Retail therapy: Shop now

Paco Gil heel from Scarpa. Photo / Supplied

Local label D-Luxe have just launched an online store, which means you can get your hands on a piece of its jewellery wherever you may be. D-Luxe has new season pieces as well as items from the past for sale; we have our eyes on the large dreamcatcher necklace and leather tassled pouch. Get shopping now, just in time for Christmas, at www.d-luxe.mybisi.com.

Barbie girl

Barbie turned 50 this year, which saw every man and his dog do something with the iconic doll. Footwear designer Christian Louboutin designed a limited edition Barbie that wears a catsuit and sexy Louboutin heels. (He caused a bit of a fuss when he said that Barbie had "cankles"). And now Comme des Garcons designer Rei Kawakubo has released a special Barbie, which is part of Comme des Garcons' Jingle Flowers Christmas range. Kawakubo's Barbie is brunette with a blunt fringe and multicoloured silk full skirted dress with photo-style floral graphic. If you want to get your hands on one, good luck - it sold out when it went on sale in Tokyo last week, but will be available from Comme des Garcons' stores.

Shoe love

If you love shoes, then head to Runway Shoes & Accessories in Newmarket, as it has just had a drop of shoes from Diane Von Furstenberg. The resort collection features colourful sculptured wedges, strappy heels, sequined flats and gold platform heels. Ph (09) 522 0808.

Festive spirit

If tinsel and flashing lights just aren't your thing when it comes to Christmas, what about a wooden sculptural reindeer - the perfect way to help create a festive feel without going overboard. $34.99 for a pair from PPS Homewares (09) 377 1269.

Read it and gift it

Give the gift of literature on Christmas morning with Penguin Classics. They're orange, only $12.99 and they will broaden the mind of the person you're giving it to - possibly the perfect gift. Kate Sylvester stores are selling a small selection of classics, which the designer has personally selected. "I've chosen titles that we have based collections on or have somehow influenced me," explains the designer, who admits she has secretly always wanted to be a librarian. Books that she has based collections around include Love in a Cold Climate, Catcher in the Rye, Nick Cave's And The Ass Saw The Angel, A Clockwork Orange. They are also selling Breakfast at Tiffany's, Picnic at Hanging Rock, Lolita, Brideshead Revisited and more.

Glossy touch

Fans of Crispin Korschen's whimsical paintings and Barking Mad greeting cards will be thrilled to know she has created stunning resin image panels. Her quirky figures and insightful social commentary are intensified with a richness and depth of colour. They come in three sizes 155 x 155mm ($145), 155 x 215mm ($155), 155 x 275mm ($170). Ph (09) 308 9903 or go to www.barkingmad.net.nz.

Luxury touches

If you're looking for last-minute stocking fillers or cute decorations for the tree, the cute little luxuries from Mor are perfect. Choose from the lip nectar ($34.95), body butter ($24.95) and hand cream ($19.50) which come in Mor's top-selling fragrances: snow gardenia, lychee flower, cassis noir, belladonna and marshmallow.

Late shopping

Kingsland shops will stay open late tomorrow, with late-night Christmas shopping until 10pm. Stores that will be open late where you can find a special gift include State of Grace, Native Agent, Dressing Dolls, Fly by Night, Aduki and Jasmine Florist.

If you shop after 5pm at any of those stores, you will receive vouchers to spend at Kingsland bars - and if you spend more than $300 at State of Grace, you'll get an exclusive Flight of Fancy summer scarf.

Special shoes

Looking for a special pair of party heels for Christmas day? New shoes from Spanish shoe label Paco Gil have just arrived at Scarpa stores, including these gold sparkly heels - a much sexier way to bring some festive spirit into your Christmas day outfit than Santa earrings. Paco Gil "Saturn" heel, $490, from Scarpa, ph (09) 5201424.

Swan lake

Studio Ceramics has extended its popular Retro Lynn range to include a new take on an old favourite - the swan vase with glossy pink glaze. The swans are an homage to the classic Crown Lynn piece, with the new piece coming in a dusky pink finish. They're also available in black and cream glazes, and we think they would make a lovely Christmas gift. They're available now for $75 from Texan Art Schools and various design and homewares stores - for a full list of stockists visit www.studioceramics.co.nz.

Sisters doing it ...

Several fashionable Kiwi women deserve to put their feet up these holidays. Trelise Cooper, Fashion Week's Myken and Pieter Stewart, Sara Tetro, Nerida Cortese, Julie Christie and others spent a week in Thailand wielding hammers and drills helping to build houses in Chiang Mai for the charity Habitat for Humanity. Cooper first made this cause fashionable when she instigated the building of a house at this year's Fashion Week. During that time, the women committed to extending their support by travelling to Thailand to join 2200 people from all over the world to build homes in Chiang Mai where urban poverty is a critical problem. Hill tribe families seeking a better life migrate to the city in search of work and a more promising future.

But, with few services to meet the demand, many families are forced to live in informal slum communities. Chiang Mai has seven such communities, housing nearly 1000 families with incomes of $205-$580 a month. Their homes are constructed of whatever materials they can find to protect them from the sun, wind and rain. They have no direct access to basic services and are forced to use the nearby canal for sanitation and cleaning water, and purchase drinking water from local markets. Eighty-two families received new houses as part of the giant working bee. To find out what you can do to help, go to www.habitat.org.nz.

Market to market

The Plaything Markets are returning this Saturday, just in time to get some stunning Christmas gifts. The second round of markets will take place at the Newton gallery from midday until 4pm, with plenty of food, furniture and fashion to peruse. Plaything Gallery, 21 Dacre St, Newton.

New generation

The finalists for the 2010 Dunedin iD Emerging Designer Awards have been announced, with 31 finalists from around the world. Ten finalists are local designers, including recent graduates from AUT, Otago Polytechnic, Massey University and Whitecliffe College. Other countries represented in the lineup include Australia, the UK, China, Croatia, Switzerland, Sweden and Japan. Prizes include $5000 for first place, $3000 for second and $1000 for third, a Pacific Blue Emerging Designer travel prize and more to be announced. The Emerging Designer Awards will be held on March 11 in Dunedin.