Alan Raga

The Miss Universe New Zealand 2014 finalists have left the southern shores, and are presently at the Hilton Bangkok, as they commence their retreat in the Kingdom of Thailand for the following week.
   Since the Miss New Zealand Consortium was awarded the licence for Miss Universe in 2013, the directors felt that the live swimwear segment had to disappear from the competition. However, international rules still required it, so a swimwear shoot on a beach, with a closed set, became the best option for the live telecast that took place last October.
   Miss Universe New Zealand executive director Nigel Godfrey and general counsel Jack Yan were tight-lipped this year about the destination of the retreat, given political changes in Thailand. However, Thailand came on the radar again with the support of its ambassador to New Zealand, HE Noppadon Theppitak, and the top 25 finalists along with a crew departed on August 1.
   The Ambassador sees the retreat as a core part of the Thai–New Zealand relationship, given the high, mainstream interest in the Miss Universe competition in Thailand, and much of Asia. The 2013 finalists’ retreat was extensively covered in print and televised media in Thailand.
   Kiwi lensman Alan Raga is photographing the finalists, who will be wearing Surface Too Deep and Honey & Co. swimwear, in shoots commencing Saturday.
   The Miss Universe New Zealand 2014 grand final takes place at Sky City Theatre, Auckland, on September 18. As with 2013, the public has a hand in deciding the winner, through text voting, and, as a new innovation this year, through an electronic i-vote. See nextmissnz.com/top25.shtml for voting details. Further updates of the competition are on the Miss Universe New Zealand Facebook and Instagram, with hashtags #missuniversenz and #munz14.

Alan Raga

Dilmah Tea New Zealand

Dilmah Tea hosted a series of high teas around New Zealand, promoting its socially responsible message along with the rising interest in tea mixology.
   Its Wellington stop on Tuesday, hosted by Dilmah founder Merrill J. Fernando and his son, Dilhan C. Fernando, the company’s chief marketing officer, and in the presence of Her Excellency Zodwa Lallie, South African High Commissioner, was a particular treat, with a menu designed by Dilmah Real High Tea Gold Medallist Laurent Loudeac, executive chef of the Museum Art Hotel.
   Held at the hotel’s famed Hippopotamus restaurant, guests were treated to everything from ora king salmon sashimi—which we would label as our favourite of the afternoon—to lap sang souchong yoghurt panna cotta and a lychee-infused jasmine tea and rosewater caviar, complemented by various Dilmah teas.
   The selection included Dilmah’s Ran Watte Single Region Ceylon tea, its green tea with jasmine flowers, and its rose tea with French vanilla.
   The highlight was the address given my Merrill J. Fernando, after a video looking back through the history of Dilmah and how his famed catchphrase, ‘Do try it,’ was created by a New Zealand agency.
   He spoke of how Dilmah goes beyond the requirements of Fair Trade with its ethically made tea, because those who grow the tea share in the equity. The value-added components of Dilmah are not done by international traders, but by Sri Lankans, and the company constantly puts money back into the community, funding education, health care, cultural and even business activities.
   Some rivals force down the prices that tea farmers can sell at, keeping them poor, while profiting from the value-added components in the marketing and production chain.
   Mr Fernando also stressed that Ceylon tea is the finest, and that Dilmah, to preserve that integrity, does not mix its teas with those from other countries.
   Through a Trade Me auction, the Merrill J. Fernando Charitable Foundation is also raising money for a culinary centre in Sri Lanka which will train people living with disabilities or have been disadvantaged, so that they can find employment to support themselves.
   They can be found on Trade Me, with the auctions closing on July 27. Items include Parawa Estate Ingalalla Grand Reserve 2007 wine, valued at over NZ$1,250; an individually numbered caddy of a very rare tea, FBOP 1, from the Dilmah Opapa Estate in Sri Lanka; a night for two at the Langham Hotel in Auckland; and two nights for two at the Museum Art Hotel in Wellington.
   In other New Zealand news, new label Trish Peng is running a Fresh Face modelling competition as part of her New Zealand Fashion Week début next month, with the help of L’Oréal Professionnel and Vanity Walk.
   New Zealand women are invited to enter via the Trish Peng Facebook page. Peng and Vanity Walk, a modelling agency, will judge from the uploaded photo and details.
   Entries close August 2. The winner becomes the face of the next Trish Peng campaign, opens Peng’s fashion week show, receives a modelling contract with Vanity Walk, and wins a year’s supply of L’Oréal Professionnel products.—Jack Yan, Publisher, with Lucire staff

