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Society Insider: Kiwi label Paris Georgia's plans for NZ Fashion Week; the men behind property developer Brooksfield; Mike Pero's new franchise
Society Insider: Kiwi label Paris Georgia's plans for NZ Fashion Week; the men behind property developer Brooksfield; Mike Pero's new franchise

NZ Herald

time6 days ago

  • Entertainment
  • NZ Herald

Society Insider: Kiwi label Paris Georgia's plans for NZ Fashion Week; the men behind property developer Brooksfield; Mike Pero's new franchise

But the duo, now based in London, have made sure they are still part of New Zealand Fashion Week Kahuria for when it returns to Auckland on August 25 – even if they can't be there in person. Mitchell Temple tells Society Insider that she and Cherrie have been working alongside the former creative and fashion director of Viva magazine and NZ Fashion Week creative adviser Dan Ahwa to curate some Paris Georgia archives in an opening show of the week. Paris Georgia design duo Georgia Cherrie and Paris Mitchell Temple. 'The show is called 'Into the Archives', which is a celebration of archival fashion that has shaped contemporary NZ fashion for the past 20-30 years,' Mitchell Temple tells Society Insider. 'We are honoured to be asked and involved.' Paris Georgia's pre-fall collection has just been released and Mitchell Temple says they will launch their newest Elemental Wardrobing collection online next week. Georgia Cherrie and Paris Mitchell Temple photographed for Viva in 2015. Photo / Babiche Martens The label showed at Australian Fashion Week in May and next month will be taking to the runways for fashion weeks in Paris, New York, Los Angeles and Dallas, debuting their SS26 collection to wholesale buyers. This week, Mitchell Temple and Cherrie are in Marseille, France, to shoot the range, only sharing with Society Insider that they had secured an incredible location and team. Paris Mitchell Temple in Marseille. Mitchell Temple and Cherrie tell Society Insider that while their NZ office in Freeman's Bay remains open and close to their hearts, they've been loving the process of building a team and studio in northeast London. They met when they were 13 years old. After high school, while Mitchell Temple studied fashion at AUT in Auckland, Cherrie studied marketing and fashion in Barcelona. They both travelled to the world's fashion capitals before returning home and starting their label. Mitchell Temple and her husband of seven years, hospitality and wine whiz Henry, moved to London last year at the start of the Northern Hemisphere summer with their 4-year-old daughter. Cherrie has also based herself there. Paris Mitchell Temple and Georgia Cherrie in Marseille. The brand, which has become known for its subtle and luxurious styles, is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year. The move to London has allowed the designing duo to expand their resources and collaborate with new talent. They say the city not only inspires them, but it has also created an array of new suppliers for their business. 'Living in London, being closer to these key markets has been transformative for the brand,' says Mitchell Temple. 'While it sometimes felt like starting over, the rewards are starting to show.' Paris Georgia designs have featured in the pages of international magazines such as Vogue and Harper's Bazaar, and have been worn by A-listers including model Georgia Fowler, who is a friend of the designers; models/businesswomen Kendall Jenner and Hailey Bieber; actors Margot Robbie and Kate Hudson; and popstars Lady Gaga and Dua Lipa. Paris Mitchell Temple, photographer Rob Tennant and Georgia Currie at a fashion shoot. The brand now has 50 global stockists, including Ssence, Ounass, Moda Operandi, Printemps Doha, Elyse Walker, The New Trend and London luxury institution Browns. It is also available in Ibiza's Old Town this Northern Hemisphere summer season after Cherrie met resort wear designer Laura Castro, whose brand PORTA is based there. Castro invited Cherrie to collaborate with her on a pop-up shop. 'Ibiza is the perfect home for Paris Georgia, we love the island and all the incredible women who visit it,' says Mitchell Temple. Georgia Cherrie in Ibiza. The label has hosted exclusive soirees in London over the past year. One of the pair's favourite collaborations has been with British artist and their friend Joe Sweeney, with whom they launched Career Girl, a T-shirt collection for Paris Georgia. The launch was held at Rita's Dining in London's Soho and attracted A-List guests including British model Edie Campbell, artist and model Kesewa Aboah, fashion stylists Olivia Pezzente and Bettina Looney, Elle UK contributing editor Maxim Magnus, London-based Kiwi model and entrepreneur Jessica Clarke and fellow Kiwi model Lilian Sumner. Georgia Cherrie, Joe Sweeney and Paris Mitchell Temple at the Career Girls launch in London. Mitchell Temple and Cherrie were proud to have London style icon and It Girl Alexa Chung and her sister-in-law, floral artist Christie Leigh, wear their Career Girl T-shirts. Alexa Chung and Christie Leigh. Photo / Instagram @Alexachung Over the past three years, Mitchell Temple and Cherrie honed their business focus and brought on a third director to their business, co-founder and managing partner at Maker Partners, Rod Snodgrass. Snodgrass is known in New Zealand business circles for being a venture capital partner, professional director and strategic adviser on business innovation, growth, transformation and change. Kiwi Paris Georgia fans visiting London might spot the designers at some of their favourite venues, including Notting Hill's casual Greek restaurant Zephyr, hotspot BRAT, modern Italian restaurant Manteca, 392 Kings Rd in Shoreditch, and historic pub, The Spurstowe Arms in Hackney. The young property developers changing the face of NZ's cities Christchurch-based property developers Oliver Hickman and Vincent Holloway have made a name for themselves changing the cityscapes of urban New Zealand. Oliver Hickman and Vincent Holloway. Their company Brooksfield has delivered more than 600 houses since its inception in 2019, making the pair millions of dollars. But rather than creating cookie-cutter terraces, the pair are focused on 'storybook' homes – Georgian colonial-revival weatherboard and brick townhouses that blend into the heritage homes around them. Coloured brick mews houses from Brooksfield in Christchurch. Now the duo, who are in their 30s, are further building their empire, moving into creating communities with multiple houses and streets, commercial property and have started a tax app to take on Xero. Vincent, 31, and Hickman, 35, say they have a passion for breaking the tropes usually associated with being a developer. Oliver Hickman and Vincent Holloway. 