This Month
The best shows from fashion month
From a long-overdue runway show at Calvin Klein to wearable womenswear at Givenchy, the latest collections have given the fashion set plenty to talk about.
Why we are paying $700 for a haircut or facial
Hip handbags can outperform property. So how about investing in your skin and hair?
A design aficionado’s favourite things – and what she doesn’t like
Amanda Rettig, the Melbourne-based founder of A-Esque, loves two-piece tweed, Vivienne Westwood and LED light therapy.
Wesfarmers tests premium Priceline conversion with new Atomica brand
The retailing powerhouse sees an opportunity between cheap supermarket aisles and luxe chains like Mecca and Sephora. It will have five stores by July 1.
Third time a charm for Australian designer Christopher Esber in Paris
The first Australian to win the ANDAM prize is more than a rising star at Paris Fashion Week – he is now part of the “it” crowd.
This perfume gets aged in an oak barrel like a fine wine
Amouage goes underground in France’s Champagne region for the launch of its three new scents.
February
Meet the ‘foot virtuoso’ who charges more than $1000 for a pedicure
Bastien Gonzalez is renowned for his holistic approach to feet. What’s it like to be massaged, clipped and buffed by the “king of pedicures”?
Bankers flock to Mecca as Rich List founders mull $2b exit
Sources told this column Flagstaff Partners’ Tony Burgess and Goldman Sachs’ consumer bankers have had Horgan’s number on speed dial for years.
Plastic surgery used to be hidden. Now it’s another form of work
There was a time when any kind of modification to one’s body was meant to be discreet. These days, it seems any change is meant to be noticed.
Striped bedding and fresh fragrance to add retro flavour to your life
Add a seventies vibe to your home with sculptural vases, statement art – and even a buttery yellow kitchen mixer – from our edit of luxury buys.
Billionaire Dennis Bastas has big plans to take MCoBeauty global
The businessman says the brand known for “duping” expensive popular products is the platform he needs to build a vast beauty empire.
January
New shows, ‘worship-worthy’ products you need to know about
A few things to inspire from the Currency section of our Arts & Culture issue out on January 31.
PE firm Glow brushes on cosmetics contract manufacturer Delta Labs
Justin Ryan’s private equity outfit has taken a majority stake in the business which manufacturers personal care, therapeutic and veterinary products.
Laser Clinics to flash silky-smooth legs at bidders; KKR hires adviser
KKR’s Laser Clinics has fielded unsolicited interest from global PE players, prompting local PE boss David Lang to consider strategic options in 2025.
December 2024
Alexandra Keating sees problems, and builds businesses to solve them
The former PM’s daughter has spent most of her career in tech. Now she’s moved on into beauty.
Fashion should focus on its best customers – and they’re not 20-year-olds
Aussies over 40 are spending more on discretionary goods, so why aren’t more smart designers and retailers looking to leverage their older clientele?
Popular beauty brand Wrinkles Schminkles seeks strategic partner
The beauty brand has appointed global advisory firm ANKURA Consulting to find it an investment partner after a decade of private ownership.
Melbourne needs a good scrub down, says this well-travelled style guru
Monocle magazine’s Tyler Brûlé is sought for his opinions on matters of taste. He offers some thoughts on how Australia could boost its tourist appeal.
November 2024
Mammoth tusks and jellyfish: how to bring jewellery ‘alive’
Starting with a sculpture helps jewellery designer Bibi van der Velden define in her mind her collections of ‘wearable works of art’.
Meet the skincare company with 460pc growth
Identifying a niche is easy. Filling it – at scale – is the challenge, as these successful founders discovered.