Videris Lingerie is one of the brands I tried and loved this year. Image supplied.
One of the things I love most about my job as an editor is discovering new brands and products that go on to become my favourites. While it’s tempting to shop all the time in this role as my inbox is filled with new releases daily, I try and limit my purchases to things I really love and know I will keep using. As I regularly get asked by friends and family for my recommendations on fashion and beauty things to try I thought I’d share them with you too.
These are some of my favourites from what I’ve tried and loved in 2021:
Videris Lingerie
Back in March, I went to a pop up for Videris at Penny Sage’s store in Grey Lynn where I met and chatted with co-founder and designer Chloé Julian, who also fitted me for a soft cup Videris bra. I purchased the bra and was kindly gifted a pair of high-waisted knickers and very quickly realised how comfortable both were to wear. Since then I’ve bought ten pairs of the Whitney High Waist Bikini and another couple of bras all of which are on high rotation because I really love wearing them. The soft, natural fabric is so nice on the skin and the bras feel good even though I’m a DD cup and didn’t think a soft cup bra would work for me, but the Sarah Bra is my new favourite. I also love the beautiful colours, I’ve got the magenta, emerald green, indigo and purple which all have names related to their colour properties. This lingerie has replaced a lot of my old favourites and I can see myself wearing mostly Videris for years to come. Definitely one of my favourite discoveries of the year.
Lover Lover
I spotted the colourful earrings made by Lover Lover in Trelise Cooper’s Britomart boutique in July while we were making our NZ Fashion Week 20th anniversary film. While I didn’t have time to shop that day I took a quick photo and looked the brand up online later on. Lover Lover specialises in laser-cut earrings which are designed and handmade by owner Abby Melton at her studio in Oamaru. Her eye for beautiful colours and creative designs means Lover Lover’s earrings are vivid and really eye-catching. I bought a couple of pairs online including the Clementine Earrings and Paige Studs and I love them, while the past few months have been pretty casual with laid-back lockdown dressing, I haven’t worn them as much as I would have liked to but now that summer is here and I’m out and about again I’ve been pairing them with my favourite dresses.
Emma Lewisham
I’ve written about my love for the Emma Lewisham brand before, their skincare has been truly transformative for my skin since I first started using it in 2020 and I love the brand’s sustainable and natural ethos. Earlier in the year, Emma Lewisham launched Illuminating Brighten Your Day Crème, which is a lush moisturiser designed to make your skin hydrated and glowing, and it definitely works. I use it every day with SPF on top and it’s by far the best daytime moisturiser I’ve ever used, before it launched I was using Emma Lewisham’s Supernatural 72-Hour Crème which is a night moisturiser as my daytime one because I loved it too. Out of the many skincare products I’ve tried over the years, Emma Lewisham is the brand I recommend to my friends every time.
hej hej’s Proud as Punch Dress is one of my favourite purchases this year.
hej hej
New Zealand Fashion Week 2018 was where I first got to know hej hej when the brand launched their debut collection with a fun yacht party. I’ve written about the linen-loving brand several times since then but I hadn’t gotten around to buying a piece of hej hej’s lovely linen until this season. I’m definitely wishing I had gotten around to it sooner now though, as I bought the Proud as Punch Dress in Navy Daisy from their current collection and it’s now one of my favourite dresses. It’s a great fit on me, really suits my shape and I adore the embroidered floral detail. Navy is one of my favourite colours to wear and it’s fair to say I own quite a few blue-hued dresses at this point but this one is so timeless and comfortable I’ll be wearing it for many seasons to come.
Aesop
A kind parcel turned up on my doorstep a few months back gifted from Aesop and while I’m much less interested in trying new skincare products these days, Aesop is a natural Australian skincare brand I’ve heard a lot of good things about. Inside the parcel was a few different products and two I’ve adopted into my beauty routine as they perfectly complement my skin, the first is Aesop’s Protective Lip Balm SPF 30 which is really hydrating on my lips. It lasts for ages and doesn’t leave my lips feeling too sticky, especially when wearing a mask. I’m usually a big fan of lipstick but the reality of mask life these days is a lip balm is what I put on most days instead of lipstick. The other product I’m enjoying is Aesop’s Gentle Facial Cleansing Milk which I use when I’m double cleansing after my Emma Lewisham Illuminating Oil Cleanser at night. Aesop’s cleanser is really gentle and leaves my skin feeling suitably soft and ready for moisturising, the scent of it is really appealing to me too.
Caitlin Crisp
I first became a fan of Caitlin Crisp after seeing her winsome collection in New Zealand Fashion Week’s Graduate Show in 2018 and was delighted when she launched her eponymous label in 2019. Technically, I bought the Marsden Tank that I love and wear all the time in summer just before Christmas in 2020 but I didn’t wear it until this year so it still counts for this story. Caitlin has got a new version of the top called Marsden Tank 2.0 in her current collection and it is the perfect style for warm weather. It’s made from cotton and has adjustable shoulder ties so you can wear it how you want to, I have it in white which is really versatile although the current version is available in several colours including pecan, biscotti, sky blue and classic black.
The Facialist
In August I booked myself into The Facialist in Auckland’s CBD on the recommendation of a friend when I decided I was long overdue for a facial. Owned by Ashleigh Scott, The Facialist offers bespoke beauty treatments using natural products with each session customised for the client. My one hour appointment with facialist Nicole was one of the most relaxing facials I’ve ever had and my skin was truly glowing at the end. I really enjoyed everything about the experience, the team were really friendly, knowledgeable and welcoming, the facial itself was blissful and exactly what I needed both in terms of the peaceful downtime and transformation of my skin. I will definitely be going back as soon as I can.