Wendy Petrie at the 2018 New Zealand Television Awards. Photo / Norrie Montgomery
Wendy Petrie at the 2018 New Zealand Television Awards. Photo / Norrie Montgomery
Nowadays she's known for presenting TV news, but in the 1990s, you were more likely to find Wendy Petrie on the fashion runway.
The broadcaster has shared archive photos from her modelling days as she gears up to front Auckland's fashion event of the year next month.
She will present Fashion for a Cure at Shed 10, alongside Petra Bagust and Antonia Prebble. The dinner will showcase the latest collections of 26 New Zealand designers.
Petrie modelled while juggling journalism studies, which springboarded her into television.
Wendy Petrie, far left, in her modelling days. Photo / Supplied
Her favourite was the iconic Benson & Hedges Fashion event in the early 90s. She shared a photo of her from the event with fellow model Hayley Brooke, a stalwart of the fashion industry and wife of former All Black Robin Brooke. Also pictured was Stan Wolfgramm, an actor and producer who has also run Auckland's annual Pasifika Festival, and Jane Fullerton-Smith, now a celebrant and funeral director.
Petrie modelled while studying. Photo / Supplied
"It was so glamorous and I just loved it as lots of my friends were involved," Petrie tells Spy.
"We were flown to Wellington and stayed in a lovely hotel. It didn't take much to please us."
Her co-hosts have also graced the runway themselves. Bagust says she was a terrible model in her first year as a university student because she talked too much.
Many moons ago Prebble walked New Zealand Fashion Week for label Brady and says she was so nervous about falling out of her high heels, she basically superglued them to her feet.
The fashion event is Breast Cancer Cure's biggest fundraiser yet, with hundreds of guests expected to help celebrate the charity's 25th anniversary.
In true Hollywood style, the trio will change up their look throughout the night. Petrie has a couple of show-stopping red-carpet looks up her sleeve. Both Bagust and Prebble will sparkle and shimmer in Hailwood and Trelise Cooper.
"Why have one outfit, when you can have two?" Prebble tell Spy.
The three are well known for being trendsetters and are the first choice by Kiwi designers for front-row seats at their shows.
From left: Wendy Petrie, Petra Bagust and Antonia Prebble
Petrie is a champion supporter of the charity and will host a fashion event for them later this year in Christchurch. Prebble is a relatively recent addition as an ambassador to Breast Cancer Cure, and hosted her first Fashion for a Cure event last year.
Bagust has been an ambassador for BCC for 20 years and loves the mix of charity and fashion for feel-good factor.
Breast Cancer Cure's CEO Sonja de Mari says she's humbled to have such an impressive line-up of leading New Zealand designers come together to support the event on the 25th anniversary.
"The breast cancer statistics in New Zealand are so impactful in our country with one in nine Kiwi women being affected in their lifetime with this disease. It touches so many — friends, mothers, sisters, aunties, clients and customers. Breast cancer also affects men too."
Showstoppers to look out for on the night include Hailwood, who promises special-on-the-night glam; Juliette Hogan, who says it will be their most colourful collection with subtle nods to the 70s, featuring hot pink through to golden sunset tones; and Caitlin Crisp, who is promising to turn heads with bold use of colour and print.
New Zealand's leading shoe designer Kathryn Wilso, who will work with BCC in her Queenstown show later this year, also promises a bold palette with a good mix of metallics.
Colourful DJ Arii Jade, famous for her purple hair, will be right at home as she gets guests into the groove on the night.
Meanwhile, this Thursday night will see the closing of an era, with Dame Pieter Stewart winding up her work of more than 22 years with New Zealand Fashion Week, alongside daughter Myken.
She is holding a celebration of the decades, with a thank-you party at John Andrew Ford in Newton. Dame Pieter sold New Zealand Fashion Week last year to Canadian-based Feroz Ali, who owns other assets in New Zealand, including Whitecliffe College of Arts and Design.
Tickets for Fashion For a Cure can be purchased at: breastcancercure.org.nz/auckland-fashionforacure
