When we sat down as a team to plan our Spring issue, it was the collective desire to harness a spirit of resilience that inspired our overarching theme. With everything that has been going on in the world and even closer to home, as well as the various challenges we had to overcome just to bring this issue to you, ‘The Bold & The Brave’ felt an appropriate cover line for our time.
In the pages of this issue, we celebrate ideas of boldness and bravery via interviews with people like cover star Julie Pelipas (the former fashion director at Vogue Ukraine and founder of upcycled fashion platform Bettter), who speaks to us about launching Vogue in her home country, reimagining the global fashion system, fleeing Ukraine after Russia invaded in February and why winning the war is the only way forward for the world. We also speak to Anna Mowbray (the co-founder of Zuru Toys Co.) who offers an exclusive interview in which she offers rare insight into her fascinating career trajectory, a journey that has seen her go from a small Waikato farm to becoming one of the most successful, self-made entrepreneurs globally (the toy company she co-founded with her brothers now garners billions of dollars in annual revenue).
Elsewhere, our Editor-in-chief offers a guide on some of the most tantalising tipples around Auckland in a cocktail-centric edition of her ongoing ‘My Year of Magical Eating’ series, and we sit down with local Instagram sensation Polly Markus of Miss Polly’s Kitchen, to talk about growing her social media side hustle into a fully-fledged cookbook — out now. We also pick the brain of Australian hospitality legend Frank Camorra, as he opens the doors to his new MoVida outpost in Auckland (a very exciting addition to our local dining scene).
Of course, we have also delved into all of the important trends to know about in the realms of design and fashion (including a deep dive into the most significant moments from Fall Haute Couture Week) alongside a number of thorough round-ups of the new and noteworthy pieces to add to your homes and wardrobes.
Those seeking escapism will find a version of it in our spring culture pages, where we detail the books to be reading, the shows and films to be watching and the podcasts and albums to be listening to over the next few months. Or for a more literal interpretation, our navigator section presents a line-up of the most exquisite new hotels that have recently opened in Paris, London, New York and Los Angeles (as if you needed any more reason to plan an overseas trip).
Ultimately, this issue is a celebration of those who work tirelessly to contribute something of substance to this world. Be it on a small, local scale or a more global, far-reaching one. We hope that its pages deliver some kind of inspiration as you move out of winter and into the season of growth, new beginnings and fresh perspectives.
According to Korean culture, the most auspicious sign of the zodiac is the rabbit, which is a symbol that, for local Korean chef (and rising hospitality star) Jason Kim, has become something of a recurring motif. Now, Kim is harnessing the lucky symbol for his new culinary venture, Tokki (Korean for ‘rabbit’), a delicious restaurant and wine bar serving the kind of Korean food you’re unlikely to have ever tried before.
Born in Korea but raised in New Zealand, Kim’s cuisine is beloved for the way that it straddles the two cultures in which he was raised — where authentic bites are delivered in a contemporary way, and fresh New Zealand produce is harnessed to create truly unique dishes.
You may be familiar with Kim’s Commercial Bay outpost, Gochu, famous for its milk buns that regularly sell out. Otherwise, you might know him from his tenure in the kitchens of some of Auckland’s best restaurants, including Sidart, Cassia, The Grove and Clooney. Tokki offers something different. Its menu heroes pared-back but delightfully inspired cuisine that puts an unexpected twist on authentic flavours, while its inviting space is set in the heart of Milford’s bustling main street (a northern suburb not previously known for its culinary offering). In a way, Tokki marks a return to Kim’s roots, and the result is pretty special.
Left: Jason Kim serving Flat Noodles with Chilli Pork. Right: Tokki Toasties with Mortadella & Oiji.
Kim describes the Tokki menu as authentic fare, with none of the fried chicken, bubbling clay pots or lashings of chilli and cheese one might expect from a typical Korean restaurant. While still a casual affair, the food here offers a more playful take on Korean cuisine without losing its refined edge. Ultimately, Tokki grounds itself in a menu of considered and elevated traditional dishes that reimagine classic street-food tropes and snacks that speak to the chef’s heritage.
“Korean cuisine is not just strong flavours and cheap and cheerful,” he shares. “Traditional Korean is more subtle and elegant. It’s about highlighting beautiful produce and the flavour and freshness of the ingredients and not messing around with it too much.”
