Our interview with the women of Silverfox MGMT New Zealand is one of our great reads of the year. Image by James Yang.
The summer break is finally here and with it comes the opportunity to catch up on some of the great stories you may have missed in the craziness of the year. We’ve curated our favourite features and interviews for you from 2020 on FashioNZ.
Mature Kiwi models on women and aging in the fashion industry
The cultural conversation about women and aging has never been louder than in this present time as we continue to challenge the long-held idea that youthful beauty equates with a woman’s value. As silver-haired models appear in more brand campaigns and fashion editorials with their casting comes a powerful clap back against the invisibility many older women feel as they age… Read More
How to become a more conscious beauty consumer
The enormity of the world’s plastic pollution problem might have you thinking that your actions won’t make a difference, but here is where we need to change our thinking and realise that if everyone made at least one change in their consumption habits, together as residents of planet Earth, we can make a difference and help to save our planet… Read More
Celebrities who shop pre-loved fashion and how you can too
We all love to follow what celebs are trying out, what products or hacks they swear by, and like me, look to what they’re wearing. We see them as an irrefutable voice on ‘stylish’. When reading magazines or scrolling websites and social media, over 80% of us ask ourselves the same question ‘Can I do that?’, ‘Can I wear that?’, ‘Can I afford that?’ and ‘Can I replicate that?’… Read More
Dame Trelise Cooper on lockdown, family and moving forward
It would be fair to say that 2020 has so far played out in a way that no-one could have predicted and while Covid-19 has brought with it immense heartbreak it’s also delivered moments of enlightenment and challenged us to rethink what we thought we knew about life and business. For Dame Trelise Cooper, this year has been a rollercoaster of emotions as it has been for many people, and she is feeling grateful for New Zealand’s current favourable position after a tumultuous few months… Read More
Yasmin Farry from Biddy + May on why clean beauty matters
The past few years has seen a global revolution in the beauty industry with the rise of many independent brands offering natural, effective products as part of the Clean Beauty movement. Here in New Zealand, Yasmin Farry has turned her personal interest in clean beauty into a business, offering a carefully curated selection of high-performing, natural brands on her online store Biddy + May… Read More
Why a digital detox is good for your health
Whether you believe technology enhances your life or stunts it, like with anything debatable you could look at both sides and understand there are both good and bad aspects technology brings. However, in this instance, we are here to explore why a digital detox is good for your health… Read More
Pacific Fusion Fashion Show broadcasts incredible digital event
Celebrating five years of their unique event, the Pacific Fusion Fashion Show 2020 (PFFS) took a new form this year, broadcasting an exciting digital fashion show on Freeview TV from Wellington’s City Gallery. Supported by The Pacific Cooperation Foundation (PCF), the show titled POLYNATION was a joyous and vibrant affair showcasing the creative designs of 13 Polynesian designers… Read More
Designer Céline Cummins on celebrating a decade of Céline Rita
A decade in the fashion business is definitely worth celebrating and while this unpredictable year has meant she didn’t get to celebrate in the way she had hoped, designer Céline Cummins from womenswear label Céline Rita is still delighted to mark her brand’s 10 year milestone… Read More
How to care for your jewellery
Jewellery is the perfect way to accessorise an outfit but it needs to be looked after to last well and stay looking it’s best. Jewellery designer Cathy Pope is a woman who knows a thing or two about jewellery care and she has helpfully provided her tips and tricks for looking after your jewellery… Read More
Costume designer Donna Jefferis on Sleeping Beauty’s magical costumes
The Royal New Zealand Ballet’s magical production of Sleeping Beauty opened last week in Wellington before taking to stages around the country throughout November and December. The beautiful ballet is staged by the RNZB’s Artistic Director Patricia Barker and features gorgeous costumes designed by RNZB’s Head of Costume, Donna Jefferis… Read More
Designer Margi Robertson on celebrating 35 years of NOM*d
Dunedin’s Margi Robertson has been a key figure in defining New Zealand’s style over the past few decades with her celebrated brand NOM*d. It began as a small knitwear brand to complement the other labels in her beloved boutique Plume, and now NOM*d is celebrating 35 years in fashion this year and reflecting on an incredible journey that has seen the brand showcased around the world… Read More
Why Bakuchiol is a great Retinol alternative for sensitive skin
Within the beauty realm, there is one ingredient that has been hailed “the holy grail” of skincare and that is Vitamin A, also known as Retinol. Retinol is derived from Vitamin A and is one of the most effective ingredients at preventing and fighting the signs of premature skin ageing, such as helping to reduce fine lines, acne, pigmentation and sun damage… Read More
Mel King from Threads on being a buyer and growing her online store
Owning an online store filled with your favourite brands is certainly a great way to indulge your love of fashion but for Threads co-owner and founder Mel King, she’s just as passionate about sharing those clothes and helpful fashion advice with her many customers… Read More
Emma Peters from Aleph Beauty on building her natural beauty brand