'We don't do the helicopter, larger than life 'look at me' stuff. We would rather spend time on our second biggest passion, gardening,' Hickman tells Society Insider. Tauranga-born and raised, Holloway left Ōtūmoetai College halfway through his fifth form, the day after he turned 16, and hit the building trade. Hickman attended Christ's College, where he now serves on the board of governors. He also played a key role in championing the school's new gym, which fittingly bears his name: The Hickman Gymnasium. The Hickman Gymnasium at Christ's College. He studied property valuation and development at Lincoln University and says while he may have had a private school education, his rise in the property world was anything but handed to him – it was built from the ground up. 'I started out east in New Brighton, my foray into developing was the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity of repairing EQ [earthquake] homes, and from then until now with Brooksfield, we never buy or build anything we know won't sell.' The pair met 10 years ago when Holloway attended a property conference that Hickman's company of the time, Opes Partners, was holding in Tauranga. 'I asked for a job, left my building job, moved to Auckland, and opened the office there,' says Holloway. The pair's shared interest in property, especially heritage buildings and homes, led to them spending their time driving around historic neighbourhoods in Auckland and Christchurch, such as Herne Bay, Remuera and Fendalton. Holloway made the move to Christchurch in 2015 to join Hickman and start the building blocks of Brooksfield, by buying and repairing earthquake-damaged houses in Christchurch. Hickman estimates the total to be about 500 homes by the time they finished. After developing what they call 'a few white modern boxes', it was Holloway who suggested that they build the classical-style homes they love at affordable prices for Kiwis. Brooksfield was born, separating itself from other developers by specialising in heritage-style homes, priced from $700,000 to $1.5 million. A render of a coming Brooksfield community of classical revival homes. The majority have been in Christchurch, with the business also creating homes in Nelson and three separate developments in Point Chevalier, Auckland, with more planned. There are plans for Wellington and Tauranga to follow. Brooksfield currently has four Christchurch community developments under way, ranging from 15-22 dwellings, including a mixed development in Sumner that will feature townhouses, coach houses, apartments and shops. Brooksfield classical timber weatherboard standalone cottages. Brooksfield classical Georgian brick cottages. It also has a Montreal St apartment building under construction that has apartments valued from between $1m and $4m, which have all sold out. 'They look straight up Worcester Blvd to the cathedral, stunning site, one of the best in Christchurch,' says Hickman. Last week, the pair took Brooksfield into the commercial sector, buying 160 Gloucester St for $3.4m. 'We expect to spend another $5m building a four-storey building, mostly of office space, in a classical style,' says Hickman. 'It will be unique and a space people want to come to work in, looking down New Regent St.' The duo are also behind a new accounting platform called Lodg, aimed at sole traders to help with invoicing and tax. 'It has been very well received and we have around 15-20 new users signing up every day,' says Hickman. Hickman and Holloway practice what they preach – their offices are located in Christchurch city's central Victorian mansion, Eliza Manor, which they bought for $2.75m last year. Brooksfield's office is at Christchurch's Eliza Manor. Photo / Supplied They and their young families live near each other in Georgian-style mansions in the Garden City's upmarket suburb of Fendalton. 'Olly's is a 1920s Heathcote Helmore home, and mine is a 2020s Ben Pentreath home,' says Holloway. 'They are both beautiful and restful abodes and a joy to come home to.' Ben Pentreath's design of Vincent Holloway's home in Fendalton. Helmore is a celebrated New Zealand architect of the early 20th century and Pentreath is a contemporary English architectural and interior designer who has been a crucial part of the Brooksfield success story. Pentreath's business has been famous for more than two decades for designing houses and buildings for Poundbury, an experimental 'urban extension' town in Dorset, Britain, backed by King Charles when he was the Prince of Wales and the Duke of Cornwall. It's a town of high-density new builds, but all are designed in a traditional architectural style. Holloway was a fan of Pentreath and reached out to him by direct message on Instagram. Pentreath now designs Brooksfield's classical homes. Vincent Holloway and Ben Pentreath in England. Holloway and Hickman often travel to London for work, exploring the classical cities of Europe with Pentreath. Hickman has a new build of his own happening in Queenstown, embracing mid-century Americana with a Frank Lloyd Wright-style pavilion home that will look out over Lake Hayes. Mike Pero's premium alcohol franchise business Mike Pero. Photo / Getty Images Blackwell Trading Post, the new franchise business from Mike Pero, is due to start rolling out across the country this month. The 'premium spirits consumer buying experience' has Pero as a major shareholder, joining marketer Adam Blackwell and Wairarapa businessman Gavin Hodder. Mike Pero in a franchise ad for Blackwell Trading Post. Blackwell told Society Insider that an update would happen when the pair were back from travelling overseas. The venture initially came about when Pero, the former Apprentice Aotearoa host and founder of eponymous mortgage and real estate franchises, was invited to advise the Greytown Gin Distillery board on its new retail franchise business, Blackwell Trading Post (BTP). Adam Blackwell of Blackwell Trading Post. Developed by Blackwell, Hodder and master Greytown distiller Peter Warren, BTP is based on the Greytown Distilling Company, a store inside Blackwell and Sons bicycle shop on the Wairarapa town's Main St. But Pero, a Christchurch-born and bred former motorcycle racing champion who owns NZ's only Japanese motorcycle gallery, was so impressed with the business model he asked to become a stakeholder instead. Mike Pero is a former motorcycle racing champion. Company records show that in March, BTP was created, with Pero taking a 40% shareholding and Blackwell and Hodder evenly splitting the remaining 60% between them. Pero told in June that BTP stores offering 'a premium spirits consumer buying experience' are due to roll out this month, with a goal of more than 60 locations across New Zealand. He said there has also been interest from prospective Australian franchisees. While BTP will stock the range of international award-winning Greytown Distillery Gins, it will carry the Blackwell name and carry premium vodka, whiskey and other craft spirits. 