Left: Crispy Chicken Wing stuffed with Prawn & Mushroom. Right: Beef Short Ribs with Black Garlic Jus & White Kimchi.
You can find this homage to traditional foods in dishes like the crispy chicken wing, carefully stuffed with prawn and mushroom, or the Tokki toasties, filled with layers of mortadella and oiji (pickled cucumbers). And, of course, the mouth-watering beef short ribs with black garlic jus and white kimchi. For dessert? Melona smores, of course — a traditional Korean ice cream, presented as little works of art.
This ode to traditional cuisine is concerned with more than just flavour alone, seen in one dish made of noodles up to a metre long, something that Kim tells me is believed to be beneficial for your health in Korean culture. This attention to detail is seen at every level of Tokki’s menu, with many of the ingredients made and fermented in-house, including the kimchi, soy sauce and soybean paste, and a strong focus placed on traditional foods, with specialist produce sourced from Korean growers in Silverdale.
Left: Melona Smores. Right: Tokki interior.
As far as drinks are concerned, Tokki’s menu comprises an impressive offering of wines curated by Hiro Kawahara, a sommelier and friend of Kim’s. Showcasing a range of exceptional New Zealand and French wines, alongside a selection of fine natural wines, exquisite Japanese whisky and authentic soju digestifs, the libations on offer run the gamut from classic drops to specialised spirits and promise to complement the food perfectly.
Despite its North Shore neighbourhood, we’re expecting news of Tokki’s delicious food to draw people from all over Auckland to sample its unique offering. Our advice? Book a table now to experience it for yourself, you won’t be disappointed.
For fitness trainer Xi Cao, wellbeing has always been a focus — both personally and professionally. Over the years, this passion has seen her undertake a range of training, including in TRX suspension, reformer Pilates and EMS (Electro Muscle Stimulation), driven by a desire to understand functional movement, science-based fitness and the latest technology. Now, having long applied her philosophy of targeted training to help her clients harness their full potential, Xi has opened the doors to her very own studio, and we have your exclusive chance to try it first.
XI Labs is a beautiful, new boutique space in Parnell that offers a wellbeing haven grounded in the goal of helping people transform their bodies and reimagine their health. Filled with natural light and finished in beautiful furnishings and a cool, contemporary palette, the studio is the perfect setting in which to escape the daily grind, recalibrate and recharge.
Described by Xi as a “technology-driven fitness studio,” XI Labs’ offering is all about training smarter, not necessarily harder. For those interested in Pilates, the studio offers bespoke classes with either Xi herself (an Elite trainer) or Meech Aspden (a Master trainer who specialises in clinical Pilates) centred around the classic Pilates tenets of stretching, toning, strength and posture, using state-of-the-art equipment.
Elsewhere, EMS sessions are available for those seeking something more rigorous. Touted as one of the most effective ways of achieving a tighter, leaner and more toned body without spending hours in the gym, EMS training is used by elite athletes the world over and offers the same (if not more) benefits as a 90-minute gym session in just 20 minutes of work — seeing the user hooked up to a machine that sends pulses through their muscles as they move.
Or, if it’s a more traditional style of training you’re after, XI Labs also offers one-on-one personal training tailored to your specific needs and goals. Here, Xi will use resistance and weight training in conjunction with TRX suspension bodyweight exercises to challenge her clients.
And when the hard part is over, XI Labs offers the option of recovery sessions with the studio’s Air Pressure Recovery System — a technology that uses a multi-chamber, air-pressure compression system to aid in a faster recovery, as well as a targeted, soothing massage to promote relaxation.
From its varied training options and recovery sessions to its wonderfully calm environment, XI Labs is the perfect spot to kickstart your fitness journey in the lead-up to summer. After all, what better time than now to put your health at the forefront?
When you consider menswear over the decades, quality essentials have remained at the forefront of shifting trends. As such, it is pieces rendered in durable, well-made fabrics (like denim) and styles that are universally flattering and inherently timeless that signal success for any closet, which is why the latest menswear collection from Workshop Denim is a welcome addition to our wardrobes.
At the heart of this sleek collection sit pieces that epitomise high-casual, tailored, men’s streetwear, fashioned from a raft of new fabrics. Carefully chosen for their quality and weight, textiles like a military cotton flannel, a wool blend and a Japanese Calvary twill result in pieces designed to be layered, that will last for many seasons to come.
