Ahead of Zambesi’s 40th anniversary show at the Town Hall during NZ Fashion Weekend and offsite show at Auckland City Library during NZFW, brand co-founder Elisabeth Findlay shares some of her favourite city centre spots.

Espresso Workshop is where I’ll grab my cappuccino when I’m stopping in to visit our Britomart store. They’ve created a limited edition Zambesi blend to celebrate our 40th anniversary too. So good!

The M.A.C store in Britomart is my beauty go-to, for my favourite lipstick in shade ‘Topped with Brandy’.

For lunch, Amano is ideal. I love to pop in to grab a juice; my favourite is the beetroot. And their home milled bread selection is a must for weekend family gatherings. I love to cook, so if I’m making my family traditional Borscht soup that’s often on the stove over the weekend, it’s the perfect complement.

Ebisu’s contemporary Japanese menu is also highly crafted and unique. It’s always unexpected, and I love the unexpected. A beautiful place to spend time dining.

I also love the waterfront area. We spend a lot of time going to Waiheke Island in the summer, so stopping at Island Gelato for homemade ice-cream on the way home is routine. They also do the best lox bagel in Auckland!

For dinner, Japanese yakitori and kushiage bar Tanuki’s Cave on Queen Street has an amazing vibe and energy. Great for pre-show eats, especially if you’re going to the Town Hall (another favourite venue, I’ll never forget the Nick Cave concert there; so cool). It’s fabulous to see Fashion Week come full circle to the location where it all started 19 years ago in the heart of the city.

If you’re a book lover like me, Auckland City Library is an amazing public space to delve into history and is a great community environment too.