I first discovered Aleph Beauty about a year ago, I was delighted to be able to meet with Emma in person and have a one-on-one tutorial on how to use her products – I was in awe. After suffering for years with acne and breakouts, it had been hard for me to find makeup products that looked good on my skin, without causing a breakout. So when I tried Emma’s range of natural products I was impressed… Read More
Lets have an honest conversation about the big O
For some ridiculous reason, women talking about their sexual wants and needs has been frowned upon for many, many years. This has led to gender inequality in the bedroom, which means, to be frank, that women are getting the short end of the stick in bed. However, this gender inequality isn’t biological or natural, it’s learned behaviour and it is totally rectifiable… Read More
Judy Gao on her TikTok success and growing her business
TikTok has exploded in popularity around the globe this year and local designer Judy Gao has grown a huge following of over 685,000 followers on her brand’s TikTok account. While the app first got attention for dance clips and pranks, videos on the app tagged #fashion have been viewed over 33 billion times making it a golden opportunity for brands who can utilise the app well… Read More
What I learned from a year of not buying new clothes
Most of us enjoy shopping, finding new items and with more competition at the lower price end, many people are caught in the cycle of buying and discarding clothes all too easily. We buy because there is a sale on, because it seems like a bargain, because we feel good about ourselves, or the opposite… Read More
Hair Stylist Danny Pato on how to go grey naturally
Going grey is a natural part of life, but it can be daunting and hard to know when the best time is for you to start the process. Unfortunately, we don’t just wake up one day with a full head of glistening silver hair – it takes a long time for this to happen… Read More
Why we need to get on-board the blue beauty movement
We’ve all heard about green beauty, but the latest movement sweeping the world is blue beauty. So, we investigated exactly what this sustainable beauty movement means and how we can get on board… Read More
Designer Tanya Carlson on creating stunning custom outfits for NZ musicians
Fashion and music go hand in hand with each drawing inspiration from the other, and in New Zealand our local musicians love wearing Kiwi designed clothing for events, tours and music videos. Stylish local musicians like Hollie Smith, Ladi 6 and Julia Deans are often seen in gorgeous custom made outfits from some of our top brands, with Tanya Carlson a favoured go-to designer for eye-catching looks that are glamorous and unique… Read More
The most common skincare myths exposed
The skincare industry is saturated with vast amounts of information that it can sometimes be hard to know what the truth is. It can feel like there are new ‘rules’ every week, telling us what we should and shouldn’t do when it comes to our skin. To make matters worse, the industry is also rife with misleading and unsubstantiated claims from brands trying to get you to buy their products… Read More
Ana Wilkinson-Gee from Holi Boli on creating ethical fashion in India
Kiwi Ana Wilkinson-Gee empowers women in the fashion industry on a daily basis through her India-based business Holi Boli. She founded the business with her husband in 2010 in rural India, located 12 hours train ride southwest from Kolkata, where they live with their three children. What began as a sewing school with a dream of helping women in hard to reach places has become a fashion brand in it’s own right and a production house for other ethical labels including Tonic & Cloth and Two Lippy Ladies… Read More
International Women’s Day: Six women that are creating positive change in fashion
Creating change is how we make a difference and this IWD we wanted to champion some of the women who have been instrumental in creating and inspiring positive change in our local fashion industry in the past year. They are all exceptional in the way they lead by example whether in pushing boundaries, challenging the status quo or doing what simply hasn’t been done before in their own unique ways… Read More
Makeup artist Kiekie Stanners on forging a successful career in beauty
Over a decade-long career Kiekie has worked her way up from Fashion student at AUT to self-taught makeup artist, adopting the ‘fake it til you make it’ mantra. Kiekie shows us that you don’t need high-end training to be ‘somebody,’ it just takes passion and a natural creative flair… Read More
What is the difference between hormonal and cystic acne and how do we treat it?
Acne sufferers will know that acne does not discriminate. People of all ages, genders and races can suffer from acne and it can sometimes be hard to decipher whether those spots you are experiencing are hormonal or cystic. There are many different causes of acne, from diet and stress to hormones and genetics, but whatever the cause, the one thing most acne sufferers will agree on is that acne is no fun… Read More
Alexander Herdahl-Thorsing on creating his luxurious fragrance brand
Alexander Herdahl-Thorsing launched his eponymous fragrance brand in 2018 with a curated collection of luxurious fragrances that are modern and alluring. Alexander has a long-held fascination with fragrance and creating HERDAHL-THORSING was a natural extension of his personal taste and creativity… Read More
Make your own bath products at home with these easy recipes
There is nothing quite like soaking in a hot bath filled with luxurious aromas, the experience is perfect for de-stressing or just taking some “me” time away from your family, can I get a Hallelujah from all the Mums out there?! So, we have put together a list of our favourite bath products and how you can create them at home… Read More
Images supplied.