As far as hero pieces go, one highlight is definitely the new Leather Collar Chore Jacket, cut from a wool blend melton with a genuine leather collar — the perfect, versatile outerwear. Also offered in a Japanese cavalry twill and military cotton flannel, it draws on traditional suiting elements with a modern aesthetic, integrating classic utilitarian styling with a clean, tailored fit. We think it is best paired with the matching cavalry twill Minimal 5 Pocket Straight Leg or the Slim Fit Selvedge jeans, a simple, elegant combination that will work for any kind of personal style.
Elsewhere, the Classic Engineer Shirt in a Japanese heavy cotton herringbone and military cotton flannel is a piece that speaks to the essence of the collection, embodying the ideas of elevated everyday wear, meticulous craft and thoughtful design that make this collection feel so timeless. After all, as people increasingly demand durability, sustainability and substance in their personal fashion, what could be more appealing than timeless design?
Encapsulating Workshop Denim’s focus on creating authentic clothes for real life, this new collection offers the perfect trans-seasonal line-up to see you through to next year, and beyond.
Anyone who says that pastel is passé clearly hasn’t encountered Versace’s most recent homeware collection with Rosenthal. Where typically, Versace’s coveted homewares are defined by their gilded, baroque aesthetic (evoking its rich, Italian history) here, all the ornamental details we might expect have been pared back for a finish that is fresh, modern and undeniably eye-catching.
Meet the new Rosenthal meets Versace vase collection. Crafted in Germany from premium porcelain under Rosenthal’s meticulous eye, these vases were modelled off Versace’s iconic ‘La Medusa’ handbag, and come in two distinct styles. While both are emblazoned with the brand’s Medusa plaque — a time-honoured signature — one iteration features monochromatic macro studs and a unique, rounded shape, while the other is a cylindrical vase with fine, decorative stitching details (as on the bag), rendered in three different sizes.
Available in shades of pastel pink and green, these vases promise to deliver just the right amount of colour to any space — their soft, understated presence a simple way of lifting the tone without making too bold a statement.
So if you’ve been feeling like your interiors need a little pop of colour, look no further than this cute new collection. Available locally from The Studio of Tableware, these vases are the accessories your space has been missing, as perfect for showcasing fresh, spring blooms as they are as striking, standalone objects.
Polly Markus has always loved food. It’s something she traces back to her Dad’s culinary skills and his penchant for entertaining. The memories of her parents having friends over for dinner were some of Markus’ fondest and were (in hindsight) what laid the crucial foundations for Markus’ own foray into the food realm via her wildly successful Instagram account and now cookbook, Miss Polly’s Kitchen.
For those who don’t know her, or count among the 48,000 people (at time of writing) who follow her food-dedicated Instagram (@miss_pollys_kitchen), Polly Markus is a person who should definitely be on your radar. Commercial real estate agent by day and dedicated, self-taught cook in her own time, Markus used the disruption of the last few years to turn her passion into a burgeoning business, something that has led to the recent release of her first recipe book — a huge feat for someone whose culinary skills were only known to a close circle of friends and family until about a year and a half ago.
Crispy Tofu Laksa
It was during 2020’s first lockdown, in fact, that Markus launched @miss_pollys_kitchen as a way to fill her time while real estate was on hold. Discovering a new way to share her love for food (that went beyond simply preparing a plate for someone), Markus’ effortless approach, relatable banter and recipes that put easy, flavoursome twists on classic dishes quickly made her stand out from the onslaught of food content being touted at the time. “I think cooking is really daunting for a lot of people,” Markus tells me, “so part of what I enjoyed about starting @miss_pollys_kitchen was that it felt like a little bit of fun… I wanted people to know that cooking doesn’t have to be serious, and it can be easy if you know the basics.”
The basics (like chopping ingredients properly, seasoning and combining the right flavours) are exactly what Markus covers in her timelapse kitchen videos, which provide a step-by-step guide on how to create her recipes at home. “I’ve had a lot of feedback from people saying that they can follow a recipe but it’s really nice to actually see how I cut the onion or the zucchini or how I put things together.” And while Instagram quickly became a creative outlet for Markus, it was the brands who approached her with partnership proposals that turned her passion project into a bona fide side hustle. “All of a sudden my weekends were filling up with shooting,” Markus reveals, “and I realised that I could actually turn this into something.”
