Florals? For spring? – Editor Nina Tucker

They might not be groundbreaking, but florals in fashion are evergreen, especially in a place that calls itself the Garden City. As reported in style notes by New Zealand Fashion Week, florals are seen on the runway, worn on the street, and defining the season ahead.

See our fashion shoot from page 29, a playful exploration of classic race day ingredients. Fall in love with millinery from the fabulous Susi Meares of Seventh & Figg, (whose work has donned many Fashion in the Field winners’ heads).

Find inspiration from those racegoers taking a more sustainable approach to that wear-it-once-and-never-again situation thanks to New Zealand’s ecosystem of designer dresses available to rent at a fraction of the price. With garden-inspired frocks and new spring footwear from Mi Piaci that met the floral brief better than I could have hoped, this shoot celebrates Christchurch’s roots as much as its growth.

Because this city is at its best when it’s in bloom and on show.

That brings me to welcome you to our biggest issue of the year. A 108-page love letter to the Garden City. It’s a curated edit of the what, where, who, why and how of Cup & Show week celebrations, from our desks to your coffee table.

Find inside: five spots to have on your radar for bubbles, brunch or both (page 57), 9 stylish accessories to capture that ‘country comes to town essence’ (page 46), and the chef who gets so much energy from Ōtautahi he’s introduced an all-day dining offering in the heart of the city to take you from your first coffee to your final glass (page 58).

Beyond the week-long-party we’re all patiently waiting for, this issue invites you inside premium organic skincare brand founder Elizabeth Barbalich’s world with Antipodes. Learn how life isn’t all that far from the one she lived as a kid growing up in Linwood and Ashburton from page 10. Plus, deputy editor Tamara Pitelen tries spinal energetics to rebalance her mind, body and spirit… does it work? See page 22. And in our cuisine section, a sunshine tart from the golden ray that is Peta Mathias, thanks to her new cookbook Recipes from the Supper Club.

Kia pai tō rā.