What do you reference when you get dressed? 📌
+ the art of the block; the use of C-word
I’m vaguely insecure about showing my age (ironic, since I won’t shut up about perimenopause), having spent my career in an industry obsessed with being young and ‘fresh’, but the recent (re)launch of Sylvester is a proud mumma moment for me.
In 2001, I was in Sydney with Kate Sylvester and her partner Wayne Conway, celebrating the success of her ‘Fight’ collection at Australian Fashion Week. “Yay, you’re not pregnant this year and can celebrate properly,” I joked, referencing her pregnancy the year before with twins Tom and Ike. She smiled weakly in return.
A few weeks later she rang me at my then home in Melbourne. She was, in fact, pregnant with her third child, and wondered if I’d move back to New Zealand to work for them. Years later when I had sons of my own, that baby, Cosmo, became their beloved babysitter.
Watching those three boys grow into such amiable and intelligent adults has been an inspiration for me whenever my own boys have presented parenting challenges (lol). And so it’s with intense pride for Kate, Wayne and the children they raised that they have taken over the family business, renaming it Sylvester (the diffusion range we launched in 2004 for a younger consumer) and reimagining it for the next generation.
Who better than these three talented siblings to kick off this Zoe’s new fashion column Reference Points? She’ll be asking cool people to share their five references — the mix of inspirations that shape how people dress/design/express themselves, especially important in an age of algorithmic trends and style. Take a peek inside the minds, and moodboards, of the brothers.
The Ensemble Supper Club is next week!
Sit down for a meal with us and special guest Morgana O’Reilly at our first Ensemble Supper Club, at San Ray’s private dining room next Thursday night. For $195 you’ll get a delicious three-course dinner plus matching wines from Grava, a conversation with Morgana and gift bag featuring the Emma Lewisham Sunceutical SPF50 Mineral Glow Serum (valued at $89; launching May 27) and a $50 gift voucher from Juliette Hogan. It’s going to be intimate, and fun!
The art of the block, the etiquette of mute
“There are as many reasons to block people as there are people to block in the world. I would know,” says Sam Brooks. “As of this writing, I have 9442 accounts blocked on Twitter (I refuse to call it by its new, stupid, name), 419 muted, and 200 muted words and phrases (this one has a maximum on it, and trust me it would be more if I could).”
Sam explores the modern etiquette of social media, in a small country where the blocked and muted don't always stay online...
That's c*nt: Is *that* word still offensive?
With last week’s discourse over the use of the C-word in print and in parliament, we asked a linguistics professor to explore its usage, shifting use of language and what is considered ‘civil’.
We also asked what you thought of the word, and whether you use it yourself - join the conversation in the Substack chat:
Can hairstylists follow a brief? These award winners prove they can
We reveal the inaugural winners of new hair competition The Brief, created to mentor and spotlight Aotearoa’s vibrant hair talent. Developed in collaboration with Ensemble contributing editor Dan Ahwa and judged by international NZ hair artist Matt Benns (yes, Charli xcx’s hairstylist), the competition invited local hairstylists to respond to an editorial brief.
The Ensemble Edit, Los Angeles edition
Things we’ve seen, saved and shared, a (mostly) weekly column for our paid subscribers. This week, a special dispatch from Rebecca in L.A!
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