International Women’s Day is a time to recognise and celebrate women. A day dedicated to the rights of women and their achievements, alongside empowerment and gender equality. From the artist to the business woman, author to mother, find out who is recognising the monumental day in Newmarket.

Railway Street Studios - I AM SHE

Paying tribute to the women of New Zealand’s cultural and arts sector, both historical and current, I AM SHE by Jacqueline Spencer-Macleod is an exhibition not to be missed. 

Describing herself as a portraitist of the Sublime Femme, Spencer-Macleod’s concerns centre around female figuration and portraiture in national identity and belonging. Through her detailed artwork, Macleod highlights the tension and disparity between the imagined ideals of historic femininity and what is real. 

“When you see a portrait painting, it’s like intimately meeting another person. My vision is to paint the essence of the woman; the presence of her strength that is particular to her,” says Spencer-Macleod. 

“I want the viewer to feel familiar but challenged within the final representation, constantly finding fresh interpretations that surprise, resulting in an explicitly unique New Zealand ‘Femme de Force.”

The exhibition runs from 24 Feb to 15 March 2022 at Railway Street Studios. 

Partridge Jewellers –  Women We Love 

With International Women’s Day just around the corner, Partridge Jewellers is shining a light on some of the inspiring women within our community. 

The first recognition surrounds Rickie Dee, the founder of one of New Zealand’s leading retail stores, Superette. Following the launch of the first Superette store in 2002, Rickie has gone on to build an empire, having accumulated eight stores and over 110 staff across the country. 

"A big thing for me, being a working Mum and having so many roles to play, is how important it is for all females to continue to inspire, support, and learn from each other, free of judgement,” says Dee. 

The brand also goes on to recognise pioneering fashion personality, ex-model, and mother of twin boys, Anna Reeve, who has spent much of her life pushing the boundaries in New Zealand’s fashion and influencer communities. 

"To me, especially as a mother of twin boys, I believe it's so important to hold people to account when talking about women,” says Reeve. 

“It's about identifying bias and stereotyping in the moment — in real-time actions and conversations. There should be no double standards when talking between friends, family, colleagues or acquaintances." 

Make sure to keep up to date with Partridge Jewellers' ‘Women we Love’ to see which influential woman will be celebrated next. 

Rialto Cinemas – Julia 

Nothing beats a female-empowering film, and we have just the recommendation this International Women’s Day. Centered around the life of legendary cookbook author and television superstar Julia Child, ‘Julia’ tells the story of how one extraordinary woman changed the way Americans think about food, television, and women in general. 

Made in 2021, the film includes never-before-seen archival footage, personal photos, first-person narratives, and incredible food cinematography that promises to leave the audience in admiration. 

Grab your girlfriends and get your tickets, you won’t regret this one. 

Michael Hill – Dress for Success

In honour of International Women's Day, global jewellery brand Michael Hill will be continuing its partnership with not-for-profit organisation Dress for Success. 

Dress for Success helps to empower women to achieve economic independence by providing a network of support, professional attire, and the development tools to help women thrive in work and in life. Since its launch in 1997, the organisation has gained affiliates in 144 cities across 22 countries and has helped more than 1.2 million women work towards self-sufficiency. 

Doing their part to help women succeed, Michael Hill will be donating $15 from every purchase of its pearl stud earrings ($25) to Dress for Success in the country of purchase (Australia, New Zealand, or Canada).

Kowtow x Koha

New Zealand fashion label Kowtow and female-led charity Koha have joined forces this International Women's Day, with the goal of providing quality, clean clothing to those vulnerable and marginalised in the community. The businesses share the same philosophy: Leave the planet better than we found it. 

Koha founder, Charli Cox, believes brands are solely accountable for the life cycle assessment of a product, which includes how to dispose of it sustainably. Because of this, Cox has grown Koha as a platform for keeping clothing out of landfills, in circulation and available to those who have limited access. 

Launching on International Women’s Day through to 9th April, Kowtow will be accepting donations in its Wellington and Auckland stores. The brand will also be making a contribution of its own, donating new and unworn product directly to Koha.