This model and feminist theory major has written your new fave book 📖
+ must-have winter boots, and come rifle through our wardrobes
A couple of weeks ago we were lucky enough to attend a divine Roman feast to celebrate the launch of Fulvia, the new book from Kaarina Parker. The model, writer and Ensemble dream woman knows how to have fun, and throw a great dinner party, and we knew she’d offer some witty, honest and smart answers for our series The Last Time - enjoy her responses here, then go buy a copy of her book!
This weekend Rebecca and Zoe, along with a few other fashionable hoa including Ensemble contributors Dan Ahwa and Emma Gleason, are clearing out our wardrobes with a designer vintage pop-up. We’ll be at shop 10 in The Strand Arcade (227 Queen St, Auckland CBD) from 10am-4pm both days.
When we say it’s going to be good… Rebecca has never parted with anything and has been working in fashion since 1997! And Zoe is finally letting go of some of her Karen Walker archives (and a couple of Batsheva dresses).
Bring a non-perishable or sanitary item to donate to the City Mission, come have a free filter coffee courtesy of Ozone and rifle through some covetable wardrobes.
Then head up the road for a fab plus-size fashion sale happening on Saturday, hosted by Ensemble friends Sarah-Jane Duff from Lost and Led Astray, Tanya Barlow and Meagan Kerr at the iconic Auckland Old Folks Ass (8 Gundry St, 10am-4pm).
Kaarina Parker on red wine, vodka and shaking ass to Tchaikovsky
The last DM/text you sent? Who was it to? To my friend Rei, who is in my phone as, ‘Useless Homosexual’. It says: “It’s true what they say, there is nothing more rewarding than motherhood.” For context, we have been referring to my debut novel as my firstborn, and I’m having a little Book Bath (baby shower) to celebrate with friends and family.
Kaarina Parker is well-known in Ensemble circles for her work as a model, writer and academic. Long fascinated by Roman history, and particularly the “largely uncredited women” of the late Roman Republic, her debut novel Fulvia, a work of historical fiction told from a feminist perspective, has just been released.
She took time for her extremely busy and varied schedule to answer our The Last Time questionnaire.
All the leopard print and mini skirts at our Party Girl screening
As the credits rolled on our screening of the 1995 cult classic Party Girl, Rebecca – in a red mini and leopard-print jacket worthy of main character Mary herself – turned to Zoe and declared, “That is the most Ensemble film of all time!”
+ listen to our Party Girl playlist:
You need a fresh pair of boots
We’ve curated 10 pairs of practical boots to get you through the end of winter (and beyond).
Commonplace Essentials x McKinley boots, $339 (made in NZ)
R.M. Williams boots, $799
Merchant 1948 wide-calf boots, $460
Bronwyn boots, $499
The Ensemble Edit
Things we’ve seen, saved and shared, a (mostly) weekly column for paid subscribers. This week, highlights include new zines, working with a national treasure and a must-read story about hormones.
Keep reading with a 7-day free trial
Subscribe to Ensemble to keep reading this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives.