Vibe Check: Brisbane’s wellness, lifestyle and beauty news you might have missed this week
From boutique buzz to lifestyle loves – and the hidden gems in-between – Vibe Check is your finger on the pulse to what’s hot and happening in the world of beauty, design and fashion in Brisbane. When we checked the vibe this week, here’s what we found …
Emporium Hotel and Naked Sundays launch Summer State of Mind Package
It’s shaping up to be an even hotter summer with the arrival of Emporium Hotel South Bank’s Summer State of Mind, a collaboration with beauty brand Naked Sundays. From Monday December 1 to Thursday January 8, the hotel will transform into a vibrant mix of colour, flavour and five-star style, complete with refreshing margaritas on arrival, dining credits to use across the hotel’s restaurants and a curated Naked Sundays goodie bag for the first 300 bookings. From Wednesday December 3 to Sunday January 25, head up to The Terrace for a full summer transformation with Altos Margarita. The pop-up invites guests to soak up the sunshine with $24 specialty margaritas, playful cactus installations and a relaxed grazing menu featuring bulgogi beef tacos and hot-and-sweet chicken wings. For more information, visit the Emporium Hotel website.
Japanese brand brings pop-up to Brisbane for Christmas
Cult Japanese lifestyle brand, PUEBCO is bringing its Australian first pop-up to New Farm this December just in time for Christmas. Founded in Tokyo 2007, PUEBCO has built a name off its functional, yet modestly beautiful designs made from repurposed textiles, industrial components and up-cycled elements. The result is lived-in pieces full of character, imperfection and material honesty. From storage solutions to tableware and bags, PUEBCO’s New Farm pop-up will feature a curated selection of the brands most sought after designs, chosen with Christmas gifting in mind. The pop-up will resemble a small “Museum of PUEBCO”, featuring vintage-inspired goods, utilitarian everyday tools and thoughtfully up-cycled materials shaped with PUEBCO’s signature Japanese sensibility. From Friday December 5 to Wednesday December 24, the PUEBCO pop-up will run seven days a week at 84 Merthyr Road in New Farm, just around the corner from Idle Bakery.
Cursive Knives bookstore opens its doors this weekend
Brisbane’s newest literary hub is ready to slice up the scene. Cursive Knives bookstore will officially open this Saturday December 13 at 969 Ann Street, Fortitude Valley (next to the Alex Perry Apartments). Owned and operated by London writer Terri-Jane – who packed up her life in 2024 to move to Brisbane – the bookshop brings a sharp dose of literary attitude paired with a strong sense of community and celebration of local artistic talent. Its name draws inspiration from Bikini Kill’s hit song Bloody Ice Cream and also pays homage to Sylvia Plath. Stocking everything from the latest bestsellers and homewares to tarot cards and locally hand-poured candles, Cursive Knives aims to be a vibrant space for customers to explore and engage with Brisbane’s arts scene. The store will also come alive in the evenings, operating as a sanctuary for local creatives to host book clubs, workshops and other events that continue to champion local art and writing.
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Australian fine jewellery brand VIVIE launches its online store
‘Tis the season for treating your loved ones (and yourself) and what better way to do that than with an exquisite diamond piece. Australian fine jewellery brand VIVIE (pronounced vee-vee) combines real diamonds, meaningful design and ethical craftsmanship to reimagine fine jewellery for the modern customer. Founded in Brisbane by Tash McDonough (ex-senior buyer across fashion and fine jewellery) and Jess Cheetham (founder of Margarita Margarita) the duo are excited to share a brand that reshapes what diamonds look like and who they are for. Offering a selection of both lab-grown and mined diamonds crafted in Responsible Jewellery Council (RJC-certified) factories, VIVIE brings an elevated and effortless approach to those who wear their diamonds daily. Shop by collection – including tennis, solitaire and gold pieces – as well as personalisation available to suit your style. The VIVIE collection is available exclusively online here.
Function Well to open second location in West End
A premium wellness destination is making its way to West End, combining performance, restoration and lifestyle in one luxurious space. Guided by the philosophy of Yin and Yang, Function Well is more than a traditional gym, but a sanctuary for physical, mental and social wellness. The four-level, design-led wellness hub will feature world-class equipment, reformer Pilates machines, infrared saunas, magnesium recovery pools, a heated immersive yoga room, plus hot and cold plunge pools. Members can also take advantage of red-light therapy, massage, and functional training sessions and classes, before finding ultimate rejuvenation in the Recovery Cave or the Restoration Zone where traditional and advanced recovery methods are combined. Function Well is also a place for building social connections, with a cafe serving wellness-focused food and beverages alongside a dedicated business lounge where members can catch up on work. Function Well founder Darren Bain said the West End location will be the team’s most elevated offering to date. “We set about designing a premium, high-performance space that thoughtfully and seamlessly incorporates our four pillars – mindset, movement, nutrition and restoration – and offers our members everything they need to optimise their health and enhance their wellbeing.” With an established site in Newstead, this second Brisbane location is set to open in West Village by April 2026 with the waitlist to join now open.
