This spring, softly woven bralettes provide intimate wardrobe support — especially when you’ve skipped wearing lingerie with lockdowns of late. Worn with colour-coordinated outfits, they allow a peep into your style prowess. Look for natural fibres, like cashmere, and wear with confidence.
← GO BACK
SEE ALL SLIDES |
The genius of Frank Gehry is immediately apparent to anyone who has visited the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain or the Louis Vuitton Foundation in Paris, but it’s just as easy to appreciate by taking a seat.
Before the blockbuster buildings, Gehry’s fascination with unusual materials hit an early high point with the Wiggle Side Chair. Take a look back at something worth looking down on, in the nicest possible way.
1929: Frank Gehry is born in Toronto and, after working as a radio announcer and truck driver, studies architecture at the University of California and Harvard in the fifties.
1969-1972: Having established his own firm in Los Angeles in 1961, Gehry saw a pile of corrugated cardboard outside his office and started to experiment. Inspired by a childhood spent exploring his grandfather’s hardware shop, Gehry set about creating the Easy Edges furniture series, highlighting the strength and versatility of cardboard.
“I discovered that by alternating the direction of layers of corrugations, the finished board had enough strength to support a small car, and a uniform, velvety texture on all four sides,” he told The Christian Science Monitor in 1972. “I found I could cut these edgeboard sections into geometrical forms, or bend them into sculptural, ribbon-candy folds.”
The shape is reminiscent of Verner Panton’s 1960 fibreglass Panton chair. Gehry’s cardboard pieces were originally designed for artist Robert Irwin’s studio but become popular when produced for the public.
1973: With the ever-growing popularity of the Wiggle Chair, Gehry was worried that it would overshadow his reputation as an architect and stopped production of the Easy Edges collection.
1982: Gehry stopped producing the noise-reducing and environmentally sustainable cardboard furniture, ceding the rights to Vitra. It was a fortuitous relationship with Gehry going on to design the Vitra Design Museum in Weil-am-Rhein, Germany, which opened in 1989.
Today: The Wiggle Chair is in New York’s Museum of Modern Art and continues to be used by interior designers to add impact with its unique silhouette and immediate aesthetic integrity. It is available in New Zealand at Matisse.
Image credit: Header Image Photography: Fraser Chatham, Styling: Margie Cooney, Art Direction: Fran King
Around the world, September is the biggest month for fashion — with New York, London, Milan and Paris fashion weeks unfolding one after the other. As the rest of the world returned to the street style schedule, there was a rambunctious range of looks that celebrated being able to dress up again. While we prepare our wardrobes for a return to outings and outfits (soon) we are inspired by the low-key yet luxurious looks that show an assured appreciation of style.
From Christopher Esber’s effortless dresses (available from Muse Boutique) to Chloé’s cult-status Woody tote (now online at Workshop) some key pieces are already on our shores. Snap these up from Auckland’s foremost, forward-thinking boutiques, and thank yourself later.
Designed, as its name suggests, to be a seat more suited to special occasions (and not to be exposed to the eroding effects of everyday use) the occasional chair is a thing of beauty. Sculptural and serene, it sits in the centre of the living space, or in the corner of a bedroom as a perpetual reminder to pick up that book you’ve been meaning to finish and put your feet up — even if it is only once or twice a week.
From sensual curves to jutting angles and delightfully awkward structures, the occasional chair comes in a variety of shapes and finishes, suitable for any kind of space. Here, we round up the 10 we’re coveting at the moment.
Long beloved for its ability to add sumptuous texture to an interior arrangement, velvet furniture is still making its presence felt — literally — with tactile charm. Double down on the sensory effect with a piece like Michel Ducaroy’s Togo sofa (pictured below); already distinctive for its bunched fabric rolls, the addition of velvet takes it to another level.
She’s been called New Zealand’s ‘encyclopaedia of design’, and working with a leading supplier of world-class furniture, Matisse, means Caroline Montague is a wealth of knowledge and style. We took the chance over lockdown to quiz her on her current inspirations and frequent fascinations.
My personal style can be defined as: Ironic Havelock North.
The last thing I bought and loved was: The austerely plain Lemaire low heels from La Garçonne.
An unforgettable place I visited was: The giant Sequoia forests in Northern California (currently a fire hazard).
The next place I’d like to go to: Anywhere with snow.
An object I would never part with is: My Andy Warhol silver Elvis Cowboy vase.
On my wish list is: An industrial/hospital-style bathroom.