'They're what I refer to as 'full-service franchises' – as the franchisor, we'll do all the backroom work and the stuff that business owners and salespeople often can't be bothered with,' said Pero. A render of a Blackwell Trading Post franchise. Prospective BTP franchisees have been asked to enter into a confidentiality agreement. Throughout the 1990s, Pero became a household name with his franchise business, Mike Pero Mortgages, and from 2011, Mike Pero Real Estate. Numerous court proceedings and business headlines have followed both businesses and the Mike Pero Group, which is owned by Australian Liberty Financial Group. Pero, 65, says he sold his real estate interests in 2019 and retired. Mike Pero sold his real estate and mortgage franchise business in 2019. Australian real estate giant Raine & Horne officially acquired Mike Pero Real Estate from Liberty Financial Group in 2024. Liberty still owns Mike Pero Mortgages, according to company records. Pero's name has also been synonymous with his love of flying and work in the aviation industry. In 2021, in the same year of his Apprentice role, Pero grounded his plans to launch Pasifika Air, an air link between the Cook Islands. Pero describes the ideal BTP franchisee operators as a mature couple, with good communication skills, capable of obtaining their licence under the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012 and supported by two part-time casuals. He says total turn-key costs, including fees, fit-out, stock and plant, are from $170,000, and says the return on investment will be significant. A good week for ... diamonds on Queen St The owners of Partridge Jewellers, Grant and Heather Partridge, unveiled New Zealand's first Graff boutique at 145 Queen St last Thursday evening, in the heart of downtown Auckland.⁠ Graff's 65-year history is intertwined with founder Laurence Graff's craftsmanship and passion for diamonds. The global luxury brand, renowned for its high jewellery and diamonds, has more than 70 stores worldwide. Graff models bookend Romain Le Chevallier, Grant Partridge, Desley Simpson and Heather Partridge at the boutique's ribbon cutting. Photo / Jono Parker Inside the new Graff boutique on Queen St. Photo / Jono Parker Global A-list customers of the brand include Oprah Winfrey, Victoria Beckham, Angelina Jolie, Pharrell Williams and the late Dame Elizabeth Taylor. For the Auckland launch, Auckland Deputy Mayor Desley Simpson joined Graff's international franchise director Romain Le Chevallier to cut the ribbon. She told Society Insider she is thrilled to see the luxury offerings growing in downtown Auckland. Private guests gathered around a serpentine-shaped counter, with the creations displayed within bevelled glass showcases to reflect the intricate facets of a diamond, and were allowed to try on some of the boutique's most high-end jewels. ⁠ ⁠Party people of the week Déesse PRO's New Zealand debut Auckland's SO/ Hotel transformed into a haven of beauty, innovation, and fine dining last week as Kiara Cosmetics officially introduced Déesse PRO, the globally celebrated LED light therapy brand, to New Zealand. Global A-list fans of the brand include Kim Kardashian, Chrissy Teigen, Jessica Alba, Madonna, Kate Hudson and Nicola Peltz Beckham. Kiara Cosmetics founder Annemarie Mason, alongside her general manager Ineke Pronk, welcomed local beauty media, tastemakers and industry leaders to an exclusive three-course dinner at the hotel's private Waitematā Room. The evening began with champagne and demonstrations of the devices, which have become internationally renowned within the beauty industry for the combination of Nasa-accredited technology with Korean precision engineering. Among the attendees were The Face Place owner Dr Catherine Stone, beauty entrepreneur Edna Swart, bridal designer Trish Peng, Aurea founder Alex Patchett, actor Monique Meredith and beauty writer Hélène Ravlich. Alex Patchett and Edna Swart at the Déesse PRO launch at Auckland's SO/ Hotel. Photo / Pop Publicity Ineke Pronk and Annemarie Mason. Photo / Pop Publicity Hélène Ravlich and Lauren Harding. Photo / Pop Publicity Sarah Templeton and Hemma Vara. Photo / Pop Publicity Alex Patchett, Edna Swart and Trish Peng. Photo / Pop Publicity Catherine Stone and Tess Woolcock. Photo / Pop Publicity Monique Meredith and Annemarie Mason. Photo / Pop Publicity Greta Kenyon and Ineke Pronk. Photo / Pop Publicity Workmates at NZIFF Workmates, the Kiwi film that hits cinemas on August 21, had its world premiere at Auckland's Civic during the Whānau Mārama: New Zealand International Film Festival. The cast and crew reunited on the red carpet, including director Curtis Vowell, writer and star Sophie Henderson (who was recently appointed as artistic director at Silo Theatre), and co-lead Matt Whelan, alongside a packed house of industry friends, media and long-time supporters of Aotearoa's screen and stage community. The movie is billed as a 'scrappy love story' and inspired by Henderson's real-life years running Auckland's Basement Theatre. The supporting cast includes Kura Forrester and Chris Parker. Among the attendees were playwright Sam Brooks, director Oliver Driver, actor Beth Allen, Basement founder Charlie McDermott, broadcaster Luke Bird and Workmates producer Sam Snedden. The film continues its festival run in Wellington, Christchurch, and Dunedin, before its nationwide release on August 21. Matt Whelan, Aki Munroe, Sophie Henderson and Sam Snedden at the world premiere of Workmates at The Civic. Photo / Jinki Cambronero Sophie Henderson and Oliver Driver. Photo / Jinki Cambronero Fleur Saville and Richard Lambeth. Photo / Jinki Cambronero Workmates stars Matt Whelan and Sophie Henderson. Photo / Jinki Cambronero Charlie McDermott and Sam Snedden. Photo / Jinki Cambronero Curtis Vowell and Sophie Henderson. Photo / Jinki Cambronero Win Wolf. Photo / Jinki Cambronero Luke Bird. Photo / Jinki Cambronero Ricardo Simich has been with the Herald since 2008 where he contributed to The Business Insider. In 2012 he took over Spy at the Herald on Sunday, which has since evolved into Society Insider. The weekly column gives a glimpse into the worlds of the rich and famous.

