, taking things like seasonality into consideration.
Each drop builds on the last, so by the end of the 12 months, a full wardrobe of cohesive staples has come to fashionable fruition.
For he who is hard to buy for, we would warrant that an Asuwere subscription is the perfect Christmas gift. Thoughtful, a little unexpected and ultimately something that will get everyday use, what could be better? The team makes it super easy to transfer or swap an item if that month’s one isn’t quite right, and free cancellation is available any time — so there’s really no downside. There’s even a specific Summer Gift Pack, designed to give a taste of the full service over the course of three months.
Those unsure about sizing can pay a visit to Asuwere’s flagship store in Commercial Bay, where every item is available to try. Can’t make it in person? Book a virtual fitting with one of the team, where all your questions can be answered.
So go on, give the gift of great style to a man in your life.
To celebrate Asuwere’s fantastic offering, we have a $1000 wardrobe of instant classics, plus a 6-month subscription, to give away to one lucky Denizen — worth a total of $2000. The $1000 bundle includes a Linen Blazer, Linen Pants, Pima Tee and Leather Low Sneakers.
This Christmas will be one for the history books. No pressure, then, when it comes to selecting the perfect present.
If you are lost for ideas, a meaningful book will fill in the gaps for you. Here Auckland’s leading booksellers share the novels and tomes worth a place under the Christmas tree.
Chloe Blades — Unity Books, Auckland CBD Just in case my husband reads this, Taschen have published Frida Kahlo: The Complete Paintings and it includes pieces that were once lost or haven’t been exhibited in over 80 years. Its XXL size means I can perch it at the end of the dinner table and pretend she’s a Christmas guest. Or, you could hibernate on Christmas Day with Lauren Groff’s The Matrix; her proof proved to be so popular among the Unity team the pages look like they’ve been hit by a high powered wind turbine. Paired with Megan Dunn’s exceptional essays in Things I Learned At Art School, you’re onto a Christmas win.
Helen Wadsworth — Dorothy Butler Bookshop, Ponsonby I am excited about a new book by Gavin Bishop out this month. It’s called Atua: Māori Gods and Heroes — and portrayed in Gavin’s unique and beautiful way, the gods and heroes of Māori mythology and legend. I think that every New Zealand family should have one of these to pore over at home. A perfect Christmas gift!
Jenna Todd — Time Out Bookstore, Mount Eden I would recommend gifting any book written by a New Zealand author, bought from a New Zealand bookshop. We have an incredible literary community here in Aotearoa and these books and stores need to be shared! Such as: Things I Learned at Art School by Megan Dunn — the perfect gift for anyone creative, especially if they had an eighties childhood.
Greta & Valdin by Rebecca K. Reilly — a Māori/Russian/queer/Auckland rom-com. It’s so funny, I loved it! Uprising by Nic Low — for anyone from or who lives in Te Wai Pounamu, or for readers who love an adventure story and a MUST READ if you’re Kāi Tahu.
Carole Beu — The Women’s Bookshop, Ponsonby Several of my favourite authors have new books out and I’ll be recommending these for Christmas. Sarah Winman who wrote When God Was a Rabbit and Tin Man, has just published Still Life, a marvellous novel set predominantly in Florence. She writes vivid characters who are capable of loving each other with generosity and acceptance.
Bel Canto by Ann Patchett is one of my all-time favourite novels. Ann is publishing, in time for Christmas, an inspiring collection of autobiographical essays called These Precious Days. I loved their wisdom and compassion. Elizabeth Strout, famous for the extraordinary novels Olive Kitteridge and Olive, Again, has a new one out as well: Oh, William! All I can say is “Oh Elizabeth, you’ve done it again”!
Andrew Maben — Novel, Herne Bay My pick for Christmas gifts this year is any of the gorgeous Assouline Travel series. We have all been starved of travel for too long, plus they look amazing on the coffee table. I haven’t got a favourite, I love them all.
Olivia Spooner — The Booklover Bookshop, Milford Many New Zealanders have a love affair with gardening and exploring beautiful gardens around the country. A perfect Christmas gift for them (and wannabe gardeners like myself) would be In the Company of Gardeners – Inspirational Gardens and Inspired Gardeners of New Zealand. It contains gorgeous photography and entertaining stories about the origin, inspiration, and development of some of the most magnificent gardens throughout NZ.
David Peirse — Dear Reader, Grey Lynn Our Christmas catalogue details about 100 book gifts across a range of genres as the appeal of a book is such a personal thing. I’m looking forward to reading Jonathan Franzen’s Crossover, and Amor Towles’ latest, The Lincoln Highway. I’m expecting beautiful writing within respectively, a family drama set in 70s USA, and a comic travel novel. Also, a plug for Michael Cullen’s biography, an incisive and enjoyable overview of NZ politics and labour party thinking since the 70s and a portrait of a very bright, thoughtful and generous spirit. Still Life by Sarah Winman is a sumptuous book full of empathy and wit.
Comfortable and inviting, what could be better than a round chair to curl up in? The circular shape can work to bring contrast and interest to a room; when juxtaposed with more structured lines a round chair can soften a space, or echo other round shapes like lighting, mirrors or sculptures.
