Step into a world of wonder at Artland, the Auckland Art Gallery’s playful new installation by renowned Korean artist Do Ho Suh and his young daughters. Crafted from colourful modelling clay, this evolving, hands-on experience invites families to shape their own fantastical landscapes.
When: Saturday 20th September 2025 — Sunday 19th July 2026
Where: Te Aka Matua | The Creative Learning Centre — book here
Making its highly anticipated return for 2025, Dance For Abilities‘ lively event is back and better than ever. For anyone unfamiliar with the work that Dance for Abilities does, it’s a charity that seeks to create inclusive, fun spaces in which those with disabilities can cut loose a little, have a dance and express themselves. Started by brothers Jonathan and Daniel Hopkirk who saw very few opportunities for their sister with Down Syndrome to go out in the same way they did, Dance For Abilities has facilitated a number of highly-popular social events both here and in Australia.
This year, DFA is hosting its popular dance party on Tuesday 7th of October, from 5.30pm at the Royal Akarana Yacht Club. For 2025, the theme is Disnee Danceoff — a fan favourite that’s been requested time and again. Guests are invited to step onto the red carpet in their best character-inspired looks, ready to light up the dance floor alongside celebrities, special guest performers, and showcase dancers. From pamper stations to dessert and lolly bars, themed venue fit-outs to fabulous prizes, this promises to be one of DFA’s most spectacular nights yet.
“Disnee Danceoff is all about creating a fantastical experience for the unique ability community — a chance to get glammed up, walk the red carpet, and feel like rockstars,” says Daniel Hopkirk, DFA Director. “The popularity has continued to soar, and we are learning more each time we throw an event about how we can cater for the needs of the community to form unforgettable nights across New Zealand and Australia.”
And while the event itself is free, it needs donations to take place. So, anyone who is in a position to help out, we encourage you to do so. As DFA is a not-for-profit, crucial events like this can’t happen without the kindness of strangers, with a donation of just $50 enough to cover drinks, food and entertainment for one guest. Donations can be made to DFA’s Givealittle page, here.
Tickets are available now for anyone aged 18+ with an intellectual disability (or those supporting someone who would love to attend), here.
From Ralph Lauren’s minimalist masterclass to Khaite’s cinematic showcase to Veronica Leoni’s sophomore outing for Calvin Klein, here, we’ve rounded up some of our favourite looks from the NYFW S/S 26 collections.
Shop Khaite
Shop Ralph Lauren
Shop Prabal Gurung
Shop Calvin Klein
Shop Tibi
Shop Alexander Wang
Meaningful moments warrant equally meaningful gifts. From timeless keepsakes to covetable collectibles, modern heirlooms to dazzling diamonds that will endure for decades, regardless of the number of candles on the cake, let our ultimate milestone birthday gift guide lead you in the right direction.
Coming of age celebrations call for timeless, meaningful gifts they’ll treasure long after the party’s over.
Mark the moment with thoughtful, keepsake gifts that celebrate the beginning of a bold new chapter.
Approach this milestone with gifts that honour the recipient’s personal taste and inspire a life well lived.
For those who have it all, opt for personal gifts that hold sentimental value and reflect their enduring style.
Fifty is no longer ‘over the hill’, it’s standing on top of it with a better view. This is the milestone for leaning into everything you’ve earned, and looking fabulous while doing so.
From timeless jewellery to couture-level pieces, here, we share an edit of what to wear to celebrate 50 in statement-making style.
Embrace a half-century celebration with statement-making style that feels confident, chic, and considered.
There are birthdays, and then there are monumental celebrations; nights that you’ll remember forever. For Olivia Carter, General Manager of Soul Bar & Bistro, her recent celebration wasn’t about turning a year older, but about pressing pause and sharing a moment of joy with the people she holds dearest. “We’re all so busy,” she says. “I wanted to create a night that brought my favourite people together; no distractions, no obligations, just connection,” Carter says. “I wanted to take a moment to be present with the people I love, to enjoy how far we’ve come and how lucky we are.”
Soul Bar & Bistro was the only choice for this celebration; familiar, yet reimagined. As Soul’s General Manager, Olivia Carter is well-versed in events, but this time she stepped into the role of host. The result was an evening that felt fresh, fun, and completely personal.
