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This Month

24 new watches to ring out the year (from $170 to $218k)

Thinking of splurging on a gift for yourself or a loved one? Take your pick from this selection of striking arm candy.

These new watches tell you what’s happening in the world of horology

It’s been a turbulent time for watchmakers. But they haven’t failed to bring something fabulous to the wrist.

Shai Eisenman, Bubble Skincare, founder in New York, has created a global brand in just five years.

Buzzy Gen Z skincare brand Bubble expands into Woolworths supermarkets

Almost 1000 stores will now stock Bubble products as the supermarket giant goes for growth in the booming teen market dominated by Mecca and Chemist Warehouse.

10 luxury watch collabs you need to know about.

10 unexpected collabs that take luxury watches to a new level

From Lenny Kravitz and Michael Jordan to Astro Boy and Datsun, these match-ups are taking brands out of their usual comfort zone.

Jo Horgan speaks frequently in interviews of “the Mecca magic” – a sense of joy that comes from shopping in her stores.

‘Mecca magic’: Jo Horgan defies sale rumours as $1.4b bet pays off

The founder crushed sale talk. Her massive Bourke Street store attracts 70,000 people weekly, demonstrating her experiential retail model is a billion-dollar success.

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After decades of deal-making, Dennis Bastas landed his biggest transaction so far in August.

Dennis Bastas’ rise from aspiring car designer to $5b pharma king

The son of Greek immigrants signed a mega-deal this year for his pharmaceutical and beauty empire that propelled him to the upper echelons of the Rich List.

Looking past the blink-and-you’ll-miss-it moments, fashion has a lot to teach us.

10 fashion lessons to take into the new year (hint: ditch the Crocs)

From classic shirts and eyeliner to investing in gold and going analogue, here’s what fashion trends in 2025 really taught us about style.

November

Pandora’s Beth Glancey says when you purchase a piece of jewellery, “it’s like buying a souvenir of the experience”.

How Pandora became the world’s No.1 jewellery business

This company is on a mission to keep its oldest customers happy while also winning new ones. And it all comes down to the charm.

Just as fashion reflects who we are at any given moment, so does beauty.

Why your mascara and skincare should be in a time capsule

Like fashion, beauty is a way of marking time. We shouldn’t forget the powerful story of its trends.

The market for cosmetic surgery in Australia was worth about $2.6 billion in 2024, and is expected to reach about $6 billion by 2033.

Facelift in your 30s? Welcome to the age of agelessness

To maintain a perpetually “refreshed” look, cosmetic treatments are being sought earlier and more often. But what does it mean to grow older when no one appears to be ageing?

Matthew Zillmann owner of Watch Point for story about men who wear two watches.

How ‘double-wristing’ became the new trend for men

On the one hand, it could be a confusing look. On the other, it might be the new tech-bro inspired fad for you.

October

The newest trend in watches? No hands

The humble ticker has evolved from a trusted tool to a triumphant trophy. For today’s watches with clout, the time of day doesn’t come into it.

 Fashion AI

The era of AI shopping is here. It’s not as scary as it sounds

Soon a bot “agent” will complete purchases on your behalf, waiting for the best price.

A $277 skincare gadget is being promoted by influencer Kylie Jenner, a member of the Kardashian family.

Salmon sperm and electrical-current skincare: K-beauty is booming

Kylie Jenner’s backing of a $277 gadget has helped push shares in South Korea’s APR up 400 per cent this year as it expands in the US and Europe.

Beachgoers at Bronte Beach. The summer is arriving at the same time as the effectiveness of sunscreens is in question.

Popular sunscreen brands in growing crisis as SPF ratings under fire

The country’s medicines regulator has privately detailed its concerns about a popular testing laboratory as high-profile brands are pulled off the shelf.

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A career pivot built Trinny Woodall a multimillion-dollar fortune

The former TV star launched beauty brand Trinny London when she was 53. She speaks to Lauren Sams on this week’s episode of How I Made It.

While DBG chairman and chief executive of Dennis Bastas received no dividend, he gained $1.6 billion from selling a quarter stake of his DBG empire.

Bastas’ $7b pharmacy and beauty empire posts eightfold jump in profit

The billionaire businessman earlier this year sold a significant stake in the company, which owns dupes powerhouse MCoBeauty, to American investors.

MCoBeauty founder Shelley Sullivan and Rich Lister Dennis Bastas.

MCo Beauty says former finance boss’s claims are evasive

The company’s billionaire owner and founder are asking a court to throw out allegations made by its former head of finance.

Why colourful watches are hot (but one brand says they’re not)

The watch industry has gone crazy for bright colours although the reasons aren’t entirely black and white.

How this duo reinvented a side hustle and created a cult item

Making sunglasses for “mindful athletes”, District Vision walks the line between sport and fashion.

Original URL: https://www.afr.com/topic/fashion---beauty-trends-jdm