1. A weekend worth seeing
As Wellington’s civic heart reopens, Common Material arrives with a celebration of the city’s creative talent. Taking over City Gallery Wellington Te Whare Toi this weekend (from 5-7 June), the inaugural event brings together twenty-seven names, Kowtow, Yu Mei and JPalm for a weekend of exhibitions, runway shows, and conversations exploring the craft and values behind Aotearoa fashion. Tickets for runway shows and talks are available in limited numbers, while entry to the exhibition and Designer Talk events is free. It’s set to be one of the capital’s most exciting cultural events of the season – we’ll see you there!
2. Gothic reckoning
In her latest memoir Stakes, Noelle McCarthy returns to the gothic pull of Bram Stoker’s Dracula, revisiting the novel that first captured her imagination growing up in Catholic Ireland. What begins as a childhood fascination with the vampire as a “risk-free fantasy” unfolds into something far more complex — a lens through which to explore desire, shame, identity and inheritance. Twenty years on, McCarthy revisits the story to reckon with her own history and the shifting cultural forces of the #MeToo era, where generational trauma and buried histories begin to surface. Darkly funny and deeply reflective, Stakes asks what it means to inherit both myth and memory — and whether we ever truly outgrow the stories that once scared us most. Read an interview with McCarthy in the upcoming winter issue of Fashion Quarterly.
4. Worn in, not out
Shot and styled by Kristen Lindesay, with Claudia Kogachi in frame, Penny Sage’s AW26 capsule ‘Festina Lente’ introduces new shapes alongside signature pieces, designed as winter staples to be worn and kept for years. Made in small runs using locally sourced deadstock fabrics, the collection brings together natural fibres including merino jersey, wool suiting, silk cotton rib and Japanese denim. As always, each piece is made in Aotearoa in close collaboration with trusted makers, keeping craft and longevity at the core.
5. Base layer
Looking to boost collagen and strengthen your skin barrier? Look no further. Perpetual Activator 7 reimagines the brand’s most iconic oil as a pure, concentrated solid balm designed for everyday use. Powered by seven key actives including provitamin A, vitamins C and E, amino acids and omegas 3, 6 and 9, it delivers high-performance nourishment from face to body. Clinically proven to support collagen synthesis and cellular recovery, it helps repair, protect and strengthen skin, while gliding effortlessly across face, body and hair for radiance on the go.
3. Feeling lucky
Sylvester’s High Winter ’26 collection, ‘Lucky’, captures a series of everyday moments where nothing quite goes to plan, but everything still works out. From wind-blown walks and coffee spills to spontaneous plans and cold park reads, each piece is designed to move with her life. Plush textures, easy layers and considered winter must-haves carry her through it all. Marking one year since launch and eight collections in, Sylvester reflects on momentum, community and the joy of simply being here.