Something then became something more, and at the start of last year, Markus was approached by a publisher who wanted to put Miss Polly’s Kitchen in print. And after months of trialling and perfecting her recipes (sometimes four different ones a day) and seeking feedback from those who have long been privy to her talent, Markus’ debut recipe book has finally arrived — a bible for anyone who loves entertaining.
Lamb Rump with pomegranate Salsa & Soft Roasted Eggplant
Now, Markus finds herself increasingly having to reconcile the demands of her day job with those of Miss Polly’s Kitchen. Because despite her burgeoning success, as she tells me, “I still just consider myself just a little old Instagram cook in my kitchen, with my little tripod and my iPhone, and that’s what I love.” It is this love for cooking that not only inspired Markus to put herself out there but has long been the driving force behind the food she makes — even if it is just for friends who pop over for lunch. It’s what makes her particular kind of food content so compelling — she exudes a passion that you can feel through the screen (and through the pages of her book).
As for the future, Markus tells me she is just getting started. Having recently done a cooking course in Italy and with a few projects up her sleeve, Markus wants to continue to share her culinary inspiration, and expand her own capabilities. “I feel like there are still so many things that I need to learn,” she tells me, “and even if my Instagram went away tomorrow, I would still be doing the same things… learning about food, making food and sharing it with the people I love.”
Miss Polly’s Kitchen For the Love of Eating, is officially out now, and available to order here.
On the top floor of Wyndham Street’s Voco Hotel, the most understated, sweeping view of the city has been hiding — until now. Building on Auckland’s burgeoning roster of rooftop bars that all seem to be one-upping each other with grandeur, views, and how many flights of stairs it will take to arrive, Bar Albert is the newest and most elevated addition, that proudly carries the title of the highest in the country.
Left: Bar Albert interior. Right: Signature cocktails.
But it is not just height that matters; if anything, Bar Albert is proof that the best bar of this kind considers all elements of its offering, its focus firmly on what Auckland’s thirsty punters are really there for — a tempting list of cocktails and delectable snacks. The expansive outlook across the city is just a bonus.
Thirty-eight floors above Auckland, Bar Albert’s cocktail menu finds inspiration in the recognisable streets below. Expect to see cocktails like the Napier Street, the Chancery Street and the Market Place, or the signature Eden Crescent cocktail, featuring The Roots dry yin, yellow chartreuse, house-made pistachio & rosewater orgeat and a spray of rhubarb bitters, served in a coupe glass and garnished with dried rose petal. It truly is a delicious tipple.
As far as the food is concerned, the offering is uncomplicated but inherently divine. House-made arancini are served alongside crispy duck fat potatoes, with oysters and platters of charcuterie and cheese curated as the perfect snack to accompany a list of local hero wines.
And where interiors are considered, two words that come to mind are sophisticated and sleek. This new bar is the kind of space that feels more typical of somewhere like New York than the City of Sails. Although the crowd that awaits its opening speaks to our collective desire for venues of substance — something that bars like this are keenly aware of, seen in the quality of experience they offer.
Bar Albert courtyard.
In short, Bar Albert is upping the ante in more ways than one, and as such, is poised to become our next go-to spot, putting an elevated twist on after-work drinks or catch-ups with friends.
Opening hours: Tuesday — Thursday, 4pm until midnight. Friday — Saturday, 4pm until 1am. Closed Sunday & Mondays.
Bar Albert
38th Floor, Voco Auckland City Centre
13 Wyndham Street
Auckland Central
Pasture is famed for its multi-course degustations that showcase hyper-seasonal flavours and harness techniques like wood-firing, fermentation, and dry-ageing to create meticulously-considered dishes. Renowned for the way its chefs use every part of the animals and seafood they cook, Pasture provides some of the most sustainable, sophisticated dining in the City, while its intimate space can only seat six guests at a time. But because this restaurant’s offering is so specific and so seasonally planned, it is also not typically able to cater to dietary requirements, making it difficult for vegetarians to partake in the full Pasture experience — until now.
Left: Pasture interiors. Right: Choy sum with radish flowers.
For three nights only, Pasture will put on a special menu that heroes one thing and one thing only: vegetables. Designed to showcase the culinary power of vegetables, these immersive, multi-course dinners will uncover their full, flavoursome potential. “Working with vegetables is one of the most rewarding challenges,” says Pasture’s Owner and Chef, Ed Verner, “they provide so much diversity of flavour depending on how they are treated.” For Verner and his team, it is Pasture’s tried and true vegetarian dishes that are often cited as favourites, with the chef divulging that most of their staff meals are vegetarian too. “We feel that our vegetarian dishes are some of our most creative,” Verner continues, “with many diners telling us that the vegetable dishes are the most surprising on the menu, or even their favourites — meat-eaters included.”