Felicity Anderson/Trio Communications

Dilmah

Top Dilmah founder Merrill J. Fernando with Lucire publisher Jack Yan. Centre Dilmah chief marketing officer Dilhan C. Fernando and South African High Commissioner, HE Zodwa Lallie. Above Museum Art Hotel proprietor Chris Parkin with HE Zodwa Lallie.

Lucire issue 33, on sale today, marks a number of firsts and is one of the best we’ve had.
   We’ve always been very fair on who makes the cover. Sopheak Seng, our fashion and beauty editor, and I choose from all the images we have, and these include ones that he has produced as creative director or stylist. And in the years we’ve worked together, he’s opted not to put his ones ahead of others’. We’ve both gone for what is best for Lucire. Some shoots that have appeared on the cover he has worked on in a supervisory role, but others have come from our brilliant network of creatives worldwide.
   Issue 33 sees his first cover that he has directed, and it’s one we’re both exceptionally proud of. Photographed by Dave Richards, and with the A-team of Michael Beel on hair and Hil Cook on make-up, assisted by Jaye Morgan, Natalie Henderson and Andy Alsop, and modelled by Chloé Graham, it’s the first time in 17 years that we’ve cropped the Lucire logo behind the model’s head.
   We realize this technique is commonplace and it’s probably a surprise to anyone reading the above that that hasn’t happened before. And we’ve had many great images—only the best get selected for the coveted spot. But for some reason, when it came to the crunch, we opted to keep the logo complete, as have always done on the website. This time, the image was so striking that we felt it was time to take the scalpel to the logo, thanks to head designer Tanya Sooksombatisatian.
   It is Dave’s first shoot with us, so to score a cover on your first go is very impressive, though it has happened a few other times—Courtney Dailey with Laura Vandervoort in issue 29, for instance.
   I have a feeling, too, that Chloé is the first Scot to be on our cover. While a New Zealander, she hails from Glasgow, and this is rather timely with the Commonwealth Games about to commence.
   I congratulate my good friend and colleague, Sopheak, and I think this is going to be one of those memorable Lucire covers that will be cited in years to come.
   There’s plenty more inside, and you can get a taste of the articles in our issue 33 preview.
   I’m very proud of one shoot by Jon Moe in there, with our California A-team of Jamie Dorman (now in New York, but who was our pointwoman on the shoot), Lei Phillips and Carina Tafalu, and starring two former Miss Universe New Zealands, Laural Barrett and Samantha Lochhead, each in their second appearances in Lucire. Jon lovingly shot this at Riviera 31 at the Sofitel Los Angeles, and I acknowledge our US west coast editor, Elyse Glickman, for her connections with Pivotal Public Relations in getting us the location.
   It’s not the only cover that we can talk about: some of you will have seen Dorit Thies’s and Olga Fonda’s announcement of their cover for Lucire Arabia. (The story is in issue 33, too, but it was strongly felt that Dorit’s shot was the best to début our title there. When you see the pages, you’ll also notice why this is an incredible shoot with the Vampire Diaries star.) We’ll have more on that officially soon, but, for now, you can get your issue 33 through the Lucire website, in print, for tablets (Ipad and Android), and as a downloadable PDF.—Jack Yan, Publisher

