Fairlady Sep/Oct 2025

There’s a clip doing the rounds in which a young Gen Z woman, Freya India, talks about her generation’s battles with mental health. Recorded during a panel discussion hosted by the Institute for the Public Life of Art and Ideas, the clip is worth tracking down if you can. The gist is that Gen Z have always lived in a world where they can ‘pretty much have anything they want without any human interaction’; they’ve got delivery apps, dating apps, online lectures, games… They never need to interact with anyone. As a result, they have no understanding of community. ‘This idea that online communities are a lifeline is a joke to me,’ Freya says. ‘There’s no such thing as an online community – it’s a complete oxymoron. This idea that…

Write to flmag@fairlady.com – and remember to put the word ‘Letters’ in the subject line. Winning letter Let them! I thoroughly enjoyed your article in the July/August 2025 issue about ‘letting them’. There comes a quiet, sobering moment in life when you truly understand the weight and meaning of the words ‘let them’. It’s not resignation, nor is it defeat. It’s clarity. It’s the wisdom that comes after countless attempts to explain, to fix, to shape people into who you hoped they’d become – and the deep exhaustion that follows when you finally realise you can’t. You can’t change someone who doesn’t want to change. You can’t force someone to see from your perspective, live by your values, or love you the way you wish to be loved. And no…

Do you need more than a bimonthly fix of FAIRLADY? If your answer is a resounding YES, we have just what you need. Our weekly newsletter – delivered directly to your inbox – will help you stay in the know. Here’s what you can expect: • Be part of the FAIRLADY book club for the ultimate guide to good reads and the wines that go best with them. • Take a peek at the stories we can’t stop talking about. • Read reviews of products we’ve given the once-over in Test House to help you choose items that suit your needs and your pocket. • Get the lowdown on the fashion and beauty picks we’re adding to our carts right now. • Find out about cool places to visit and special…

1 Tea, cosy Whether you’re planning a birthday party or a bridal shower, or you’re just looking for an excuse to dress up, we have just the thing: Classic High Tea at The Cellars-Hohenort, an SLH Hotel, in Constantia, Cape Town. Served in The Greenhouse, this four-course celebratory affair includes a glass of Cap Classique, a selection of tea sandwiches and savoury bites, scones with strawberry jam and Chantilly cream, and delicate confectionery. Nigiro tea – or Lavazza coffee – is bottomless, and you have a choice of 11 loose-leaf teas. There is even a Cellars-Hohenort blend of Nigiro tea that incorporates the spicy fragrance and bronzeapricot colour of the Liz McGrath Rose. (This rose, which grows in the hotel gardens, was created in 2003 to commemorate the 80th birthday…

MIDDLE MANAGEMENT Buckle up! These stylish belts add shape in a cinch. ALL EARS Gold reigns supreme this spring, embellished with cool tones, texture and pearlescent accents. WRAP PARTY Worn by Audrey Hepburn, Marilyn Monroe and Grace Kelly in their heyday, silky scarves have staged a comeback. CARRIED AWAY Studded, structured, slouchy… Take your pick – there’s a bevy of bags to choose from. A FRESH PAIR OF EYES Optical frames are arguably the most pivotal accessory you can buy! Opt for ones that are easy on the eye. NECK AND NECK Adorn a simple neckline with dangly pendants, memento charms or pearls. GOODY TWO-SHOES Walk this way for a little peep of toe, a metallic glint or two, and platforms aplenty.…

ON foot and in uniform, the Black Mambas patrol 50000 hectares of wilderness in the Greater Kruger, armed not with rifles but with resolve. As the country’s first all-female anti-poaching unit, they’re as much educators as they are protectors, reshaping the human-wildlife relationship one patrol and one school visit at a time. Like them, a growing number of women are stepping into conservation roles that go far beyond the field, combining science and community engagement with courageous leadership. DANELLE MURRAY Conservationist and co-founder of the Owl Rescue Centre ON a quiet patch of land in Hart-beespoort, North West, owls glide silently through the dusk and into the arms of two of their fiercest protectors. Danelle Murray and her husband Brendan founded the Owl Rescue Centre to give South Africa’s owls…