When I was younger, I wanted to be: A cartoonist.
I am inspired by: Youtube declutterers.
My favourite app is: RNZ for the Concert Programme.
My guilty pleasure is: You can’t have too many furniture books.
My secret talent is: A well-placed backhand.
My favourite cultural/style icon is: Andrée Putman (French interior and product designer).
The best book I’ve read in the last year is: Tom Stoppard: A Life by Hermione Lee.
I can’t miss an episode of: University Challenge, UK Version — Work that cardigan!
In my fridge you’ll always find: S.Pellegrino and not much else.
I recently discovered: I am more likely to show up for a personal trainer.
My favourite website is: 1stdibs.
If price were not an issue, the one artist whose work I would collect is: Jacques Henri Lartigue.
The last meal out I had that truly impressed me was: Amano — Lamb shoulder with roast potatoes, then rice pudding — an actual proper dinner.
The podcasts I listen to are: Matt Bradshaw’s Coffee Break Tennis.
The best gift I ever received was: Either a hardback set of Proust with the original Enid Marx covers or my apartment.
The latest music I’m loving is: I love Baroque Opera, especially Rameau and Handel — those very weird, avant-garde French and German productions add another layer.
My favourite three pieces in our showroom right now are: The Centimetre rug by Eileen Gray for ClassiCon, the Aluminium Group chair by Charles Eames, and the Alanda Low table by Paolo Piva.
I’m obsessed with the work of: Konstantin Grcic (German industrial designer).
My favourite piece of his work is: Table B Concrete for BD Barcelona.
The one thing people should invest their money in when it comes to furniture is: What they absolutely love and cannot live without. I recommend always buying authentic, original furniture that can be used for a lifetime then handed on. Matisse, of course, has a superb selection of both classic and contemporary designs to meet your requirements.
One of the best pieces of advice I’ve ever received is: Comfort is a visual thing.
The word ‘takeaways’ conjures different associations for different people. For some, it’s pizza that gets them daydreaming of dinner, for others, perhaps burgers. For those who immediately start craving a selection of dumplings or a warming, fragrant curry; fresh noodle salads or salty, spicy kimchi, these are the places you should be ordering from.
Saan
Should a craving for authentic Northern Thai cuisine hit you, look no further than Saan on Ponsonby Road. Offering its fragrant tiger prawn Pad Thai, Mussaman lamb curry, crispy pork belly, and wok-seared eggplant and tofu (to name a few), both contactless pick-up and delivery via Uber Eats are available. Saan’s opening hours for this service are Wednesday to Saturday, 4.30pm to 8.30pm. Order online here.
Hello Beasty
Viaduct Harbour’s Hello Beasty melds Japanese, Korean and Chinese flavours in its punchy, clean and vibrant dishes, and has a take-home menu of dinner packs for between two and four people, which include all the dishes you could desire for a scrumptious feast. Receive a delicious main like chargrilled Sichuan lamb shoulder with sides like broccolini, spring onion flatbreads and rice. Vegetarian options are available, plus individual dishes and sides like karaage chicken, sticky pork buns and chicken katsu sandos. Order online here and follow @eatupbeasty for updates.
Azabu
Those with a hankering for Azabu’s supremely fresh Peruvian-Japanese fare will be pleased to hear a selection of its most popular dishes will be coming to a plate near you. Find sushi and sashimi, Nikkei steak, free range chicken karaage, crispy pork belly, prawn dumplings and more, available for pick-up from Azabu’s Ponsonby and Mission Bay locations. Order online here.
Ghost Street
Recently-opened, subterranean Chinese eatery Ghost Street is all set to bring its flavourful fare to your dining room. A curated menu is available for both pick-up and on Uber Eats for delivery, including delicious dumplings, noodle and rice-based mains, dishes like soy-braised dong po pork belly and fried organic chicken leg with sweet soy black vinegar sauce, plus vegetables and even sweets to finish like Hong Kong-style egg tarts. Available Wednesday to Saturday, 4.30pm to 8.30pm. Order online here.
Mr Hao
Known for its sharing plates and spice-centric fare, look to the level 3 offering of this modern Chinese eatery to impart a kick to your dinner. Mr Hao has come up with a set of ‘comfort meals’ for pre-order, a combination of dishes that are designed to feed either two-to-three or three-to-four people. Dishes on offer include Hao’s spicy chicken wings, fried noodles, dumplings in spicy broth and more. Delivery is available from either of the Dominion Road or Albany locations. Order and see all delivery and payment details here.
