{BEAUTY NEWS} | Les Parfums Louis Vuitton

This week I attended the very discreet and luxurious launch for Les Parfums Louis Vuitton. This is the Maison’s first perfume launch in about 70 years.

The philosophy and soul of Louis Vuitton has always been deeply rooted in travel and creating ways in which the Maison can accompany travellers on their voyages. The Maison has said, “Metaphorically, travel is not a destination: it is a feeling that constantly nourishes body and soul, a new experience that can make your heart skip, leaving an everlasting memory.”

A native of Grasse, the birthplace of both leather goods and fragrance; the master perfumer for the collection is Jacques Cavallier Belletrud. He spent months searching for inspiration and raw materials all over the world. The result was Les Parfums Louis Vuitton: a journey of emotions.

The luxury fragrance collection contains 7 perfumes housed in beautifully understated, clear round glass bottles. The stoppers are very neat; black with a gold LV logo on the top. The name of each fragrance appears in small but bold text on the front with Louis Vuitton embedded in the glass. The effect is very modest and charming but still feels very luxurious.

Each fragrance in Les Parfums Louis Vuitton takes you on a journey. From a garden of roses in Grasse to Turkey, Bulgaria in Rose de Vents, valleys and mountains in Apogée; where Lily of the Valley is the star, fields and fields of Tahitian vanilla in Contre Moi and right back to the Louis Vuitton leather workshop in Dans La Peau. Turbulences is a synthesis of thrilling Tuberose and delicate jasmine on a slight hint of leather while Mille Feux also uses leather, but combines the note with bright, ripe raspberries and hints of apricot, iris and saffron in an attempt to magically capture golden rays of light in a fragrance. In contrast, Matière Noire directly translates to “Dark Matter” and blends shadowy patchouli and Laos agarwood with light white narcissus and jasmine in a mystical infusion.

The collection is absolutely exquisite and goes way beyond what I hoped and expected from Louis Vuitton. My favourite one is Contre Moi which along with Tahitian vanilla also contains Madagascan vanilla blended with delicate orange flower, a hint of rose and magnolia petals. The mixture sits in a very slight of bitter cocoa which gives the otherwise soft and sweet scent a rebellious edge. It almost makes me emotional!

Visit Louis Vuitton in the Diamond Walk at Sandton City to experience Les Parfums Louis Vuitton. The fragrances start at ZAR3500 for 100mL.

Until next time

Love and sparkles

Zaakira xox

*Images from Zebra Square

{OUT & ABOUT} | Hyde Park Corner Hosts the Rotary Art Festival

The Rotary Arts Festival is a hugely anticipated and esteemed event on Johannesburg’s art calendar and for 17 years Hyde Park Corner has hosted it. This year is no exception and from the 2^nd to the 12^th of June you can experience it curated throughout the centre’s upper, middle and lower mall.

“The 2016 arts festival promises to expand the concept with more workshops and music. It sees the exciting launch of a Portrait Competition. The participatory aspect of the popular art-making workshops is educational and art lovers can learn about how their favourite artists work,” says Joan Sainsbury, the festival event organiser and Curator.

The Festival began with a portrait competition which was awarded to 47models – Paul and the Austin by Cathy Verheul at one of Hyde Park Corner’s iconic, dazzling evenings.

You can view the artworks in Hyde Park Corner in these spaces

·         Guest artists – Centre court

·         Bag Factory – Lower mall (2^nd floor)

·         Botanical group – Upper mall (6^th floor)

·         Figures&Form – Middle mall (4^th floor)

·         Miniature artists – Upper mall (6^th floor)

·         Photography – Upper mall (6^th floor)

·         Printmaking – Upper mall (6^th floor)

·         Watercolour(IWSSA)– Upper mall (6^th floor)

With the 30% commission that is generated from sales, the Rotary Club of Rosebank contributes meaningfully to charitable institutions and youth development training.

Also don’t forget to get your latest issue of Destiny and Destiny Man. With Tony Gum and Nelson Makamo (he was one of the judges for the portrait competition too) gracing the covers in a magnificent shout-out to everything creative and unique; you don’t want to miss this one!

The Rotary Arts Festival runs from the 2^nd to the 12^th of June 2016 at Hyde Park Corner, Jan Smuts Avenue, Johannesburg.

Images of artwork supplied by Zebra Square and Hyde Park Corner

Until next time

Love and sparkles

Zaakira xox

{FASHION NEWS} | The Kooples Opens in Mall of Africa

The Mall of Africa is an exciting new shopping space in Midrand, Johannesburg. Boasting loads of fashion stores; it’s already become a favourite for the style addict in me. It’s also the home to the very first branch of The Kooples in Africa!