As such, Pasture’s upcoming vegetarian dinner series will highlight exceptional, local produce via an innovative tasting menu that harnesses a variety of techniques (including fire and fermentation) to underline the luxurious nature of vegetables. Expect dishes like Pasture’s already-beloved tomato and raspberry, or its choy sum with radish flowers, alongside a delicious array of entirely new creations.
Of course, there will also be a curated drinks menu to pair perfectly with each course, including Champagne, cocktails, cider, beer, sake and other house made beverages. There will even be an alcohol-free pairing option, consisting of various fresh juices, fermentations and mocktails.
Left: Green broth. Right: Kitchen prep.
With the Pasture team driven by the culinary creativity that can be harvested from treating vegetables, not as an afterthought or a side, but as carefully and as respectfully as they might an animal, this limited dinner series will offer vegetarian food unlike any you’ve probably tried before. And with the evenings now locked in for the 14th of September, the 21st of September and the 5th of October only, we suggest you book your place STAT. Vegetarian or not, is one you don’t want to miss. Bookings are available here.
Fancy a weekend on the sofa, lost in an excellent show? Here, we go through some of the best new series to have recently landed on streaming services — from thrilling dramas to action-packed narratives to fascinating documentaries to heart-warming comedies. Without further ado, your weekend watching guide awaits.
House Of The Dragon This hotly-anticipated new series delivers a prequel to the global phenomenon that was Game of Thrones, set 200 years before the original show and focusing more specifically on the ancestors of Daenerys Targaryen. Based on George R. R. Martin’s book Fire and Blood, the story centres on the Targaryen civil war, an ongoing battle between siblings vying for power following the death of their father. Resulting in the deaths of the Targaryen’s most powerful dragons. With all the promise of its predecessor, House of The Dragon is a must-watch.
Bad Sisters Part dark comedy, part thriller, this excellent new series follows the story of five sisters who, having pledged to always protect one another following the premature death of their parents, find themselves caught up in a revenge fantasy plot to save one of their own from a monstrous husband. Witty, suspenseful and expertly played by an excellent cast.
Five Days at Memorial This harrowing new drama, based on real-life events, follows the story of emergency caregivers at a New Orleans hospital in the aftermath of 2005’s Hurricane Katrina. Based on the 2013 Pulitzer Prize-winning book of the same name by Sheri Fink, this heart-wrenching miniseries will keep you deeply invested from start to finish.
A League of Their Own Set in 1943, this new comedy-drama miniseries focuses on the story of the Rockford Peaches — a pioneering female baseball team in the early days of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. An adaptation of the 1992 film of the same name (starring Tom Hanks and Geena Davis) this compelling show is full of laughs and is carried by a cast of great characters (and exceptional performances).
The Last Movie Stars In this intriguing docuseries, director Ethan Hawke pays tribute to Hollywood idols (and iconic couple) Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward, drawing heavily on archival documents — transcriptions of taped interviews that Newman and Woodward did with screenwriter Stewart Stern for a never-finished personal project. With most of the tapes destroyed by Newman himself and only a handful able to be salvaged as transcripts, here, Hawke called on actors like George Clooney and Laura Linney to give voice to the subjects’ words, creating an experience that is part documentary, part dramatic retelling, part interpretive character work.
The Old Man Based on Thomas Perry’s 2017 novel of the same name, this much-acclaimed, thrilling series stars Jeff Bridges as Dan Chase, a former CIA operative who, despite having lived off the grid in upstate New York for 30 years, is forced into going on the run after his past catches up with him and he kills an intruder who brakes into his home.
Surface After surviving what she is initially told was a suicide attempt that resulted in serious head trauma, Sophie (played brilliantly by Gugu Mbatha-Raw) has lost all of her recent memories. In the wake of the incident, she embarks on a quest to piece together her previous life, in order to understand what actually happened and why. Uncovering thrilling twists and turns, a shocking love triangle and a number of people who aren’t who they say they are, this series will keep you on the edge of your seat.