Gochu
Attention Gochu’s many fans, the Commercial Bay Korean eatery has two of its most popular dishes available for you to eat at home. Order Jason’s Fried Chicken and four-packs of the signature Milk Buns, both designed to reheat and enjoy within your own abode. You can pick-up from a collection point on the ground floor of Commercial Bay or arrange for delivery to selected suburbs. We’ll take ours with a Gochu x Checks t-shirt, thanks. For availability, delivery zones and ordering click here.
White & Wong’s
Modern Asian eatery White and Wong’s has its Viaduct and Newmarket location open for contactless pick-ups. From dumplings to warming soups, starters like Peking duck, mains like curry and BBQ’d meats, and much more, you’re in for an at-home feast thanks to the restaurant’s extensive menu. Or if you would prefer to stay at home, you can find them on Uber Eats. Order online here, in person or over the phone.
1947
Inner-city Indian favourite 1947 Eatery has got your curry cravings under control, with a menu full of its most popular dishes available for pick-up and delivery via Uber Eats. Try something from the tandoor or the famous bang bang butter chicken — and the street samosa chaat and garlic naan is a must. Order online here.
Ebisu
Britomart’s elevated Japanese restaurant Ebisu is offering a curated range of its signature dishes including the Ebi Mayo roll, sashimi and sushi platters and the tuna ceviche roll for contactless pick-up online. There is also a new selection of Omakase (chefs choice) set meals, and a range of bottled cocktails, sake, Champagne and wine to add to your order. Children will be well looked after too, with the kid’s sushi platter also available. Order online here.
V.T Station
Should a hankering hit you for Indian dishes that pack a punch of flavour, we suggest making Newmarket’s V.T. Station your first port of call. V.T. Station melds fresh ingredients and a street-food sensibility to create its moreish fare. Already adept at serving takeaways, choose from its substantial eat-at-home menu that you can order online for pick-up or delivery via UberEats. Order online here.
Bali Nights
A culinary trip to Bali from your bubble just became possible thanks to Bali Nights’ level 3 menu — order delicious street food-style dishes such as beef rendang, nasi goreng and more online and over the phone for contactless pick-up. The team are also working on deliveries, coming soon. Bali Nights’ sister restaurant, Indonesian eatery It’s Java!, also has online ordering available on its website, plus deliveries through Delivereasy and Ubereats. Order Bali Nights online here. And It’s Java! online here.
Ginger
When it comes to takeaways, Thai is one of our favourites for fresh and flavoursome fair. Ginger in Remuera is offering contactless takeaways and deliveries on its colourful menu — from classic ka ree puff and tom yum soups to sweet chilli snapper and papaya salad. The team encourages placing orders ahead for the following day, to avoid long expected wait times as its locals rush back. Order online here, or over the phone on 09 523 2626.
Gaja
Ponsonby Central’s popular new Korean eatery has a delicious menu available for contactless pick-up. Find a takeaway-friendly selection of its moreish modern Korean fare, including kimchi and tofu or beef brisket Mandu (Korean-style dumplings); various renditions of Korean Fried Chicken; Dupbap bowls; noodles and more. The takeaway service will be running 7 days a week, 12pm — 8:30pm. Order online here or phone 09 600 3466.
Cafe Hanoi
A hankering for the freshness and flavour of Vietnamese food can be satiated thanks to Cafe Hanoi’s at-home menu, available for pick-up from its Britomart premises or delivery via Uber Eats. On offer are fresh rice paper rolls, main dishes like wok-seared market fish and roast duck, curries and vegetable dishes, salads and more. Available Wednesday to Saturday, 4.30pm to 8.30pm. Order online here.
Ockhee
Open for both contactless pick-ups and delivery within a 3km radius from its base, beloved Ponsonby Road Korean spot Ockhee has us sorted with its flavourful dishes — from rice-based Dubbap and Bibimbaps, to that moreish fried chicken, noodles, sides and delicious soup kits. The level 3 offering is available Thursday to Sunday, 5pm — 9:30pm with last orders at 9pm. Order online here or call on 09-217-2020.
Tasked with bringing this majestic heritage house into the present day, the team at Alwill Interiors kept colour and mood at the forefront of their approach. Situated in Sydney’s Centennial Park, the home already contained exquisite turn of the century features which, having been lovingly restored, sing when paired with a Bauhaus-tinged modernity.
