Retail therapy: Get warm

World Pashmina. Photo / Babiche Martens

World have collaborated with the Pashmina Environment and Community Trust to present a range of luxury pashminas created by women in Kashmir. Each process is done by hand, from spinning the yarn to colouring the final piece - and World are embracing the idea of traditional craft and supporting those who may not be so fortunate. Profits from the sale of the pashminas go back to those who made them in Kashmir. $169 from World Boutiques, ph (09) 373 3034.

Change your life
Australian lifestyle retreat Gwinganna holding a seminar in Auckland tomorrow night that could well change your life, or at least inspire you to gain greater health and wellbeing. Gwinganna general manager Sharon Kolkka will focus on the "triple s: stress, sleep and sugar". Kolkka will discuss how each plays a role in how you feel every day, and provide tips in how to improve your resilience. Places at the seminar, to be held at The Langham Hotel in Auckland tomorrow night from 6-7.30pm, are limited. To book email reception@gwinganna.com or phone +61 5589 5000. Tickets are A$25, which is approximately $32.

Starfish pops up
Wellington based label Starfish is heading to Auckland to open a pop-up store in Newmarket. The store, which opens tomorrow at 25 Nuffield St, Newmarket, will sell the current season Starfish collection, as well as sale stock and ethically produced labels and footwear.

Cuppa time
Deborah Northover had a coffee break with Kate Sylvester last week, as part of the Oxfam Fairtrade Coffee Breaks campaign. Northover bid $1000 for the chance to spend one-on-one time with Sylvester in her studio in Kingsland, where she got a sneak peek at the collection Sylvester will present at Rosemount Australian Fashion Week next week. Sylvester was one of six local well-known names who were "auctioned off" on Trade Me as part of the Oxfam Fairtrade Coffee Breaks that will take place during the Fair Trade Fortnight from May 1 to 16. It's all in aid of raising awareness of fair trade. All proceeds from the auctions go to Oxfam.

Shave for a cause
Huffer has designed a limited edition T-shirt to support the Leukaemia & Blood Foundation's "Shave10", which has been dubbed "the biggest shave-off New Zealand has ever seen". The T-shirt design combines the Shave10 and Huffer logos, and everyone who raises $500 or more for Shave10 will receive a free tee - or you can buy one from www.shaveforacure.co.nz for $55 plus postage.

Quick fix
Want maximum impact in minimum time? Then Dior's Backstage Flash Event to introduce Dior Addict Ultra Gloss to the New Zealand market is just the ticket. It's a makeover in just 10 minutes using the international runway favourite gloss that comes in 18 shades and costs $55. Its shine complex apparently creates a reflective optical illusion making lips appear fuller and glossier. Dior designer John Galliano describes it as sexy "bling, bling" for the lips.

"At the moment I am into cleaner faces so that the personality underneath can shine through and the character can play a part rather than hide behind layers of makeup. Gloss gives you the veil, but it doesn't paint a different personality and so, for me, this matched with the mood and more the vibe that fashion is in at the moment - sexy, natural, innocent, enticing and exciting."

The Flash Event is exclusively at Smith & Caughey's until May 16. Bookings aren't required, but the mini makeovers are subject to consultant availability. Learn how to make the most of your lips and look out for more Flash Events with different focuses in the future.

*Other super-shiny glosses have popped up in new ranges from Napoleon, Shiseido and Smashbox and they're always available at M.A.C.

Speed up
Since being introduced in 1930, the Louis Vuitton "Speedy" handbag has become one of the most iconic bags of all time - and is now being celebrated with a special retrospective exhibition in store. The bag, famous for its simple, chic shape and carried by everyone from Madonna to Audrey Hepburn, has gone through various incarnations throughout the years, several of which will be on display in the Queen St Louis Vuitton store.

Bags from recent seasons include collaborations between Louis Vuitton's artistic director Marc Jacobs and artist Stephen Sprouse, which resulted in the sell-out graffiti canvas print; Japanese artist Takashi Murakami who superimposed red cherries on to the classic LV monogram; and the watercolour and imperfect prints created in collaboration with artist Richard Prince. Also in display will be the Miroir style from 2006, Speedy bags that looked as if they were made out of liquid metal; the Neo Speedy inspired by denim; and the Dentelle from 2007 that saw canvas embroidered with a lurex thread based on the pattern of lace silk-screened to the bag.

The Speedy retrospective exhibition opens in the Louis Vuitton Queen St boutique on April 30 and will run until May 23.