Society Insider: Marc Ellis to open wellness studio; Trelise Cooper's $10m apartment off the market; Andy Higgs new executive director role
Society Insider: Marc Ellis to open wellness studio; Trelise Cooper's $10m apartment off the market; Andy Higgs new executive director role

NZ Herald

time23-07-2025

  • Entertainment
  • NZ Herald

Society Insider: Marc Ellis to open wellness studio; Trelise Cooper's $10m apartment off the market; Andy Higgs new executive director role

Villafrana and Ellis have been dating since early last year. She has two young children with her former partner, Kiwi Blake Loveridge, while Ellis has four - two with ex-wife Augustina Mon, and two with his former partner, Italian Linda Codegoni. Marc Ellis and Mibella Villafana in Europe. Mibella Villafana and Marc Ellis. Originally from California, Villafrana moved to New Zealand a decade ago. She has a health and wellbeing background. She was a high school gymnast and coach, graduated from the University of California with a bachelor's degree in psychology, and is now a yoga instructor. Ellis registered Cora Club as a business last June, and Villafana says the premium wellness studio will offer Reformer Pilates, and contrast and intravenous therapy (IV), mixed into bespoke community events and corporate executive groups. A sneak peek at Cora, the new wellness space for women in Grey Lynn. Villafrana, whose father is Mexican, says the name for the new studio comes from the Mexican word Corazón, meaning heart. It can also refer to the courage or spirit of a person. This isn't Ellis's first foray into the wellness market. In 2019, Society Insider revealed he and then-girlfriend Codegoni opened Look Lab Medispa in Westmere, specialising in luxury treatments. Society Insider revealed last November that Ellis was part of the group of rich and famous Kiwis joining forces on the $100m Auckland Surf Park in Dairy Flat. Villafrana and Ellis enjoyed time together in Mexico last year, as well as taking in the Mediterranean summer. Earlier this year, the couple spent time at Aro Ha Wellness retreat in Glenorchy. Whilst there, Ellis joined Aro Ha founder Damian Chaparro in the Aro Ha sauna to record a podcast on how wellness keeps him grounded. Mibella Villafana and Marc Ellis. Ellis discussed love, saying, 'If you're in pursuit of love or in receipt of it, you're winning.' He also talked about the importance of empathy and teaching values to his children, how rugby has evolved and the importance of mental health in sports. Wellness lovers Mibella Villafana and Marc Ellis. Ellis returned to the airwaves last year, resurrecting popular TV show Sports Café as a podcast, alongside its creator, Ric Salizzo. Former co-stars, media personality Leigh Hart and Lana Coc-Kroft, also came back, and the podcast has become a top 10-rated show. They were thrilled last month when they won Podcast of the Year at the 2025 NZ Radio & Podcast Awards at SkyCity Theatre in Auckland. Dame Trelise takes $10m penthouse off the market Dame Trelise Cooper and her husband, Jack. Photo / Norrie Montgomery Fashion icon Dame Trelise Cooper and her husband, Jack, have taken their $10m St Heliers apartment off the market. Barfoot & Thompson's Aaron Foss tells Society Insider the couple is removing it for a year, 'and will see what's happening in the market in 2026'. When Society Insider contacted the Auckland offices of Trelise Cooper Ltd, we were told Dame Trelise, 67, was at her house in France, awaiting news of her son Jasper's first child, and she would be heading to California soon. In April last year, Cooper told the Herald that she and her husband already spent five months a year in their house in France and that they planned to buy a place in San Diego, in the United States, to be close to family. Once their St Heliers apartment sells, Cooper has said, she hopes to buy a smaller place in the same area, as well as one in California. 'Our son and his wife have made a life in San Diego with incredible careers. So, I am not waiting any more for him to come home, we are going to him. While we talk most days, I miss him and being in his presence.' Dame Trelise Cooper and her husband, Jack. Photo / Norrie Montgomery While she still designs daily and is in regular meetings with her business, at the beginning of last year Cooper stepped back from the day-to-day running of Trelise Cooper Ltd. Long-time employee Kate Devlin became CEO and now runs the fashion business alongside Cooper's trusted right-hand of more than 20 years, general manager Judith Pratt. The Coopers spent a reported $10m on their Buchan-designed Devore St 275sq m three-bedroom apartment in late 2022, on the third floor of the Sonata apartments. An apartment in the Sonata building on Devore St. The Sonata apartment building. Photo / Barfoot & Thompson The property passed in at auction in May last year. A few months earlier, a garden apartment in the same complex sold for $8.2m. Foss told Society Insider that when the Coopers' apartment does go back on the market, it will be for upwards of $8m. The couple sold their modernist Orakei home for more than $2.6m in late 2024. Just weeks after moving into Devore St, they put the palatial apartment up for sale. The Coopers' home in France is in a small medieval village near Toulouse. They have owned the house for 17 years and have lovingly restored parts of it, which date back 600 years. In April, son Jasper started working for the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services, where he leads data analytics, integration, and evaluation at LA County's largest provider of services for unhoused people. Andy Higgs' latest crusade for NZ Andy Higgs is crusading for New Zealand's digital sovereignty. Photo / Supplied After years of helping lay the foundations of Digital Identity New Zealand (DINZ), colourful businessman Andy Higgs has now become the organisation's executive director. Thanks to some high-profile support from more than 100 leading corporates, including Air NZ, Spark, major banks and leading tech companies, such as Xero, DINZ - a member of the NZTech Alliance - is working to enable Kiwis to have secure control over their data and online identity. The membership-funded, not-for-profit NGO is working with the private and public sectors, helping New Zealand companies lead the way in tech innovations. The aim is to enable Kiwis to have a safer digital footprint for e-commerce and ownership of their online identities. Higgs says this is increasingly important as the use of AI, automation and surveillance systems becomes more common. 'It's about how we retain agency over our data in a world of AI agents, deepfakes, and global digital ecosystems,' he tells Society Insider. 'As the world's innovation petri dish, New Zealand has a unique opportunity.' Higgs, 53, has been known as a connector throughout his 30-year career and maintains a tight circle from his King's College days. He lives with his wife, Rachel, and their three boys in a sprawling North Shore bungalow with sweeping views. In his guest house, Higgs has his own golf pro, Paul Parlane, famous for coaching A-listers including Sylvester Stallone, Pete Sampras, and David Beckham. Golf pro Paul Parlane and Andy Higgs at Piha. Higgs' first foray into dealing with local government and the media came when he and some friends, including Marc Ellis, made headlines fighting to open a café in Piha in 2009. Higgs and his associates later handed it over to be run by chef Lucas Parkinson, who turned it into Aryeh Restaurant in 2023. The Piha Café experience paved the way for Higgs to work at the Auckland Council, and to work his magic with Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development. 