Bonacina 1889 Palla chair from ECC, Ottoman armchair from Ligne Roset.
Riva 1920 Maui chair from Matisse, Moooi Bart armchair from ECC.
A classic from kitchen whizz Miss Polly’s Kitchen, these fresh and succulent prawn dumplings are filled to the brim with umami flavours.
Ingredients: Serves 4 as a starter
Dumplings: 30 gyoza wrappers 450g raw prawns 1 large spring onion 3 garlic cloves 2 cm piece of ginger 1/3 cup coriander 1 tbsp soy sauce 1 tsp sesame oil
Sauce: ¼ cup hot water 1 tsp sugar 1 tsp sesame oil 1.5 tbsp chilli oil, chunks and all (however add less if you aren’t a chilli fan) 1.5 tbsp black Chinese vinegar 6 tbsp soy sauce
To serve: Handful of chopped spring onions Sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds
Method:
1. Blitz the dumpling ingredients together in a food processor. 2. Add a teaspoon of filling to the middle of the gyoza wrapper, wet one side of the wrapper in the middle and then fold the two outer pieces together, pinch two sides into the middle and then do the same again. 3. Mix together the sauce ingredients starting with the water and sugar then add the sesame oil, chilli oil, black Chinese vinegar and soy sauce. 4. Ready a pan on medium heat, add ½ a cup of water and about 3 tbsp of oil, place half the dumplings in the pan with the lid on. Let it simmer for 5 minutes, then put the lid on and then leave them to sizzle away while the water evaporates. You will need to do this in two batches or use two pans. 5. Plate the dumplings with the sauce and garnish with spring onions and sesame seeds. Enjoy immediately.
Nostalgia is hard to describe definitively, but when it does occur, you can’t miss it. For some, catching a saccharine whiff of Impulse Body Spray from a passer-by can instantly transport them back to being a young girl prepping for the school disco. For others, an unexpected Facebook memory of a photo taken while travelling can ignite an oxymoronic state of sorrow and content, a simple reminder of wonderful people and places that they’re unlikely to ever encounter again. For many, it’s a feeling that arises when taking a bite from one of their mother’s home-cooked meals. She’s no Gordon Ramsay, but the warm childhood memories it elicits is enough to make the meal a wondrous one.
To sum it up in one word would be to call it bittersweet. For the most part, it feels warm and comforting, but it often comes with a tinge of sadness. It’s a natural human reaction we all experience, and a common one at that: most people wax nostalgic around once a week, with some even experiencing it around three to four times a week. But exactly why we experience it remains arguable, considering that science, despite psychologists analysing the phenomena for the past few decades, is still yet to land on a categorical conclusion.
Once, nostalgia was actually considered a form of mental sickness, derived from the Greek terms ‘nóstos’ and ‘álgos’, which mean ‘return’ and ‘pain’ respectively, it suggested internal suffering due to a sense of homesickness, and was deemed such a bleak affair, that some declared it the cause of crippling mood disorders like depression and anxiety.
Understanding has evolved since those times though, and now various psychologists believe that, instead of igniting the depression flame, nostalgia can actually work as the extinguisher. An applauded 2012 study by Routledge, of the University of Southampton, concluded that nostalgic reflection increases self-esteem, strengthens social connectedness, improves mood and imbues life with meaning. It runs on the thesis that those who are already suffering from feelings of discontentment or low self-worth are able to reach into their personal reservoir of nostalgic memories and find some comfort in them.
With this in mind, nostalgia is now regarded as a sort of in-built, psychological medicine, that people can take a dose of in order to conjure up the material they need. Most often, nostalgia materialises memories of close relationships, or beloved places, making the person feel as though they are supported and strengthened by those dear to them. Reflecting on past events can also aid mental states by serving as a reminder of the times difficult challenges or failures were overcome — the mind is simply serving a pep talk that states, if you did it then, then you can do it now.
If these theories are to be believed, then nostalgia could be a valuable tool, but that’s not a suggestion to start living in the past. We don’t recommend you procure your childhood toys from the basement and parade them around at all times, simply to bring about the soft memories of sleeping with them as a child, or keeping two-sizes-two-small denim shorts so that you can reminisce on the summer days when you looked good wearing them. Do not try and acquire a teaching position at your junior school so that you can relive your adolescent carefree spirit and definitely do not waste all your time watching reruns of Friends — it’s funny, but at some point, we must all move on.
For fear of missing the present, by no means should you spend all your valuable time searching for nostalgia, but if you do randomly find yourself recalling a memory that ignites a warm feeling inside, and you’re wishing that you could relive that particular moment, then give in — your mental state might just thank you for it.
Missing the buzz of Hotel Ponsonby? Us too. The perfect accompaniment to the formidable gastropub’s delicious takeaway offering, try your hand at making their delicious Enzoni cocktail at home. It’s sure to shake things up.
Ingredients: Serves 1
30ml Peddlers gin 30ml Campari 20ml lemon juice 15ml sugar syrup 5 muddled red grapes Ice Frozen grapes for garnishing
Method:
1. Place all ingredients in a shaker, shake well and strain over ice. 2. Add two frozen grapes to garnish and enjoy.
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