Jack Yan

For Every Minute held its mid-winter VIP evening at Coco Wellington last night, with co-founder Kenzy Cheeseman holding court, and an even more lavish spread of macarons, guimauves and madeleines from French Cancan, teas from Harney & Sons, wine from Nautilus and water from Waiwera put on for guests. Ruth Armishaw performed live jazz numbers, and neighbouring Woodstock florist provided the flowers, giving the event a classier ambiance.
   As with For Every Minute’s previous event, models, and Cheeseman and Armishaw, were dressed in the company’s silk, loungewear, pyjamas and sleepwear, but there were more giveaways, including beauty treatment vouchers and silk eye masks.
   Cheeseman used the event to début For Every Minute’s mid-winter merino line, which to our eyes looked even more comfortable than the silk designs.
   In other antipodean news, Best Western has announced that Harley–Davidson riders will have more travel perks across its 67 participating Australia and New Zealand properties.
   HOG members who sign up to Best Western Rewards will be automatically upgraded to Platinum status, with 10 per cent bonus points on each stay, a welcome gift on arrival, complimentary room upgrades, early check-in and late
check-out when available, as well as extra 10 per cent off their accommodation.
   Best Western International and Harley–Davidson extended their global partnership for three years in 2013.
   Finally, Veuve Clicquot will hold its Clicquot in the Snow celebration from July 30 to August 3 in Queenstown, New Zealand.
   The event, which has been held in Tignes and Aspen, sees Queenstown host everything from the Clicquot brunches at Pier 19, Steamers’ Wharf, from July 30 to 31, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. (NZ$35), with a special session with guest DJ Vincent Hanna on August 1, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.; the Clicquot Snow Bar at the Coronet Peak main deck (10 a.m.–4 p.m.), where guests can get a bespoke menu matched with a flute of Veuve Clicquot and a complimentary pair of Clicquot touch-screen gloves; the Clicquot dégustation dinner on August 1 at the Wakatipu Grill at the Hilton (NZ$150; call 64 3 450-9400 to book); an evening with Kathryn Wilson and Veuve Clicquot, where the designer will showcase her spring–summer 2014–15 shoe collection at the Heliworks Hangar on August 2 (NZ$50, see www.kathrynwilson.com for tickets); the after-party at the Bunker on July 31 from 9 p.m.; and the late-night sessions at Barmuda from on August 1 from 9 p.m.

Jack Yan

Réné Vaile

Pop sensation and Grammy Award winner Lorde, who has already lent her name to a limited-edition make-up line at MAC Cosmetics, visited her home town, Auckland, New Zealand, to promote it at the MAC Pro Britomart store.
   Lorde appeared with Amber Dreadon (Amber D), MAC’s senior make-up artist, and the Britomart-based artists. Senior management also attended the event: Tanya Jackson and Jodie Matthews, the brand general managers from New Zealand and Australia respectively; and Marie-Ann Billens, general manager of Estée Lauder in New Zealand.
   Dreadon had worked on Lorde’s look at the Grammys earlier this year.
   The Lorde Pure Heroine amplified deep plum lipstick, and the Penultimate eyeliner in Rapidblack true black, each retailing for NZ$40, go on sale on June 27.
   The products will be available online and at select locations throughout New Zealand. MAC has hashtagged the campaign MACLorde for social media.

Réné Vaile

Four New Zealand artists are exhibiting in New York from July 1 at Forty:67, at the Artifact Gallery at 84 Orchard Street in the lower east side of Manhattan.
   The exhibition, which comprises painting, photography and jewellery-making, features the work of Sarah Elsby, Nikki Clark, Aphra Ellen, and Jodi Clark. Elsby and Ellen are mother and daughter, and Nikki and Jodi Clark are sisters.
   The work examines the ideas behind identity, place, and culture, or: what does it mean to be a foreigner transplanted to an international centre such as New York City?
   Elsby uses watercolours on paper, exploring the tensions between biomorphic and architectural forms. Photographer Nikki Clark contrasts New York City with the tranquillity of the Whanganui River, near where she grew up, and the similarity of the power in both locations. Jodi Clark’s painting explores how symbols can transcend cultures and history, ‘arranged so they become abstracted from their original intent; taking on a new meaning and life while still triggering memories and nostalgia,’ she says. Ellen’s hand-crafted jewellery has what has been described as a playful approach, inspired by organic forms and odd shapes.
   The gallery is open from 12 to 6 p.m. daily.
   Meanwhile, two fashion films will be part of the New Zealand International Film Festival (NZIFF), taking place between July and September in Auckland, Wellington and other centres.
   The first, Frédéric Tcheng’s Dior and I (France, 2014), is a behind-the-scenes documentary, following Raf Simons as he creates his first collection for Christian Dior, taking over from John Galliano. It’s already on Lucire fashion editor Sopheak Seng’s must-see list as the festival takes place.
   Yves Saint Laurent, which has had a lot of coverage in Lucire already, is the second film. This is the Jalil Lespert film, which opened in January 2014 in France, and was authorized by Pierre Bergé. (The rival film was authorized by François Pinault.)
   Session dates are available online from nziff.co.nz: the Auckland ones are up now, with the Wellington schedule appearing on Friday, and other centres on July 4.