Mo Based on the story of Mo Najjar, an undocumented refugee from Palestine living in Houston (played by Mohammed Amer in his first scripted series) this new, semi-autobiographical Netflix show follows the hilarious antics of Mo as he embarks on various hustles to keep himself afloat while trying to navigate the notoriously convoluted US immigration system.
Echoes In this thrilling new series, Michelle Monahan plays twin sisters Leni and Gina, who have secretly switched places with each other their whole lives. But when Leni goes missing, it sets off a series of events that start to unravel both of their interwoven existences.
Untold: The Girlfriend That Didn’t Exist The sixth instalment of Netflix’s ‘Untold’ series, this new two-part documentary follows the fascinating story of Manti Te’o, who made global headlines as the promising college football star whose girlfriend, Lennay, tragically passed away from leukaemia just as his senior season was getting underway. But Lennay didn’t actually exist. This fascinating documentary revisits the sad unfolding of events that uncovered Te’o’s girlfriend to be nothing more than an elaborate catfish and speaks to the numerous flow-on effects of one person’s selfish pretence.
Paper Girls Like an all-female Stranger Things (although with a very different twist), Paper Girls is a fun, action-packed sci-fi series that follows four girls living in the 80s who, on their paper route, get sucked into a reality-warping battle that unwittingly embroils them in a time war — and a fight for the future of humanity.
Black Bird If you haven’t already watched this, you’ve probably had it recommended to you by more than one friend — and for good reason. Inspired by actual events, this miniseries was based on the 2010 autobiographical book, In With The Devil: A Fallen Hero, A Serial Killer, and A Dangerous Bargain for Redemption by James Keene, and follows the protagonist (played by Taron Egerton) who, at the start of his 10-year prison sentence, is offered freedom if he can illicit a confession from suspected killer Larry Hall.
This time of year can bring with it a sense of malaise, as we search for renewed energy and a fresh perspective — particularly as winter draws to a close and spring is on the horizon. In our opinion, the easiest way to give yourself a new lease on life is via a few simple switch-ups in your home, a new sofa here, a bookshelf there, or even a new bar cart (if you’re feeling convivial). Here, in a bid to help you feel inspired again, we have rounded up a list of the new design pieces we are coveting for the season ahead.
Noah Sofa by Giulio Marelli from Sarsfield Brooke Designed by architect Luca Erba, the Noah Collection is characterised by columinous shapes and lines that curve around to envelop the sitter, whether they choose to recline on the armchair, the chaise longue or the sofa. But it is to the last that we are particularly drawn, thanks to its versatile finish (available in a number of fabrics) and extremely comfortable construction and upholstery.
Hector bookshelf by Vincent Van Duysen for Molteni&C from Dawson & Co. There’s nothing like a good, old-fashioned spring clean to leave your interiors feeling refreshed, and as far as we’re concerned, nothing is more helpful in this department than added storage. Molteni&C’s Hector bookshelf is about as sleek an iteration of this functional piece as you’ll find, with a light and airy composition, an easy-to-change modular design, and a range of contemporary finishes to suit any space. As perfect to divide a room as it is to showcase your most precious objects, this bookshelf is the unexpected interior hero you didn’t know you needed.
Phare lamp by Menu from Tim Webber Originally designed for apartment no. 50 at Le Corbusier’s ‘Cité Radieuse’ in Marseille, Menu’s Phare lamp is a versatile, subtle light that can be easily picked up and moved around the house (or even outside in dry conditions) depending on where it is needed. Made from aluminium for recyclability, durability and lightness (with its shade crafted from injected plastic), this piece is as durable to use as it is impactful to look at, and has fast become a must for any home.
MP Trolley by Massproductions from Simon James Give at-home cocktails an elegant new dimension with the new MP Trolley by designer Chris Martin for Massproductions. With a construction that plays with geometric shapes and spacing, and a sleek, contemporary finish in black oak that promises to deliver some finesse to any living space, this trolley is like a good bar-tender — unobtrusive, polished and always there when you need it.
Asmara sofa by Bernard Govin from Ligne Roset Having made its anticipated return to Ligne Roset’s lauded collections for the brand’s 160th anniversary, the iconic Asmara sofa is back and better than ever. Originally designed by Bernard Govin in 1968, this style was an audacious reimagining of modular seating, comprising five configurable modules — convex, concave, low back, high back and semi-circular — that allowed the user to sit up or sprawl, and made a swift, significant impact on the landscape of design. Now, Ligne Roset has reissued the much-loved style, made all the better by new innovations by the brand’s R&D department, and it is the perfect piece to take centre stage in a large living space.