'I leveraged my network to create partnerships for Auckland, including Ian Ferguson's Wero Whitewater Park, Vector Lights and the Hyundai Marine Sports with Akarana,' Higgs says. Higgs is also a shareholder in Sarah and Otis Frizzell's successful business, The Lucky Taco. Higgs is now championing DINZ, working with the public and private sectors. 'The bigger picture is that digital sovereignty will help us get a more symbiotic relationship between NZ's growing tech scene and the overseas tech giants,' he says. Andy Higgs at a Tech Week event on digital infrastructure at Parliament. Higgs has previously worked with tech titan Aaron McDonald on a portfolio of Web3 companies specialising in decentralised product and service companies, including AI and blockchain tools provider Futureverse. In 2018, they approached the chief executive at NZ Tech, Graham Muller, to establish DINZ to advocate for the world's first decentralised credential identity ecosystem. Before our interview, Higgs had just spoken to the country's leading tech billionaire, Rod Drury. 'Rod's view is that digital identity will unlock the next wave of unicorn companies [high-value start-ups],' says Higgs. Higgs will talk at Anna Mowbray's Revved 2025 conference early next month at Auckland's Viaduct Events Centre. He says he admires Mowbray's announcement on LinkedIn last week that she had deleted all her Meta social media channels, calling it a 'profound safety move for future generations'. Anna Mowbray. Like Mowbray, Higgs is also a big supporter of the B416 campaign. Co-founded and chaired by entrepreneur Cecilia Robinson, the lobby group is advocating for a minimum age of 16 to access social media in New Zealand. He was pleased to see Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and high-profile Kiwis at the launch at Mantell's on Tamaki Drive in May. Sam Wallace and Andy Higgs at the B416 launch at Mantell's in May. Photo / Supplied Now, Higgs is focused on his Digital Trust Hui at Te Papa in Wellington, a conference of digital identity innovators, regulators, researchers, educators, entrepreneurs and leading executives in the commerce and tech sectors. Higgs says the Government's new Digital Identity Services Trust Framework, with rules covering online security and identity, is in step with how local corporates are innovating. He highlights Spark's investment in MATTR (TrustTech solutions) as one corporate leading the way. Judith Collins. Photo / Mark Mitchell Speaking at the conference will be the Minister of Defence Judith Collins, as well as the Minister of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Scott Simpson, with Higgs telling Society Insider that 'security and commerce sit hand in hand'. Party people of the week Romeo & Juliet Season Auckland Theatre Company (ATC) opened its latest production on Thursday evening, William Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet directed by Benjamin Kilby-Henson. Set as a fast-paced thriller in 1960s Italy, the production stars Shortland Street star Theo Dāvid as Romeo and One Lane Bridge's Phoebe McKellar as Juliet. Peter Goodfellow and Desley Simpson at the ATC premiere of Romeo & Juliet at the ASB Waterfront Theatre. Photo / Jinki Cambronero Before the show's opening, ATC's Artistic Director and CEO Jonathan Bielski and Kilby-Henson, who is ATC's Artistic Associate, hosted guests who enjoyed Villa Maria wines and pizza. The star-studded opening night was attended by a who's who of Auckland governance, theatre, culture and arts, including Auckland Council CEO Phil Wilson and Deputy Mayor Desley Simpson and her husband Rich lister, Peter Goodfellow, Shortland Street alumni Bella Kalolo-Suraj and her husband Suraj Kumar, local It girls Sophie Negus and Coco May, TVNZ's Isobel Prasad, and fashion legend Dame Denise L'Estrange-Corbet. Romeo & Juliet is on until August 9 at the ASB Waterfront Theatre. Micah Heath and Ari Peach. Photo / Jinki Cambronero Dame Denise L'Estrange-Corbet and Teresa Sokolich. Photo / Jinki Cambronero Graham Vincent and Kellie-Michelle Cheung. Photo / Robert Trathern Catriona and Eliza Ferguson. Photo / Jinki Cambronero Lachie Oliver-Kirby and Ni Dekkers-Reihana. Photo / Jinki Cambronero Richard Sikuea and Lisa Zhang. Photo / Jinki Cambronero Sophie Negus and Coco May. Photo / Robert Trathen Suraj Kumar and Bella Kalolo-Suraj. Photo / Robert Trathen Keven Souza and Theo Shakes. Photo / Jinki Cambronero Odd Socks Ahoy Odd Socks Productions – founded by the small yet mighty creative team of Yvie Harvie-Salter and Daryl Habraken - celebrated its first birthday in style aboard charter boat Wasting Light on Auckland's Viaduct Harbour on Friday. They were joined by clients and colleagues who have supported them throughout their first 12 months. Yvie Harvie-Salter and Daryl Habraken at their Odd Socks Productions' first birthday party on board the charter boat, Wasting Light. Photo / Octavio Benitez Laje The company specialises in commercial, documentary and content creation. Harvie-Salter and Habraken gave thanks, sharing with their guests lashings of bubbles, fine wine, and a collection of Waiheke Distilling Co's gins and RTDs. Yvie Harvie-Salter and Brian Thorrington. Photo / Octavio Benitez Laje Guests also dined on canapés from the onboard crew led by Jodie Vaughan, and a handcrafted Basque cheesecake from Nosh Clan catering. An eclectic group of guests and partners joined the festivities, including music promoter Ramesh Premaratna, DJs Chris EM and Rich Parker, Detective Inspector Scott Beard, author and advocate Gloria Masters, socialite Marlana Ritchie, Adam Brami, Director of Art of the Possible agency; Honorary Consul Brian Thorrington, co-founder of Fleetwood and stylist Jackie Houghton, and Tanya Walshe of Waiheke Distilling Co. Gloria Masters and Scott Beard. Photo / Octavio Benitez Laje Andrew Farrant and Chris Boyd. Photo / Octavio Benitez Laje Ramesh Premaratna, Tammy Janwattana and Chris Moody. Photo / Octavio Benitez Laje Stephen Salter and Lynette Harvie. Photo / Octavio Benitez Laje Injecting Elegance Affair LA Aire, a New Zealand cosmetic medicine consultancy and training organisation, held its Injecting Elegance evening at the Park Hyatt Auckland on Saturday evening. LA Aire provides support to registered nurses, oral health therapists, and pharmacists through NZSCM-accredited doctors and connects clinicians to exclusive, industry-leading brands. The evening brought together some of the country's top cosmetic industry leaders, clinicians, and media for a memorable night of cocktails and networking. LA Aire founders Dr Nameer Wadea and Dr Peter Aspell hosted guests who included the CEO of The Diamond Shop, Sera Lynn, former Real Housewife and beauty maven Angela Stone, ihartpr's Jade Hart, Aotearoa Aesthetics' Shalu Shankar, Inhance Cosmetic Clinic's Weilim Shin and Laser Clinic's Selina Fernandes. Sirinya Rikau, Selina Fernandes, Nameer Wadea, Weilim Shin and Bomy Lee. Photo / Norrie Montgomery Shalu Shankar, Angela Stone and Jade Hart. Photo / Norrie Montgomery Kaitlin Chapman and Casarah Cooper. Photo / Norrie Montgomery Gemma Bryenton, Sian Bennett and Amy Carlyon. Photo / Norrie Montgomery Kim Wright, Leisa McGill and Kirsty Smith. Photo / Norrie Montgomery Lin-Jing Wang and Julia Liu. Photo / Norrie Montgomery Ricardo Simich has been with the Herald since 2008 where he contributed to The Business Insider. In 2012 he took over Spy at the Herald on Sunday, which has since evolved into Society Insider. The weekly column gives a glimpse into the worlds of the rich and famous.

