A chat with the iconic Alok Vaid-Menon 🙌
+ sparkly things and street style
Internationally acclaimed comedian, performer, poet and writer Alok Vaid-Menon has a unique ability to bring light and joy into the darkest of places. Case in point: it’s hard to fathom being trans and a comedian in today’s political climate.
Alok has performed in Aotearoa on a number of occasions, and has built relationships with a team of creatives they return to again and again – including, for this shoot last month, local dreamboats photographer Frances Carter and makeup artist Richard Symons.
Their work is too important and meaningful to sum up in a quick paragraph, and unfortunately you’ve missed Alok in Aotearoa this time around – but we’re so grateful they took the time while here to answer our The Last Time questionnaire.
Want to join Rebecca, Zoe and some of Aotearoa’s leading lifestyle brands for a special showcase of all things B Corp? There’s a limited number of places left for our Generation B event at at Untouched World’s Newmarket boutique this Thursday — secure your attendance here for an evening of delicious food and beverage, samples, special offers and more. Read all about this purposeful, and free, event and the intention behind it here.
You need… some sparkle in your life
Dressing like a human disco ball? Yes please! Whether it’s sequins, rhinestones or glitter, pick your level of shine with our sparkly shopping edit.
Street style: The fashion vibe of NZ music's next generation
Three rising stars hit the stage at the Ones to Watch showcase, but the crowd's style was a show of its own.
Photographer Trinity Faith captured the looks from artists and guests before they headed downstairs to Whammy bar to enjoy music from some of Aotearoa's emerging talent.
The Ensemble Edit
Things we’ve seen, shared, saved. This week’s edit is free (but usually this is for our paid subscribers).
💙 We were interviewed by the team at Ashley & Co, with photos by the divine Danni Bishara. Of course our answers were opinionated.
🍞 Regular Ensemble readers will know that we’re big hot cross bun fans. So we were very happy to be sent a delicious box of six from Knead on Benson last week.
🧴 Beauty news: Boots is at Life Pharmacy now.
🍸 Rebecca will be in Hawke’s Bay for F.A.W.C. this weekend! Buy a ticket to the Unlikely Companions cocktail party on Friday night; she’ll see you there for a special Ensemble gin cocktail…
🖊️ Our dear Lyric Waiwiri-Smith has been doing amazing work at The Spinoff, including her coverage of the submissions on the Treaty principles bill and this wrap up, Fifty things I learned from nearly 80 hours of submissions on the Treaty principles bill
😻 Zoe’s TikTok feed right now is mostly adorable sleepy Ramadan cats.
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How amazing you’ve managed to connect with Alok. Such an important voice! A friend and I went to their Auckland show, which was such an incredible experience. The dark humor intertwined with very profound insights about the state of the world… some could learn a thing or two by listening. 😉