Anne does Anko

ACTRESS Anne Curtis-Smith checks out the candles at Anko.

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ACTRESS Anne Curtis-Smith, the face for Australian brand Anko in the Philippines, told an audience of fans and media guests about her favorite items from the store during a design class on Sept. 8, which served to introduce the store’s new collection which focuses on the color lilac.

Anko is Kmart Australia’s in-house home and lifestyle brand, established in 2017. Anko is part of the Kmart Group, which also includes Target Australia, and Anko Global, and is owned by Wesfarmers Ltd. The brand is here through a joint venture with Ayala Corp’s Ayala Malls, opening its first store in November 2024 in the conglomerate’s Glorietta. The brand has opened two more stores since: in Alabang Town Center and in TriNoma Mall, where the design class was held.

Ms. Curtis-Smith’s — she uses her maiden name onscreen; she has been married to food personality Erwan Heussaff since 2017 — Australian roots were emphasized with her endorsement of Anko: “I am Filipina-Australian, so this partnership with Anko is definitely both personal, and of course, purposeful for me.”