Adore Beauty opens doors at Chermside
Following the success of its first Queensland store at Westfield Carindale, Adore Beauty is set to expand its Queensland presence just in time for Christmas, with its second Brisbane store to open at Westfield Chermside on Thursday December 11. Shoppers will discover a curated range of more than 100 brands, personalised skincare treatments, expert advice from qualified dermal therapists, and the much-loved bonus Tim Tam with every purchase. Designed to blend high-tech services with a warm, welcoming in-store experience, the Chermside store offers in-depth skin analysis, LED light therapy, bespoke facials and complimentary consultations. A private treatment room will host monthly brand takeovers, kicking off with global skincare favourite Dermalogica, giving customers an exclusive opportunity to experience hero products firsthand. Digitally integrated kiosks provide an ‘endless aisle’ experience, granting access to Adore Beauty’s full 14,000-plus product range. To celebrate the opening, the first 300 customers will receive an exclusive goodie bag packed with samples from some of the retailer’s most-loved brands.
Heidi Middleton’s ARTCLUB arrives on James Street
Globally recognised designer and artist Heidi Middleton has come to James Street, bringing her hybrid gallery, atelier and retail concept ARTCLUB to the glitzy strip. ARTCLUB heralds a bit of a homecoming for Heidi, who is also the co-founder and creative director of acclaimed fashion house sass & bide. ARTCLUB will be taking over sass & bide’s old James Street boutique, implementing a new model for creative retail that fuses fashion, art, sculpture and design. ARTCLUB will boast a 6-m gallery wall adorned with Heidi’s original artworks, while impressive abstract sculptures will transform the space into a surrealist, gallery-like experience. A mezzanine level overlooking the gallery will be home to a working atelier, where made-to-order garments (produced in limited runs and crafted from remnant of natural fabrics) will be hand cut, sewn and finished, reinforcing ARTCLUB’s overarching commitment to slow fashion and a circular model of craftsmanship. The ARTCLUB concept will continue to evolve into next year, hosting collaborations with likeminded artists and designers. In 2026, Heidi Middleton will introduce a curated edit of objet trouvé (objects Heidi has sourced through her travels), as well as a range of limited-edition furniture and sculptural pieces that chart the designer’s exploration of form, material and storytelling. ARTCLUB will open Monday to Friday from 9:30 am to 5:30 pm, on Saturdays from 9:30 am to 5:00 pm and on Sundays from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm.
A laidback luxury showroom from MCM House just opened in Fortitude Valley
Sydney-based interior design brand, MCM House, has arrived in Brisbane to continue its key mission — to help people transform their homes into sanctuaries. Located on Fortitude Valley’s Wickam Street sits the flagship’s bold red exterior, with the showroom laid across multiple levels. Inside, the brand’s signature features of timber textures, oversized linen sofas and its newest outdoor Dell’Oro collection compliment Queensland’s relaxed urban lifestyle. Over the last three years, MCM House has opened seven spaces across Australia, including Byron Bay and Noosa. With its rapidly growing reputation as a cornerstone of home design, MCM House’s new Fortitude Valley showroom invites Brisbane to explore the brand’s classic and effortlessly cool furniture range.
Alter Albion’s simple yet sophisticated wedding experience
You no longer need to break the bank to get hitched, as Alter Albion, a new wedding venue destination specialising in subtle but special ceremonies opens its doors in Brisbane. With registered Celebrants, stylishly simple interior and a seamless experience, couples can tie the knot on a budget, an experience that emphasises love and sincere connections. With many packages on offer, couples can have a complete wedding ceremony with 50 of their nearest and dearest for $995. Alter Albion’s registration process is simple and easy, so much so that you and your significant other only need to show up to the venue 10 minutes before saying ‘I do’. Afterwards, couples can get photos taken at beautiful locations across the site and head to the nearby Craft’d Grounds for their reception. Alter Albion’s new era of wedding experiences has been designed with couples in mind, who are craving connection and meaning over excess.
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