Society Insider: Martin Henderson's property investment with girlfriend; Kathryn Wilson expands to Arrowtown; Auckland FC goalkeeper Michael Woud's romantic proposal
Society Insider: Martin Henderson's property investment with girlfriend; Kathryn Wilson expands to Arrowtown; Auckland FC goalkeeper Michael Woud's romantic proposal

NZ Herald

time02-07-2025

  • Business
  • NZ Herald

Society Insider: Martin Henderson's property investment with girlfriend; Kathryn Wilson expands to Arrowtown; Auckland FC goalkeeper Michael Woud's romantic proposal

Martin Henderson on Great Barrier Island NZ interior architect Penny Hay. Property records from last year show Hay and Henderson made a property investment together north of Auckland, purchasing a coastal sanctuary in trendy Point Wells for an estimated $3 million. The five-bedroom residence was designed by Dominic Glamuzina, of Auckland's Glamuzina Architects, and is nestled in a generous 1260 sq m of landscaped tropical gardens and a pool. The main bedroom has its own wing, featuring an ensuite bathroom and a spacious dressing room. Four additional bedrooms, a study and a media room are situated in a separate wing, ensuring privacy and distinct separation of spaces. The home owned by Martin Henderson and Penny Hay in Point Wells. Henderson and Hay's Point Wells home. Henderson and Hay's Point Wells home. Neither Henderson nor Hay returned Society Insider's attempts to contact them in regard to their plans for the home. Hay has made a successful name for herself, and her work features in design magazines, including Australian Vogue Living and Elle Decoration. Hay often collaborates with her brother Tim, of multi-award-winning Fearon Hay Architects in Grey Lynn, famous for designing some of New Zealand's most magnificent homes and commercial buildings. Fearon Hay's acclaimed designs include Takapauna's City Beach House, The Wintergarden at The Northern Club and The Brancott Estate Heritage Centre in Marlborough. Her business, Penny Hay Design, was founded in 2004, and has completed high-end residential and tailored commercial projects in the United States, Asia, the Middle East and Australia, as well as New Zealand. Penny Hay. Penny Hay, right, with her good friend Liz Huljich. She is said to have been a great help to Henderson with refurbishments for his Great Barrier pad, for which he is estimated to have paid more than $1 million. The home has sweeping views looking out over Whangaparapara Harbour. Hay also did fabulous work on a Great Barrier property she owns with Tim and her other brother, Jeremy, who is the managing director of project management firm RCP. The Hays' home, called Storm Cottage, is in a pristine position on the water in Oruawharo Bay. The Hay house on Great Barrier Island is for sale. Storm Cottage is 50 metres from another property owned by the siblings, the 16-acre Fearon Hay multi-award-winning 2000 square foot, glassy, minimalist retreat, which can be rented for $1500 per night. Storm Cottage is currently for sale through high-end real estate firm, Wall Real Estate, with an estimated value of $3m. Hay's next project is believed to be a fabulous house by Te Arai Links golf course, in Auckland's north. Henderson's last public relationship was with Mexican model Aisha Mendez, which is understood to have ended in late 2020. Since 2019, Henderson has been the star of one of Netflix's biggest hits, the Vancouver-filmed Virgin River, where he stars alongside Alexandra Breckenridge. In the last season, their characters, Melinda Monroe and Jack Sheridan, got married, and there are reports of a seventh season. Last year Henderson was back home to star in the Rachel Griffiths-led Kiwi show Madam and earlier this year he filmed his fifth season of Lucy Lawless' show My Life is Murder. Martin Henderson stars in My Life is Murder. After three decades of living in Australia and Hollywood, Point Wells and Great Barrier are not Henderson's only New Zealand real estate investments. Records show the 50-year-old star has also purchased a luxury apartment in Auckland's Viaduct in a premium building on Halsey St. This year, Henderson has used his social media to hit out at scammers, after reports of women being conned out of money by impostors claiming to be him and asking for money for flights, hospital treatments and legal fees. One woman who spoke to the Herald was scammed out of $375,000. Henderson urged fans to cease all contact with anyone saying they were him. He told the Herald in March it was awful to have his name and likeness associated with something that had caused such harm to someone. Kiwi shoe queen's Arrowtown dream Kathryn Wilson outside her new Arrowtown store. New Zealand's shoe queen, Kathryn Wilson, has fulfilled a long-held dream by opening her first South Island store in Arrowtown this week. Wilson is the latest high-end brand to open on Buckingham St, further boosting Arrowtown's appeal as a destination for fashionable shoppers. After more than 20 years in business, Wilson knows the rollercoaster of the fashion business. She already has retail stores in Auckland's Remuera and Herne Bay, one in Wellington in the Old Bank Arcade, and she was determined to open a store in the South Island this year. 'I thought it would be Christchurch first, but things have come together in very special ways to make Arrowtown happen first,' Wilson tells Society Insider. Her husband Liam Taylor spent 10 years in Queenstown with his business Exclusive Events, before he co-founded high-end marketing firm Dark Horse. Last week, while Wilson was getting her store ready to open, Taylor, director of the NZ Fashion Week Board, was part of a glamorous event at Giltrap Group on Auckland's New North Rd, where the first tranche of Fashion Week designers and partners were revealed for this year's event. Wilson was announced as one of the headlining designers on the programme. Liam Taylor and Kathryn Wilson. Photo / Norrie Montgomery Having a 'flagship' brick-and-mortar presence in the South has been important to Wilson. 