Naturally, the setting was Soul. But this time, Carter took centre stage, reimagining the iconic venue with a deeply personal lens. “I wanted to do something we hadn’t done before at Soul, something with meaning, style, and a little mischief.”
The brief? Over-the-top elegance. Guests were asked to wear black and white — a request she cheekily flipped on the night by arriving in a stunning pink gown. A single, beautifully styled table ran the length of the outdoor terrace while fabric draping, rich burgundy florals, clusters of grapes, and candlelight set the atmosphere. The playlist, courtesy of SweetMix Kids, set the tone for a night full of energy and heart.
Food and drink were essential. Signature cocktails, stamped ice blocks, and even caviar-topped chicken nuggets made an appearance. The hero pour of the evening was the incredibly rare RSRV Lalou Cuvée 2008 Champagne, gifted in support of Carter’s vision and served generously throughout the night. “It was such a thoughtful gesture. RSRV completely understood what I was trying to create.”
The menu mirrored Carter’s signature style, from Mumm RSRV Champagne flowing freely to caviar-topped chicken nuggets. With the rare Mumm RSRV Lalou Cuvée 2008 as the hero pour, every bite and sip was crafted to honour friendship, elegance, and living fully in the moment.
Dessert was theatrical; a magnificent strawberry-topped cake, sliced and shared just as the dancing kicked off. Rather than gifts, Carter invited guests to donate to the Mental Health Foundation of New Zealand, a cause close to her family’s heart. She and her husband matched all contributions.
“I looked around the table and thought, ‘This is exactly where I want to be.’” For someone who spends her life creating special moments for others, this was Carter’s time to savour one for herself, with grace, style, and the people who matter most.
There are bags that follow trends, and those that define them. The Gucci GG Marmont sits firmly in the latter category — a modern icon shaped by heritage and quality design. With its softly sculpted silhouette and archival Double G emblem, it’s a piece that has rightfully become a signature of the House, worn by those who understand that true style doesn’t ebb and flow, but endure. From its debut on the runway in 2016 to its current iteration today, the Marmont remains a masterclass in enduring elegance.
First introduced in 2016, the Marmont was never meant to be a fleeting moment. From the start, it carried the essence of Gucci’s DNA — the Double G logo, drawn from archival designs dating back to the 1970s, and a certain irreverent elegance that channels the glamour of the Château Marmont, for which the bag is partly named. But its real staying power lies in its considered construction.
“The bag’s softly structured silhouette is shaped through gentle quilting, with every line, seam, and stitch mapped and measured by hand.”
In Gucci’s Florence atelier, the making of a Marmont is a lesson in refinement and precision. Each bag is handcrafted by a small team of five artisans, who — across a seven-hour-long process — guide its form into shape with meticulous care. The process blends tradition with innovation, with each of the 152 precise steps an exercise in intentionality. The leather, now an even softer lambskin for 2025, has been chosen not just for its tactility, but for how it will wear over time. The bag’s softly structured silhouette is shaped through gentle quilting, with every line, seam, and stitch mapped and measured by hand.
Over the years, subtle evolutions have refined the Marmont’s language, balancing timelessness with the tempo of contemporary life. This year’s update introduces a more refined palette of seasonal tones, alongside fresh finishes in gold and light gold hardware. A discreet back pocket adds functionality to the medium and large versions, without disrupting the purity of the design. The faceted sliding chain strap remains one of its most compelling features — playful and versatile, able to swing from shoulder to crossbody with ease.
As is evident in this latest considered update, where quiet recalibrations, from a shift in proportion to the elevation of material to the soft layering of function, speak to the Marmont’s ongoing relevance. This is a bag built to endure. As it continues to evolve in line with the way we live
and dress, it also remains unmistakably Marmont: distinctive, adaptable, and anchored in a design language that resists the need for reinvention.
Few gifts are as enduring as a stunning wine when it comes to honouring life’s defining moments. Whether it’s a milestone birthday, a wedding, or the arrival of a new baby, wine offers something rare: a gift that grows in sentiment and significance over time.
According to David Nash, founder of The Wine Room, wine is not just something to be consumed; it’s something to be remembered. “Wine is a fantastic time capsule,” Nash explains. “If chosen well, it can mirror a moment in time, and years later, bring that memory flooding back with a single sip.”
