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3:46 pm

JUST IN | Lisa lock bag



We have been having fun decorating our studio with new tables, chairs and house plants. Just a few little things to make the space seem more like ours. Another fantastic addition to our studio has been the delivery of our new season bags. We love the gorgeous Lisa Lock bag, named after creative director Brenda's sister, a perfect, retro-influenced shape with the classic Benah lock and a chain strap. The glossy black leather is something quite glamorous, but we're partial to the milky tan, which we think is all kinds of wonderful. Another favourite at the moment is the Sasha chain clutch, which arrived in all of its tan and red suede glory. We love the unexpected pop of red on the flap and ink, and we just can't get past that gorgeous tan leather. 

Shop Benah's new season collection here
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10:28 am

BENAH LOVES | Amanda Reardon


design files

We love Amanda Reardon's work - creative and playful, she creates perfect editorial makeup looks for some of our favourite local and international publications. So we were excited to read that she had been profiled by a fantastic site, The Design Files. We love the Design Files for all the incredible lifestyle inspiration - from apartment design to interviews, profiles (like this one on the incredible German-based illustrator Rilla Alexander) and recipes - and this profile on the lovely Amanda is no exception.

"My job as the makeup artist is to bring a vision, an idea to life, and to give it my visual signature," Amanda told The Design Files. "I am all about the skin looking beautiful and I spend most of my makeup time on skin alone. Creating a natural flawless finish to the skin is the blank canvas for the rest of my work." We love this quote and what it signifies - makeup as a form of artistry. Amanda's advice for aspiring creatives is also in tune with our own; get as much work experience as you can and learn on the job. We love it when creatives working in the industry share have such inspiring success stories, and Amanda's is definitely one of those, (plus, we love that she named Benah one of her favourite Australian labels, thanks Amanda!)

See the full interview here and follow her on her blog and instagram.

Benah is inspired by:
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9:17 am

THINGS WE LOVE | September


Tiffany Jeans is the impeccably stylish Creative Director of candle label Curio Noir; a collection of intricate handmade candles with curious and peculiar smells such as Tobacco Night and Vetyver bouquet, all housed in delicate hand-blown glass jars or fashioned in the shape of dolls' heads. As fans of all things scent and fragrance we have fallen in love with Tiffany's range and her fantastical, eyes-wide-open outlook on fashion and life.  We're so excited to have her curating a top 10 this month! You can find Curio Noir products in Australia at Incu and online at My Chameleon, and you can see more of Curio Noir on facebook or on Tiffany's instagram account.

photos by Tiffany Jeans
 
one. My daily mantra.... 






Kristine Crabb makes beautifully constructed clothes out of hand dyed silks and wool. I have thrashed the Fortune Coat this winter, along with every other piece I own of hers and always get amazing comments when I wear them. A girl loves a good comment every now and then. This September, the Festival In The Desert Romper arrives in store. I love the bold use of colour (there are different colour ways) and I love the feeling of silk on my skin, especially when the weather is warm....decadence.




I keep this book open on a table in my home so my family and friends can flick through it any time to cast their eyes on some of his wonderful creations. Such ambitious ideas filled with such inspiration. I'm always taken to a land far, far away with these truly inspiring visuals. 



I think this is such a beautiful table lamp. Made from hand blown opal (at Curio Noir we love hand blown glass) with beautiful brass detail. In my top 10 'wants' for this month from Simon James Concept Store. While you're there, check out Simon James' Wedding Journal. I've already had a wedding but still like to gaze over their little inspirations for those planning their special day. And then there is Jessica McCormack's to die for jewellery.....


 four. All films by Jean Pierre Jeunet 


I love his films and this September I want to rewatch three of my all time faves, Amelie, A Very Long Engagement and Delicatessen. So funny. So sad. So inspiring. So dark. So pretty. So clever. So French. 

 six. W magazine - September Issue 

 
This magazine has been a monthly staple in my home since I was in my teens. I love so many magazines but W is a magazine I will always be faithful to. They have styled and shot knowns and unknowns in a fashion some would have never dreamed of doing. I'm always inspired by this mag and the infamous September issue is always next level. 

seven. Yoga and Pilates

Coming out of the colder months of the year excites and motivates me to get back in to my healthier ways. It's the sunshine, the days getting lighter and longer and September's Spring blooms showing their beauty. I have studied Yoga and Pilates along with body anatomy over the past few years and the amazingness they do to the body and mind are limitless. Starting off with proper breathing oxygenates the blood and nourishes the body, expels toxins from the body, improves circulation and skin tone, aids in safe and effective stretching and, among other benefits, calms the mind and body. 