In an impressive and dazzling launch on the 3^rd of May, we welcomed The Kooples to South Africa. The space outside the 240m² concept store was turned into a glamorous red carpet event. Zebra Square did not disappoint (they never do!) and over delicious food, hundreds of colourful roses and rose petals and the sounds of Micasa; we welcomed The Kooples to South Africa.

In 2008; after 3 years of hard work, The Kooples was instituted by the Elicha brothers. From their head offices in Vendome, Paris; The Kooples crafts luxury clothing and accessories that is inspired by a mixture of vintage, rock ‘n roll and punk.

The Kooples embraces leathers, denim and a multitude of exquisite fabrics in its luxury collection. Using meticulous English tailoring to put together the clothes; the effect is luxurious yet edgy.

In 2012 The Kooples launched Kooples Sport which adopts the same methods as the luxury collection but has a more relaxed aesthetic. The Mall of Africa store also stocks the Kooples Sport Range.

The price points for The Kooples fall under luxury. You can pick up a pair of shoes for ZAR5000 and a coat for around ZAR8000.

Joining 330 stores worldwide; you can find The Kooples in the Crystal Court at The Mall of Africa.

Until next time

Love and sparkles

Zaakira xox

Miss Veet SA 2015

I know that a few posts back I promised I would tell you which lovely lady won Miss Veet SA this year. Last week we gathered at the beautiful Four Seasons Westcliff and sipped mocktails and canapés while we eagerly anticipated the announcement.

Veet has been a part of my life since my teen years. I personally feel that there are very few drugstore bath and beauty products that truly understand young women and Veet is definitely one them.

I have a very low pain threshold (I’m currently DYING because my wisdom tooth decided to be unwise and grow) so when those pesky leg hairs began showing up I refused to go get them waxed. I made my Mom buy me some Veet cream that I’d seen on TV and I haven’t regretted it since. The chemical smell is minimal, the results are practically instant and totally painless and it’s moisturizing as heck. The results also last quite a few days and as the years went by Veet have made their product even better with quicker in-shower versions, light versions for sensitive skin and new scents.  As I got older I decided to take the plunge and try out the Veet wax strips for my face. Despite smelling good they work really well and didn’t hurt as much as I expected them to. I now use a combination of the creams and wax strips to keep my skin smooth and soft.

Veet is a brand and product that I am really comfortable with and I think that it will be a part of my life for a long time to come if not forever. Being a part of the Miss Veet SA process this year was lots of fun.  As I’ve mentioned before, Miss Veet is so much more than just pretty faces and long, smooth legs. It’s about feminity, empowerment and encouraging these girls to go fourth and be more than just what they look like. This is why I was pretty delighted when one of my favourites, Odirile Sepang was named Miss Veet SA for 2015. She stood out for me in her views about empowerment and I’m really excited to see what she does with her title.

Congratulations Odirile!

Until next time

Love and sparkles

Zaakira xox

(Images supplied by Zebra Square)

{Miss Veet SA 2015} | A Day with the Finalists

On Saturday last week I was invited by Zebra Square to spend the morning with a few Miss Veet SA finalists at the Rosebank Mall. It was an opportunity to get to know the finalists, put our styling skills to work and just have a little fun.

After stuffing our faces on divine sushi, I was paired with the lovely Kopano Mocwane and we were sent to Jewls where I got to adorn her with lots of sparklies. We decided to do two looks and Kopano wanted to leave her comfort zone of gold accessories. The first look was very stylish and sultry. We used beautiful silver pieces with some blue and black accents and a little bit of edge. The second look was very girly and whimsical with a pink crystal watch being the focus of the look. It was also an ode to Kopano’s favourite colour, pink. We chatted over the jewels and I got to know that she is a BCom Finance student who has just started her own brand development and social media company. She is a very confident and bubbly young lady.

After we (very reluctantly) gave back all the jewels we were taken up to 54 on Bath hotel where we chatted with the finalists over tea and cupcakes. Speaking with the girls proved to me that this was not just an average beauty contest. The girls got along so well despite being in competition with each other. It was also so refreshing that the girls were so driven and ambitious. They were all so very clear about who they are and what they wanted to achieve and build in life. These include opening a finishing school for disadvantaged young girls, modelling internationally and starting a business that will empower women. It was honestly so difficult for me to pick a favourite because any of these girls will be a wonderful ambassador for Veet.

Miss Veet SA truly is so much more than just pretty faces and long legs. It’s about empowering and encouraging these girls to go fourth and be more than just what they look like.

Here are the finalists. They will enter the Veet Villa next month after which the winner will be announced. I will be sure to keep you posted :)

Until next time

Love and sparkles

Zaakira xox