For Nash, gifting wine is far more than the label or the vintage. It’s about the story it tells and the moment it preserves. “There’s something deeply human about opening a bottle that’s been waiting patiently for the right occasion. It becomes part of your narrative,” he says. When selecting a wine to mark a significant moment, Nash recommends choosing something age-worthy. “Great Bordeaux, vintage Champagne, Sauternes, these styles can comfortably age for 20 or 30 years or more,” he says. “And larger formats like magnums are ideal if you’re buying for the long term. They not only look impressive but also age more slowly and gracefully.”
One of Nash’s most sentimental gift ideas is wedding wine. “Assuming the couple married in a strong vintage year, you could gift a collection of wines from that year to be opened on milestone anniversaries; the fifth, the tenth, the twentieth. It’s the kind of gift that becomes more meaningful over time.”
Nash points to Dom Pérignon’s Plénitude Collection for those seeking something extra special, available exclusively through The Wine Room. These rare vintages — known as P1, P2 and P3 — are released after being perfectly aged at the Maison in Épernay for up to two decades. “They’re an extraordinary option for marking a birth year, a wedding, or a major achievement,” says Nash. “By the time they’re opened, the wine has already evolved into something truly profound.”
While the emotional value is undeniable, proper storage is crucial in protecting the wine’s integrity and future potential. At The Wine Room, clients can store their bottles in climate-controlled conditions for approximately $1 per bottle per month. “Storage is everything,” says Nash. “Even the best wine in the world will suffer if not kept properly. With certified cellaring, you can ensure the wine matures exactly as it should.”
Gifting a full case is also wise, allowing the recipient to enjoy one bottle now and revisit the wine over time. “It becomes a thread through their life. Tasting how the wine evolves as they do is a really beautiful experience,” Nash says.
Ultimately, he believes the best gifts are the ones that reflect thoughtfulness and imagination, and wine ticks both boxes. “There’s a sweet spot between passion and practicality,” he says. “You’re giving something that can be appreciated immediately, or held onto for a special moment. It might sit untouched for years, but when it’s finally opened, it brings with it not just flavour, but memory, emotion and meaning.” And that, Nash says, is the true value of wine as a gift. “It’s not just what’s in the bottle, it’s what it represents. A great bottle is more than just a drink. It’s a story waiting to be told.”
Shop here for The Wine Room’s curated wine selection or to gift an incredible tasting experience.
In case you missed the memo, 40 is the new 30, and as such, deserves a celebration that is equal parts revelrous and refined, with a wardrobe to match.
From dazzling diamonds to statement pieces with presence, glamorous gowns, and sophisticated suiting, here, we share an edit of what to wear to mark 40 with conviction.
Own the milestone — or celebrate someone else’s — in effortlessly polished looks that tread the line between bold, modern, and timeless.
For those on the hunt for a unique experience, The Hotel Britomart’s Nourishing Nature offering is curated adventure at its most delicious. This guided half-day excursion in the Waitākere Ranges blends the wholesome joy of wild feasting with a hands-on dose of forest restoration.
With the hotel’s signature personalised touch, guests join local experts to forage for native herbs, hear the stories behind them, and sample their bounty with a forest glasshouse feast, complete with native-infused drinks. The day’s finale is planting a sapling grown at the hotel’s sister property, The Landing, as a lasting marker of your visit.
More than just a dining experience, this is part of a growing global movement known as Wild Feasting — an elevated return to practices steeped in simplicity. At its heart, wild feasting is about reconnecting with the source of what we eat, tracing each ingredient from land, river, or ocean to the plate, and uncovering the cultural and ecological story it carries. It’s harnessing food as a portal to place, walking forest trails to gather herbs, listening to the whakapapa of ingredients, or savouring dishes prepared with a reverence for seasonality, sustainability, and provenance.
This is the kind of culinary storytelling The Hotel Britomart and its restaurant, Kingi, do best — where menus read like a journey across Aotearoa, and each dish a celebration of local fishermen, foragers, and growers whose names and methods are honoured on the page. The Nourishing Nature experience takes this ethos beyond the plate, immersing guests in the land itself, and reminding us that food is not only sustenance, but also connection and care.
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