While natural light was not abundant throughout, Alwill Interiors worked with this inherent quality to create moody spaces that exude a sumptuous romanticism. The main living space is bestowed with impressively large-scaled proportions, and gently curved furniture works to create flow, comfort and softness in contrast to the traditional in-built features. Rounded sofas and chairs invite residents to recline on their organic, cloud-like cushions, while oval rugs, pebble-shaped coffee tables and arched mirrors all hone in on the effect.
Varying shades of paint and wallpaper were utilised to create individual schemes for each room in the house, resulting in a home that offers shifting environments to reflect (and perhaps influence) the dispositions of those within it. In the study, hand-painted silk Wisteria De Gournay wallpaper adorns the walls with inky ambience, melding artful expression in a way that feels characteristically cohesive with the overall aesthetic. The living and dining areas lean into the heritage character with textural grey Porter’s Fresco paint, designed to replicate the plaster walls of ancient European buildings, while white walls and ceilings in both the hallway and the informal living room to the rear of the house assist in bouncing light around for a brighter, fresher effect.
As well as delving deep into the impactful properties of colour, an understanding of scale and proportion was key to the success of this project. Soaring high ceilings and archways, an imposing fireplace and generous windows require furnishings and object d’art that can hold their own with the substantial quality of the aforementioned aspects. The Apparatus Cloud pendant mirrors the living room furniture’s curves without being too nebulous, its frosted glass orbs adding a contemporary centrepiece that is still in-keeping with the solidity of the home’s structure. Weighty coffee tables peppered throughout provide purposeful sturdiness, and generously-sized seating casts assured forms that avoid being too dinky.
To introduce welcoming warmth into each space so as to remain comfortable for the young family who live here, plush rugs have been utilised with gratifying enthusiasm, each room’s iteration both complementing and offsetting the curation of furnishings. A long, sandy-hued rug stretches the full length of the entrance and hallway, and in the study an Italian Baxter rug, artisanally crafted from plant-based silk, adds beautiful texture underfoot.
Fundamentally, this home is a supreme showcase of what happens when the existing characteristics are comprehended so attentively, with comfortable and contemporary updates that still manage to celebrate its heritage rather than trying to impress upon it a detached aesthetic.
Such cohesiveness ensures the house will stand the test of time, as it has done so far, with a singular confidence that is never out of style.
Image credit: Prue Ruscoe
Oh, to be tucked into one of Andiamo’s terracotta-toned booth seats and tucking into a free-range chicken parmigiana made with love and tomato fondue. While we can’t make ourselves comfortable at the convivial Herne Bay neighbourhood institution yet, we can let some of our worries slip away as we enjoy its melt-in-the-mouth Andiamo To Go menu from home.
The considered edit of its modern Italian-inspired menu has every course you need to delight and indulge. Start with a special gnocchi cacio e pepe and perfectly proportioned pizette, perhaps with pork and fennel sausage and chilli. Then, impress your bubble with the famed Andiamo favourites, including the pappardelle and the aforementioned parmigiana — with a roasted tomato caprese and caesar salad on the side. For the ultimate pick-me-up, finish with a classic tiramisu, made all the more memorable with amaretto crumb and valrhona cocoa.
Making gourmet takeaways all the more enjoyable, Andiamo To Go is available via phone order from 4 to 8pm, with contactless pick up from 5pm. (Contactless delivery is also available for its surrounding Auckland suburbs for a small fee.)
To celebrate this fine offering from Andiamo, Denizen has a $250 restaurant voucher to award one fortuitous foodie.
To enter this delectable giveaway, click here.
This competition is now closed.
Entries must be received no later than 5pm on Friday the 1st of October. Winner will be notified by email.
Fresh from university, Jessie Wong launched her leather goods label Yu Mei in 2015 with just six styles. Now with 36 stockists around the world, flagship stores in Wellington, Newmarket and at Commercial Bay, the understated luxury brand can be found in the hands of stylish women everywhere. Wong’s excellent and refined taste goes far beyond her stylish accessories, and we asked this driven fashion entrepreneur to share her mental mood board.
My personal style can be defined by: Steadfast favourites, unfussy and utilitarian. I live in trousers and a blazer or trench, usually with some combination of a classic t-shirt in summer, or a cashmere sweater or vest outside of summer. I believe so strongly in this uniform-like approach to dressing, that my quest to curate the perfect capsule wardrobe led to us collaborating with local sustainable knitwear experts, Standard Issue, on a range of luxurious cashmere styles, which I live in and predict will continue to, for eternity.