'It's not just for my local clientele, there are a huge number of tourists coming in that I want to appeal to as well,' she says. When Society Insider spoke with Wilson on Sunday, she had finished cleaning the awning and was doing the finishing touches on the exterior paint. A woman visiting from Sydney was her first sale on Saturday night, and shoes were being sold at a steady pace on Sunday. After putting her Arrowtown dream out there in February, Wilson and her family were holidaying at Dame Julie Christie's holiday home in Hokitika, when her dream manifested. 'My friend and stockist Francesca King called me and told me the perfect store had come up for lease on Buckingham St,' says Wilson. 'I was so lucky to hear about the store before it hit the market.' The store is owned by high-rolling Queenstown property developer John Guthrie, and Wilson says when she met with him, she told him about her dream and love for the street. The south-end corner site at 16 Buckingham St was built in 1863 and previously tenanted by former The Block judge, interior designer Jason Bonham of Bonham Interiors. Kathryn Wilson's new store in Arrowtown. Inside Kathryn Wilson's new store. The Block's former co-host and in-demand interior designer, Shelley Ferguson, helped Wilson transform the dark gallery into a light space to show off her shoes to perfection, while Nadia Lim, who has her Royalburn Farm Shop around the corner, connected Wilson with the electrical firm she used for her store. Next door to Wilson's new store is celebrity chef Ben Bayly's popular Italian fine dining restaurant Aosta and accompanying Little Aosta. Further down the lane is the famous Blue Door Bar. Vicki Onions from Aosta, Little Aosta and The Blue Door, with her new neighbour Kathryn Wilson in Wilson's new Arrowtown store. 'I said to Ben a few years ago that I would love to have a little high heels bar in Aosta, and now I am next door.' Wilson picked a good week to open; 150 well-heeled guests are heading to Ayrburn tonight for the annual Winter Wonderland Gala. This year, the gala is taking place at Ayrburn's plush new restaurant, Billy's, doubling as a launch party, two days before it opens to the public. Society Insider is told the black-tie affair with a Chinese twist will be full of surprises, including 'A Bump With Billy' – the venue's signature offering, which entails a bump of caviar and a shot of Chinese distilled wine, Moutai. In two weeks' time, Wilson will host her Arrowtown store's official opening - with Aosta doing the catering. Auckland FC star's romantic proposal Newly engaged Zana Renton and Michael Woud at Cross Bali Breakers Resort Michael Woud was one of Auckland FC's first signings when the club was established and he's been working hard in his role as the A-League club's goalkeeper. But recent events have outshone his performance on the pitch, with the Kiwi keeper executing an impressive romantic engagement proposal last month in Bali. Woud, 26, and his partner of nearly three years Zana Renton, 24, had just spent an amazing day together exploring Uluwatu. 'We stopped for a late lunch where Michael said he had booked a couples' massage for us back at the resort for 4pm, so we had to be back by then,' Renton tells Society Insider. As they were walking back to their Villa at the Cross Bali Breakers Resort, Woud said to Renton: 'You always do surprises for me, so I wanted to surprise you.' 'We walked into our villa and Michael led me around the corner to see the pool full of rose petals spelling out 'Marry Me Zana',' says Renton. Michael Woud's flower petal marriage proposal at Cross Bali Breakers Resort in Bali. She says she cried tears of joy and turned around to find Woud on one knee, presenting her with a beautiful oval-cut mined diamond solitaire from Partridge Jewellers. Renton of course said yes. Zana Renton's oval-cut diamond mined solitaire from Partridge Jewellers. Woud had spent three days planning the proposal, and booked a romantic celebration dinner at Rock Bar, a cliff-top restaurant and bar in Uluwatu known for its stunning sunset views. 'We spent some time taking it all in, having dinner and didn't tell anyone for 24 hours,' says Woud. The St Heliers-based pair met not long after Renton moved up to Auckland from Havelock North for modelling - later working as a talent agent for Unique Model Management. Zana Renton modelling. Woud left Sacred Heart College at age 16 to follow his professional football dreams in the UK and Europe. He was back in Auckland when the pair met through social media in 2022. Their online friendship started hours before Woud boarded a flight to Melbourne, which resulted in a week of non-stop phone calls before they had a chance to meet in person. They later became an item, and when Woud left to play football in Japan at the end of his pre-season with Kyoto Sanga FC, Renton booked a one-way ticket to join him. There, they brought their fur baby, Saki, a Japanese Akita dog. While Woud played for Kyoto and then for Ventforet, Renton, a self-taught artist, was inspired by the Japanese culture. Michael Woud and Zana Renton with their dog Saki. After a year of living in Japan together, Woud signed for Auckland FC and the trio returned to live in Auckland in April last year. Along with being a talent manager, Renton has found success in selling her art and digital designs through commission-based work with her brand Art Houze. 'My work is incredibly flexible, helping me mould my schedule around Michael's football career.' Woud says it was amazing to be part of something special with the first season of Auckland FC and being back in Auckland gives him the time to support Renton. 'The ups and downs we experience in our careers are kind of similar,' says Woud. 