Ross Brown

Above Larry Keigwin’s Megalopolis.

The Royal New Zealand Ballet’s next season, Allegro: Five Short Ballets, will première in Auckland on July 30 before travelling to Hamilton, Napier, Palmerston North, Wellington, Invercargill and Dunedin. It will mark the last under artistic director Ethan Stiefel.
   ‘This programme features a world premiere from New Zealander Daniel Belton; two pieces from New York choreographer Larry Keigwin, who quickly became a Kiwi audience favourite after the success of his work Final Dress in 2012; a neoclassical work by one of the most celebrated choreographers of all time, Balanchine; and a brilliant and fun piece from Johan Kobborg,’ said Stiefel in a release.
   Belton’s work, Satellites, blends dance with kinetic sculpture (by Jim Murphy), animation (by Jac Grenfell) and electronic music (by Jan-Bas Bollen). Keigwin has created Mattress Suite, with six scenes about love affairs, either on or near a mattress (to the music of Stevie Wonder, Bill Withers, Giuseppe Verdi and Etta James), and Megalopolis (music by Steve Reich and MIA). It is the first time Keigwin has allowed a company other than his own to perform his work.
   Gillian Murphy will appear for the final time as the Royal New Zealand Ballet’s principal guest artist in Balanchine’s Allegro Brillante, to the music of Tchaikovsky, while Kobborg’s Les Lutins sees three dancers, a violinist (Benjamin Baker) and pianist (Michael Pansters, in his RNZB début) live on stage, performing music by Bazzini and Wieniawski-Kreisler.
   Allegro runs from July 30 to August 23.

Carmen Bird Photography

Well known for her millinery, Natalie Chan has always had a love affair with all things pink and girly, and her latest Couture Bridal Collection is just that.
   Entitled Portrait of a Lady, Chan recently launched the collection with a breakfast brunch at Auckland’s Sofitel Hotel to selected media and clients.
   Drawing inspiration from Renaissance paintings, aristocratic families and a remembrance of a treasured trip to the Louvre, the collection is an exploration of old-world opulence in modern-day times.
   Ivory, butterscotch and soft rose were the key colour trends for the collection and were in line with the international bridal runways showcased recently, something that Chan was absolute about as her customers are very international in taste.
   The collection certainly harked back to a bygone era, not only in its soft colour palette, but also in its attention to detail. Each gown was hand-beaded with cut lace flowers, pearls and sequins which recalled the great robes of the Renaissance-era paintings of Botticelli and Raphaël. However, there was also a lightness to them, as well as soft gossamer silk chiffons and tulle, used extensively in the collection.
   There was everything from straight column gowns in Guipure lace and silk satins through to elegant sweeping ball gown styles with layered petal-shape hemlines or hand-pleated tulle skirts, which recalled the early works of Lanvin and Worth. The focus was definitely on the back for this season, as most of the gowns featured keyhole details and button-back detailing, or a plunging deep V at the back, showcasing the beauty of the neck. Pretty bow detailing along with scalloped edged Chantilly lace and embroidery certainly added to the allure.
   This wasn’t just the launch of her first couture bridal collection, but also her Couture Bridal Millinery range. The gowns were all matched perfectly with headpieces that were created in-house by Chan and her team in her Parnell atelier.
   Guipure lace twisted into bows, pearls and tulle were beaded into headbands tied with gold ribbons, and the pièce de résistance was the gold crown, each one matched with a beautiful veil. This was perfect for the modern princess bride.
   The collection is available now at www.nataliechan.co.nz.—Sopheak Seng, Fashion and Beauty Editor

Carmen Bird Photography