Cascadia Rug by Kelly Wearstler for The Rug Company from Design Central As the local purveyors of exceptional rugs, Design Central’s offering (of course) includes The Rug Company’s Kelly Wearstler-designed pieces. This one in particular, is a showstopper. Inspired by China’s Yangtze River, the Cascade rug features a mountainous landscape in neutral tones, meticulously woven in silky threads against a soft, Tibetan wool base.
Moke dining table by Devon Now is the perfect time to prepare your outdoor area for the imminent arrival of spring and summer, and there’s no better way to do that than with a stunning centrepiece like the Moke dining table by Devon. Boasting an elegant, rounded shape made from glass reinforced concrete (and able to be made in a range of specialty Peter Fell colours), this piece is perfect for all the al fresco dining that awaits us.
Modular Imagination blocks by Virgil Abloh for Cassina from Matisse Part of a project that saw the late, great Virgil Abloh team up with lauded Italian brand Cassina to explore the implications of modularity, these Modular Imagination Blocks can exist as standalone pieces or be combined to form various design accessories (from tables to chairs to ottomans and benches). This is a collection that invites imagination, and asks the user to rethink their domestic landscape and crucially, the blocks (made from plant-based matte black polymer and recycled wood) can be completely disassembled for after-use recycling.
Brasilia Bed by Marcio Kogan / Studio MK27 design for Minotti from ECC Making a strong case for a choosing a bed that makes a statement, the Brasilia bed embodies the same mid-century style that broadly defines the bold Brasilia seating range. Boasting a large wooden headboard that wraps around the bed’s padded frame and featuring built-in side tables that come off of its dark brown stained Canaletto walnut structure, this exquisite bed is more than just a place to rest your weary head at night (although it’s obviously perfect for that, too).
Frames by Lasvit from Matisse Designed to be standalone, light-art objects that engage with our imaginations and physically represent the thin borders that exist between our inner and outer worlds, Frames can be windows, doors, skylights or anything that connects our interior spaces with the outside world. Here, beautiful glass circles (each unique in its texture, colour and surface) are set into linear metal frames to become eye-catching elements of any space.
Brera sofa by Jean-Marie Massaud for Poliform from Studio Italia The embodiment of clean, contemporary design, Jean-Marie Massaud’s Brera sofa carries a strong architectural quality and unmistakable presence. Available in both linear and curved configurations, the sprawling structure of this sleek seating system doesn’t sacrifice anything to comfort (thanks to its incredibly relaxing pillows and generous seats) and yet, still carries a couture quality via leather detailing and a range of exceptional new fabrics.
Collar chair by Bensen from Tim Webber Allow yourself to be wrapped in plush comfort with Bensen’s unique Collar chair — a masterclass in the power of understated design. From its generous seat to its perfectly-curved backrest to its simple, linear structure, employ this chair singularly as the ideal reading spot, or add a few to your living room to create an inviting space for conversation with family and friends.
Nuvola coffee table by Casamilano from Studio Italia Give your living room some personality with this curved coffee table by Casamilano. Low to the ground and rendered in a wavy, irregular shape, this unexpected take on the classic, living-room centrepiece is made all the more striking by its manual, bronzed finish.
Mesh Suspension Light by Francisco Gomez Paz for Luceplan from Dawson & Co. Drama and innovation collide in this eye-catching pendant that taps into the potential of LEDs, utilising a technology that allows separation into very small units and results in a piece that appears almost transparent. This is thanks to the way that its metal cables have LED sources positioned at their intersections to conceal the complexity of the design. As such, the Mesh Suspension Light boasts unprecedented versatility, with the user able to control the light’s intensity and even decide which sections of the pendant to use.
Background coffee table by Massimo Castagna for Henge from ECC From its metal tube structure to its engraved stone top, this exquisite coffee table will lend any living space a sense of gravitas and grandeur. Able to be finished in a variety of natural stones from Henge’s comprehensive range, the strong, solid presence of this table will make it a point of conversation with anyone who goes to rest their coffee on its undulating surface.
For more exclusive access to what the city has to offer, engaging content, excellent imagery and thought provoking commentary on the life that surrounds you, subscribe to Denizen magazine now.
