Retail Therapy: Kagi does charity

Kagi necklace for the Child Cancer Foundation, $175. Photo / Supplied

Charity is so fashionable. This week's fashionable charity collaboration news is from the Child Cancer Foundation and local jewellery label Kagi. Kagi designer Kat Gee has designed a limited edition gemstone necklace, with stones selected for their nurturing qualities - like quartz for harmony and turquoise for luck and protection. The necklaces will sell for $175, with $30 from each going to the CCF. Buy it and support a great cause at kagijewellery.com.

She's on sale

Juliette Hogan's pretty new spring season collection is ready and waiting to arrive in store, but before that she is having a week-long sale of samples, seconds and ends of fabric. It's on until August 11 at her 170 Ponsonby Rd boutique. Ph (09) 360 9347.

New to Newmarket

Designer Robyn Mathieson has opened a new boutique in Newmarket - in the burgeoning Teed and Osborne St precinct. The store will feature her colourful new season summer collection called "I'd Rather Be ...", which is described as being a whimsical perspective on a grown-up world. 19b Osborne St, Newmarket, Auckland.

Mini mania

Viktor & Rolf's Mega fragrance is now available as a Mini Mega for a limited time. The scent is a sweetish but fresh, green floral with notes of melon and pear and comes in a rather flash gold flask. From Karen Walker, department stores and leading pharmacies, priced at $80 for the eau de parfum.

Marked-down style

Working Style's annual mid-year sale is on now, until Sunday August 8. There are storewide reductions on winter pieces, including shirts, shoes and suits - a plain herringbone cotton coat was $890 and is now $590, suits have been slashed by at least $100, with more bargains in store. It's the perfect time to invest in something new, or pick upa trans-seasonal piece to take you into spring.

Bye bye Basquesse

The team and family behind Basquesse are relocating to Australia, and are set to close the doors of their Wellington boutique at the end of October. The team is moving to Sydney, where they say they will open a new store early next year.

The great dinner

YWCA Auckland are celebrating 125 years with a special gala dinner on August 11 at the Langham Hotel, which will raise funds for leadership mentoring programmes for young women. Bubbles, canapes and a three-course meal with matched wines will be accompanied by entertainment from the Topp Twins plus "stimulating global perspectives" from Ann M. Veneman (one of Forbes' Top 50 most powerful women) and Rt Hon Helen Clark in conversation with Carol Hirschfeld. A silent auction will also take place, with lots including tickets to Kathryn Wilson's show at NZ Fashion Week, a Trelise Cooper 100 per cent silk jacket, an Akoya Japanese pearl strand donated by Walker & Hall, a Caroline Sills cashmere cardigan and lunch for two at Waiheke's Te Whau Vineyard Restaurant. Tickets are $250 each, or $2500 for a table of 10, from akywca.org.nz. For more information phone (09) 375 9242.

Good value

Maybelline's new Eye Studio Silk Glam quad eyeshadow which we featured last week has a recommended retail price of $22.99, not $19.99, but in six colour palettes it's still great buying.

Paris bound

Two Auckland hair stylists are off to Paris in October to represent New Zealand at the Goldwell International Color Zoom competition. It is he the second time in a row that Paul Geronimo of Atelier Hair in Remuera has won the creative colourist title. Competing in the world finals, held last year in Las Vegas, had been a great experience, he said. "This time I know what to expect; it's a slight edge and it will help against the tough competition". Hanna Rickman of Ryder salon in central Auckland won the new talent category for stylists with less than five years' experience, in what was her first hair competition. Winners in Paris get to join an international creative team, working on the Goldwell company's hair trend forecasts for 2012.

Shampoo plus

If you're a Kerastase fan, this is the month to stock up on the top-of-the-line shampoos and styling products. With an in-salon purchase of any

three items you'll receive a free

Saben wallet, said to be worth

$100. It's silver leather, with stud detailing.