'She has always been there for me, she's a great listener, doesn't judge the situation, but tries to help where she can.' Michael Woud and Zana Renton. The couple have started throwing some wedding ideas around, but for the moment are still basking in engagement bliss. Renton says Woud is the most loving, supportive, selfless, driven and handsome man she knows. 'The way we love each other is like a heart with a single beat, a united couple that faces any feat together forever,' she says. Michael Woud for Auckland FC Woud will be back at training in the coming days - this season as FC Auckland's premier goalkeeper - while the team gets ready for the start of the A League season at the end of this month. A good week for... Kiwis at Glastonbury Lorde hit the stage at the Glastonbury Festival in Somerset, England, last weekend. As well as the 28-year-old Kiwi superstar, artists such as Doechii, Charli XCX, Olivia Rodrigo, Kneecap and Shaboozey also performed, with A-List stars such as Paul Mescal, Margot Robbie, Lily Allen, Lily James and Daisy Edgar-Jones in the crowd. Taika Waititi and Lorde at Glastonbury. Rhythm and Vines founder Hamish Pinkham was there with his wife Roma, and described the festival as 'the best in the world'. The Pinkhams enjoyed the music in the fields alongside South Island festival promoter Mitch Ryder and his wife Steph, and Sydney-based Kiwi photographer Paddy Foss. Roma Pinkham, fourth from left, and Hamish Pinkham, far right, at Glastonbury, with friends. Days after popstar Rita Ora revealed she broke from tradition by proposing to her husband, Kiwi director Taika Waititi, the couple hit the festival partying with celebs including Lorde, Olivia Rodrigo, Alexa Chung, Pixie Geldof and Jack Guinness. Rita Ora and music agent Dom Chung at Glastonbury. When rocking Rod Stewart took to the Glastonbury stage on Sunday night, his daughter with Rachel Hunter, Renee Stewart, was also there with her sister Ruby and brother Alastair. Party people of the week NZ Fashion Week unveiling Fashion industry insiders gathered at Giltrap Group's Headquarters on New North Rd last Thursday evening, to celebrate several milestone announcements ahead of New Zealand Fashion Week: Kahuria 2025. NZ Fashion Week board members Murray Bevan, Liam Taylor and Dan Ahwa at the NZ Fashion Week unveiling at Giltrap Group. Photo / Ruby Hamilton Surrounded by luxury models from all 18 car brands represented by the event's naming rights sponsor, Giltrap Group, guests were treated to the official reveal of the first wave of this year's stacked designer lineup. Also revealed was a preview of the official NZ Fashion Week 2025 campaign, photographed by Mara Sommer and directed by Dan Ahwa, Viva's former creative director and now a board member of NZ Fashion Week. Fellow board member Murray Bevan was also in attendance alongside board director Liam Taylor. Participating 2025 designers in attendance included Juliette Hogan, Kiri Nathan, Liz and Neville Findlay from Zambesi, and Rory William Docherty. Other guests included Rich Lister Michael Giltrap, top model Juliette Perkins, skincare magnates Emma and Andrew Lewisham, photographer Holly Burgess and her designer sister Rebe Burgess, entrepreneur Iyia Liu, and fashion stylist Lulu Wilcox. Holly Sarah Burgess, Lauren Tapper and Rebe Healy. Photo / Ruby Hamilton Olivia Brown and Hunter Kawana. Photo / Ruby Hamilton Zeenat Wilkinson and Portia Prince. Photo / Ruby Hamilton Lilly Fraser and Gracie Hitchcock. Photo / Ruby Hamilton Sarah Street and Zeenat Wilkinson. Photo / Ruby Hamilton Lulu Wilcox and Iyia Liu. Photo / Ruby Hamilton Katherine Inder, Mitchell Vincent, Kiri Nathan, Nichola Te Kiri, Jacob Coutie and Czarina Wilson. Photo / Ruby Hamilton Doc Edge Film Festival Premiere The Doc Edge (The Documentary New Zealand Trust & Screen Edge Limited) Film Festival rolled out the red carpet at Auckland's SkyCity Theatre last Thursday night for its 20th Anniversary Gala. Sir Richard and Linus O'Brien at the Doc Edge Film Premiere at SkyCity theatre. Photo / Deane Cohen Creatives, filmmakers and fans in fishnets gathered to celebrate two decades of powerful documentaries, diverse voices, and unforgettable stories. The night featured the International Premiere of Strange Journey: The Story of Rocky Horror. Director Linus O'Brien and his father, the film's legendary subject Sir Richard O'Brien, joined the audience for a lively Q&A, while Rocky Horror specialists Hot & Flustered Shadowcast had everyone up dancing to the Time Warp. Also featured was the world premiere of Sapiosexy, the Documentary, a playful short film created by Saatchi & Saatchi. Co-founder and executive director of Doc Edge, Dan Shanan, and general manager and festival producer of Doc Edge, Rachael Penman's guests included Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Paul Goldsmith; broadcasting legend Judy Bailey and her husband, producer and director Chris; broadcaster Neil Waka and his wife, Auckland Girls Grammar Head of Faculty for P.E and Health, Tanya; The 13th Floor founder Marty Duda; Fiona Tarlton; Grand Millennium general manager James Billing and lawyer Alex Lee. Doc Edge runs until August 24 in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and online nationwide. Alex Lee, Chris and Judy Bailey, Paul Goldsmith and Dan Shanan. Photo / Deane Cohen Tanya and Neil Waka. Photo / Deane Cohen Fiona Tarlton and Marty Duda. Photo / Deane Cohen James Billing and Bridget Tarr. Photo / Deane Cohen Tracy Robinson, Catherine George and Sean Ford. Photo / Deane Cohen Brando Yelavich and Madi Schipper. Photo / Deane Cohen Togo Tapsell and Harata Taurima-Thomas. Photo / Deane Cohen Sir Richard O'Brien and Rachael Penman. Photo / Deane Cohen Ricardo Simich has been with the Herald since 2008 where he contributed to The Business Insider. In 2012 he took over Spy at the Herald on Sunday, which has since evolved into Society Insider. The weekly column gives a glimpse into the worlds of the rich and famous.

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