The last thing I bought and loved was: My partner, Jack, and I are currently mid-overhaul of the landscaping on our property, so my shopper’s mind is consumed by outdoor furniture and various stone/concrete/material finishes.
An unforgettable place I visited was: Despite being lucky enough that my work has taken me all over the world, I’ll forever cherish memories from our trips to visit the farms and tannery right here in New Zealand. Waking up before dawn in the frigid cold to track a pod of deer across multiple council lines in Timaru and Lake Hawea was nothing short of breathtaking and gave me such an appreciation of the regenerative agriculture and climate-conscious farming innovations taking place in our very own backyard. I’m so proud to be part of this supply chain in some small way — the leather we use is a byproduct of the venison industry so we’re diverting it from the waste cycle and creating buttery soft, luxurious handbags in the process.
The next place I’d like to go to: Back to China and Europe to rediscover my family history — my brother recently mapped out our family history and we’re so excited to retrace the routes our ancestors traversed, when we can travel internationally once again.
An object I would never part with is: A woven whetū brooch by artist Matthew McIntyre-Wilson (Taranaki, Nga Mahanga and Titahi). It was gifted to me by Jack and while I don’t often wear it, it is an incredibly special piece and I feel so honoured to own it.
On my wish list is: A pair of Gypset earrings by Jessica McCormack. Make that anything Jessica McCormack — her pieces are so beautifully unique and have a perfectly balanced nonchalance to them.
When I was younger, I wanted to be: A Magazine Editor, Fashion Designer or a Lawyer.
I am inspired by: The fearless females that came before me, who weren’t afraid to challenge the status quo, get on with the job and occupy space. My great-grandmother Vi who wore trousers in the 1920s; my grandmother who drove trucks and believed in her ability to do any job as well as anyone else; my grandparents on my dad’s side who came to New Zealand from China, making huge sacrifices to give future generations a better life.
My favourite app is: Asana — this speaks to the goal-setting listmaker in me.
My guilty pleasure is: Nutella on crumpets. Can’t beat a childhood favourite.
My secret talent is: Making salad dressings. It sounds simple but the transformative power of a good dressing cannot be overstated in my books.
My favourite cultural/style icon is: Penny Martin, editor of The Gentlewoman, aka my favourite magazine to ever exist.
My top Yu Mei picks for the season ahead are:
1. Our new Suki Multi Strap Bag in Matisse Blue, the best colour and a perfectly minimal form.
2. The Scrunchie Vi Bag in Sunshine, to dance along to Solar Power.
3. The ever-faithful Braidy Bag in Cocoa, because you can’t beat a classic.
The best book I’ve read in the last year is: Imagining Decolonisation — it has changed and challenged how I view the world as a citizen of Aotearoa and what it means to be living on these lands.
I can’t miss an episode of: The podcast How I Built This with Guy Raz.
In my fridge you’ll always find: Elysian marinated olives. Black Estate Chardonnay and assorted ingredients for the aforementioned salad dressing obsession.
I recently discovered: Commonsense organic veggie box delivery. They also do milk in glass 1L containers that they pick up the following week.
My favourite website is: Matchesfashion.com
The new Yu Mei piece I’m currently most inspired by is: Our re-release of the new, refined Georgie Bag. It’s the ideal size and profile for a summer of festivals, hikes, beach wanders and everything in between.
If price were not an issue, the one artist whose work I would collect is: Ayesha Green from Jhana Millers Gallery.
The podcasts I listen to are: How to Fail by Elizabeth Day, the BoF Podcast by Business of Fashion.
The best gift I ever received was: My education.
The latest music I’m loving is: Lorde’s Solar Power album, Harper Finn’s cover of Maybe Tomorrow and a recently-rediscovered Spotify inclusion of Now that’s What I Call Music 1-50
The last meal out I had that truly impressed me was: Rita in Wellington is always a treat — such care and intention in every element.
A classic piece I never tire of is: A lightweight beige trench by The Row with black leather accents. Great to throw over everything, travels well, and I know will be a wardrobe staple for years to come.
This spring/summer, I predict that everyone is going to be wearing: Button-down shirts. You heard it here first.
One of the best pieces of advice I’ve ever received is: No one knows what they’re doing until they’re doing it.
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.
SUBSCRIBE NOW
Get the latest and greatest happenings in Auckland delivered straight to your inbox every Wednesday morning.
Kindly share a little more insight into who you are below and one of our team will be in touch soon.
