Retail Therapy: A very fashionable pooch

Anna Dello Russo is one of the most glamorous women in the fashion industry, with a penchant for wearing bold looks straight off the runway. The Creative Director at Large of Vogue Nippon recently bought her dog Cucciolina a pure wool jumper from New Zealand label Sparkles The Dog. The label has many other fashionable fans, including Elle Macpherson and Cindy Crawford. Get your own black diamonds jumper like Dello Russo for your beloved pooch from sparklesthedog.com.

Dinky-di

We love these cute tubes of Kleenex tissues designed to sit in the cupholder in your car or take up minimal space on your desk. They come in four different designs, and are bound to become a close companion as the winter months kick in. $2.49 at supermarkets and pharmacies.

Gaga for it

Keep your eyes on Lady Gaga to see if she turns up on stage in a headpiece from Auckland's own Natalie Chan. The songstress left New Zealand a few months back with the bespoke Black Willow design costing $495. Gaga didn't shop herself, "but hopefully next visit," say the store team. Turns out her people had asked a local magazine to help them find a birthday gift for her and this led to Chan's Parnell workroom, where a similar design called Twisted Willow is on sale at $395.

Spa-ing partners

Four top spas have grouped together under the moniker of Best Spas of New Zealand in a marketing drive aimed at attracting local customers and enticing tourists to add pampering to their New Zealand must-do list. NZ Trade and Enterprise is backing the move involving the Langham's Chuan Spa in Auckland, Rotorua's Polynesian Spa, Millbrook in Queenstown and the Hanmer Springs Thermal Pools Spa in North Canterbury. They've drawn up a standards list to ensure high expectations are met, and say other spas who make the grade and want to commit could join the organisation.

Think pink

A Pink Ribbon Fundraising Breakfast is being held by a group of Birkenhead businesses on Thursday May 27 to raise funds for the Breast Cancer Foundation. Tea, cupcakes, berry smoothies, goodie bags and spot prizes will be served at the breakfast, which will be held at Rok Me Jewellery, 7 Mokoia Rd. Pandora Jewelry and local firms are supporting the event with donations of food, vouchers and products, which means all the proceeds from ticket sales will go to the worthy cause. Tickets cost $20, to book phone Shelley on (09) 480 7799 or email icy.diamond@hotmail.com

New shoes

ToBe is a new local footwear brand worth keeping an eye on. We like their minimalist style sneakers, handmade from premium Wanganui leather. There are several styles available, including black patent leather and canvas sneakers in high and low top. They start from $185, and are available from the Huffer Online store, hufferstore.com.

New faces

Estee Lauder has signed on two new models, including its first Chinese frontwoman, Liu Wen. The US company has also added French model Constance Jablonski to its stable of stars which includes Hilary Rhoda, Carolyn Murphy, Elizabeth Hurley and Gwyneth Paltrow. They'll be seen in global advertising from June, also following in the footsteps of America's Next Top Model judge Paulina Porizkova.

"Estee Lauder has always searched for global beauties that define a generation," says Aerin Lauder.

"Constance and Liu Wen are the beauties of our time. Both models have quickly captured the attention of the fashion and beauty world."

Jablonski was a runway favourite this season and has been in various editions of Vogue, including on the cover of Chinese Vogue. Liu Wen has also been a Chinese Vogue cover girl.

Meanwhile, Lancome has upped the ante in the celebrity model stakes, following up the signing of current "face" Kate Winslet by enticing Julia Roberts to her first cosmetics endorsement. Roberts will front for the French brand from next month.