Retail therapy: Designing woman back in town

Natalia Kucija has tie-dye designs down to a T.

Smokey chick
Natalija Kucija just can't stop designing. After closing her self-named store on Ponsonby Rd and moving to New York, briefly, she's back with a limited edition range of T-shirts. Although she's focusing on costume for film and advertising, Kucija has managed to assemble a range of hand tie-dyed T-shirts called Smokey & Rainbow. She's collaborated with vinyl artist Ben Buchanan - also Erik Ultimate in electro-rapper outfit Coco Solid - who is responsible for the puff pen illustrations on the T-shirts. The range is available at Miss Crabb for $150.

On the fringe
Hair & Fashion (by Caroline Cox and Lee Widdows, V&A Publications, $110) has captured famous historical moments in hair from the 20th century. This book documents it all - from Louise Brooks' fringed bob of the 20s, through to Twiggy's Eton crop by Leonard in the 1960s and David Bowie's Aladdin Sane do, credited for kicking off the New Romantics of the early 1980s.

And if you never believed hairdressers were artists this book and all its glorious photographs proves you wrong: "Alexandre, the renowned French hairdresser, described hairstyling as 'a desperate search for an eternal and fugitive beauty ... for that which will last for only one day'."

Aside from the lovely big pictures, there's much to learn about hair.  For instance Elvis was so taken with Tony Curtis' curly greased fringe from the 50s ( when he played a Roman slave in Spartacus) that he used it as inspiration. With pomade and L'Oreal Excellence blue-black dye created "one of the most iconic hairstyles of the twentieth century". Fascinating stuff.

Face to face talk
Wellington facialist to the stars - well, Liv Tyler - Margaret Hema is giving an informal lecture on skincare at Isabel Harris Body & Bath on February 22, noon-2pm. The Queen's Arcade, Auckland, store is the only place you can pick up her well-regarded Hema skincare range. Based on organic oils such as avocado and lavender the range is a hit with Naomi Watts. For more information ph (09) 377 1516 or visit www.isabelharris.co.nz