Here is an easy breathing exercise that is great to start and/or end your day. Sit cross legged on the floor or lie on a mat, knees bent with your feet hip width apart. Gently place your hands on either side of your ribcage. Relax the shoulders. Release any tension you may have in the neck. Relax the muscles in the face and the rest of the body. Imagine a piece of string is attached to the crown of your head and it is gently lifting, lengthening and creating space between the vertebrae of the spine. If you are sitting, feel you are sitting tall. If you are lying, feel the spine lengthening the body along the mat. Softly close your eyes. Breathe in through your nose feeling the ribcage widening beneath your hands. Then exhale softly through the nose or lips and feel the ribcage gently compress down. With each breathe you may find you will be able to inhale more fresh clean air, and with each exhale you will release more toxins. Continue this exercise feeling the body reach deeper relaxation. Try to do daily for a few minutes at a time and enjoy the benefits! 



The dark beauty he created with his work was always too beautiful and too amazing to me...my eyes would well up when I watched his shows. I was a young teen when I found him, definitely one of my best finds. Forever in my top 10, may he RIP. 

nine. Dermalogica face and body care 


I rarely wear foundation and I find as I am now in my 30's it is important to me to care for my skin more than I ever have before. I like fresh skin. I love Dermalogica skin care (as you can see...obsessed much!). My favourite products are the Multivitamin Thermofoliant, Skin Hydrating Booster and Total Eye Care. I am especially proud Dermalogica drive the FITE campaign. FITE is designed to foster Financial Independence Through Entrepreneruship by supporting women in the third world and providing access to small loans to help these amazing women start a business or grow their existing business. For more info visit dermalogica.co.nz 

ten. The Lilith Doll

 
My daughter Lilith turns 10 this September and we will be lighting The Lilith Doll every night this September. Such a beautiful light at night! 

You can read our previous lists for August part 1, August part 2, July, June, MayAprilMarchFebruaryJanuaryDecemberNovemberOctober and September here.
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4:43 pm

THIS IS MY CITY | Sherie's Auckland

Sherie is a shirtmaker and designer from Auckland who has her own label. We love the relaxed elegance and luxurious practicality of her designs and we love the natural, simplistic guide to Auckland that she put together - it's got us a little bit homesick! This is Auckland, by Sherie.

pictures by Sherie Muijs unless specified


Sherie setting up a brunch party in Auckland

one. Best thing about Auckland? Is that you are never far from the sea. In less than 30 minutes at any given moment, you can escape the chaos of the city to find vast landscapes and endless horizons. 

two. Worst thing about Auckland? Its four seasons in one day is an ongoing frustration amongst most. One needs to be prepared for rain, hail and shine ev-ery-day. 

three. Favourite secret spot? Pah Homestead, nestled not far from where I grew up. 

four. Favourite everyone-knows-it-but-it's-still-good spot? The Botanical Gardens, most commonly visited by tourists or high-school photography students, but I still love it all the same. 


At Karikari with friends

five. What is your newest discovery in Auckland? What about somewhere you've been going forever but can't quite give up? Thanks to a friend, earlier this year I discovered the Hillary Trail at Karikari Beach. After a decent trek along the beach and then hike up endless hills, you reach the most outstanding view. Never far from Auckland is there a bush walk to discover or waterfall to find. 

six. Where is the best place for.... morning coffee/pick-me-up? meal with friends? romantic rendez-vous? late night drink? even later-night boogie? Supreme Coffee on Douglas Street offers the best selection of coffees. My personal favourite is a filtered Yirgacheffe. My pick for somewhere to go for a meal with friends is Sunday Painters. I recently had my first meal there with the girls and imagine it will be the first of many. There are numerous reasons to want to go back, but the most compelling of them all are the bowl of hand-cut fries with caper mayonnaise! This restaurant is as equally fitting for a meal with girlfriends as it is for a romantic rendezvous. I also recently celebrated a milestone with my husband there with a bottle of champagne (and a side of fries of course). Following that, a late night drink at The Golden Dawn will top off any great night. 

Coffee Supreme - source

seven. Where are Auckland's style spots? Where is the best shopping? Fabric and Scotties Boutique downtown house some of my utmost favorite designers -- Comme des Garcons, Dries van Noten, A.P.C, Isabel Marant and Margaret Howell. And while in the city, Auckland’s Britomart precinct is a fairly new development, where you are spoilt for choice when it comes to New Zealand designers and great bars and restaurants. 

eight. What is something you can get/read/experience/eat that you can only do in Auckland? Catch the ferry over to Waiheke Island, hire a scooter and explore the island. If you have the time, hire a bach for a weekend, visit their local markets, taste a local brew or two and unwind with yoga or a pottery class perhaps. 

nine. You can tell a lot about a city from their airport. Describe Auckland's. A work in progress… 

ten. How would your describe Auckland to someone who has never been there before? Incredibly diverse, a city of cities. 


Waiheke beach - source

Benah's This Is My City guides:

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10:56 am

BENAH LOVES | New Zealand

Today marks the start of New Zealand Fashion Week and what better way to celebrate this by watching this amazing Tourism NZ commercial.


It makes me very homesick!
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