Lovely Things Issue 15… Part 1

Let there be Light… Just when we thought we couldn’t love Zoe & Morgan any more, they go and zap us with a brand new collection as stunning as any that’s gone before. As with all of their finely crafted work, each piece in the new Wheels of Light collection is imbued with symbolism, intended to resonate with the wearer and to speak to our own stories and memories…

It’s named after the Sanskrit word, ‘chakra’, which describes the wheels of energy that move within us. Rings and necklaces align with these seven energies, from the ‘crown’ (top of your head) chakra to the ‘base’ (bottom of the spine). There are also hand-carved snake pieces – symbols of protection that curve beautifully around the wearer. Wheels of Light is designed to be layered with other Zoe & Morgan pieces, or worn alongside other personal treasures, and Zoe & Morgan have also recently expanded their engagement/wedding collection with some bold and beautiful new rings. zoeandmorgan.com 

 Join the Club – Retro styles with a soupçon of French chic are reimagined in natural fabrics by Sydney label Posse, which offers the ultimate in beach babe attire. Designer Danielle Mulham has her easy-to-wear garments made by hand in Bali, mostly by craftswomen working from home so they can mix motherhood with making some decent moolah. Inspired by a girl gang of muses (meet them on the website), her brand is a no-brainer for seaside celebrations, laidback bridesmaids, guests with good taste and your sun-soaked honeymoon. Posse also stocks ethically made accessories and everything’s entirely affordable. theposse.com.au

 One for All – Don’t be misled by the prettiness of Curionoir’s newest scented candle – ‘pūrotu’ means ‘handsome’ in te reo Māori, New Zealand’s indigenous language, and the Pūrotu Rose fragrance is gender neutral. Creator Tiffany Jeans drew on a childhood memory of her beloved grandfather’s tangi (traditional Māori funeral) in concocting this evocative fragrance – the earthy heat of the soil, the smokiness of hāngi (a Māori method of in-ground cooking), and the fading glory of roses. Rose otto, bitter orange, pink pepper and teak are among the notes intertwined in this spicy, woody beauty, which is available as a parfum and, for a limited time, as a candle, in a handblown glass vessel stamped with Curionoir’s seal. curionoir.com 

Everlasting Love  The exquisite vintage and antique jewellery at online store, Coco Florence, is first checked over by a local jeweller to ensure that everything is of exceptional quality. Based in New Zealand but offering worldwide shipping, this is a sustainable and timeless choice, and 5% of the profit from your purchase is paid forward to Kiva, an international microfinance nonprofit that lends money to help others achieve their dreams. Pieces sell fast so follow @cocoflorencenz on Instagram, as items featured there sometimes sell before making it onto the website. cocoflorence.co.nz 

Scents of adventure – From high priestess of perfume Jo Malone comes the travel-friendly Fragrance Combining Palette, your passport to smelling gorgeous, wherever you are. This sleek palette encases two solid perfumes for scent on the go and comes in a protective pouch that’s perfectly sized to slip into your pocket, belt bag or small handbag. Simply choose two from a selection of Jo Malone ‘s best-loved scents, and you’re good to go. jomalone.co.nz 

Fairs to remember  Proudly sponsored by Together Journal, the Wild Hearts Wedding Fairs are back for another year. Curated for unconventional couples, these exciting, uplifting events bring together the top established and emerging vendors in Australasia to celebrate the cool, the quirky and the highly covetable, capped off with a runway show led by the latest international trends. VIP ticketholders are also invited into the Together Journal lounge for cocktails, nibbles, floral workshops, Q&As with experts, goodie bags and more. ~ Mark the 2019 Wild Hearts Wedding Fairs dates in your diary: Christchurch – Saturday, September 7 | Queenstown – Saturday, September 21. wildheartsweddingfairs.co.nz 

Heart of gold Say ‘I do’ to beautiful jewellery that is made with kindness at its core. Nelson collective Good Gold creates ethical wedding rings from alluvial New Zealand gold; water is the main chemical used – which means limited environmental impact. This care and empathy extends to the quality design too; simple and sophisticated, each piece is conceived to let the beauty of the raw material shine through. Working beside the ocean in Nelson, for the studio jewellers crafting each ring is a labour of love. To ensure the feel is just right, they pass every piece back and forth until the inside curve feels perfect and the finish is smooth and comfortable. Head to their website for details of how to purchase, and ordering a free ring-sizer. Goodgold  

Roll With It – When wedding stress threatens to get the better of you, reach not for booze or bars of chocolate, but this scented solution. Courtney Kirby of Melbourne’s Courtney & Babes knows from personal experience how well essential oils can ease anxiety, and indeed all sorts of emotional and physical ailments. She makes her natural, ethical blends in small batches, and even offers customised combinations of her Essential Oil Roller elixirs, if one of her nine potions doesn’t address your exact issue. Apply to the nape of your neck, soles of your feet, your wrists or down your spine and experience sweet relief. Find these rollers in New Zealand at paperplanestore.com 

Gleam Teams – On a scale of naturally dewy to so-bright-you’ve-gotta-wear-shades, whatever you consider your skin’s ultimate level of luminosity to be, you’ll want to turn your attention to MAC’s newest radiance-boosting Hyper Real Glow palettes. Get Lit and Shimmy Peach each hold a trio of creamy powder shades formulated to deliver hello-there highlights. Lavender pearl, pastel pink and champagne pearl hues fill the former, while the latter contains an equally tongue-twisting line-up of copper gold pearl, peach pearl and copper pearl. Mac

On the Case – Kiwi brand Città’s 100% cotton Blossom cosmetics case features a hand-painted print created by a team overseen by head of textile and product design, Imogen Tunnicliffe, who has worked as an artist in the UK and US. If you’ve been hunting for a little something to treat yourself or your bridesmaids to for your special day, this could be it. It’s available in two sizes at paperplanestore.com 

I’ll Be There for You – Everyone needs those wardrobe essentials you can count on come what may, and New Zealand womenswear label Marle makes it its business to fill your closet with them. Founder (and one-time Together Journal cover girl) Juliet Souter uses only natural linen, silk, cotton and cashmere to make her elegant garments, which are designed from her Mt Maunganui base and rendered in muted shades that mirror her coastal surroundings. As with all of Marle’s collections, Winter 19 is tightly edited to provide a selection of feminine must-haves that tread lightly on the earth. marle.co.nz