The Luxons, Kenyon and Charlotte Clarke, Anna Mowbray, Blair Tuke, David Seymour and Alexandra Vincent Martelli, Jacinda Ardern and Clarke Gayford have all been in the spotlight over the past year. Photo / Herald montage
Man about town Ricardo Simich delivers his inaugural Society Insider Awards for 2024. From the best haunts for the uber-wealthy to the hottest new couples, he pulls back the curtain to reveal how New Zealand’s other half live.
Society Insider readers went gaga when we introduced them to Act leader David Seymour’s partner, property expert Alexandra Vincent Martelli last month.
The couple cut a swathe together at the Newmarket Business Awards at the Cordis Hotel.
Other society pairings include Bay Audio heiress Ali Andrews and Chanel heir Raphael Wertheimer, former Auckland mayor and cabinet minister John Banks and Lady Deborah Chambers, KC, Sally Ridge and developer John Darby and Mona Dotcom and Rawiri Nelson.
In the sporting world, Team NZ sailor Blair Tuke is dating Waikato rich list daughter Mikayla Plaw.
We revealed their relationship during the America’s Cup in Barcelona where Plaw cheered him on along with her friend, celebrity chef Polly Markus.
The pair share a love of the environment and have been dating for just over a year.
In September we revealed All Black Damian McKenzie was dating the daughter of racing royalty, Georgia O’Sullivan. O’Sullivan’s parents are legendary jockey Lance and Waikato horse breeding blueblood Bridgette.
Two years ago, O’Sullivan made headlines for her engagement to former fiance, multimillionaire labour hire entrepreneur Israel Whitley.
This month, O’Sullivan and McKenzie have been loved up in formal wear in Queenstown and on the golf course to the rich, Tara Iti at Mangawhai.
There were new couples in the TV news world also. This year we revealed the romances of sports commentator Scotty “Sumo” Stevenson and White Fern’s legend Suzie Bates, and broadcasters Rebecca Wright and Andrew Gourdie.
And Sir Rod Stewart and Kiwi supermodel Rachel Hunter’s daughter Renee found love with English energy sector recruiter Adam Sumner.
He was her date at brother Liam Stewart and Nicole Artukovich’s wedding extravaganza in Dubrovnik, Croatia, in May.
Before property developers Kenyon and Charlotte Clarke became infamous when the Financial Markets Authority raided their home in August, Society Insider kept up with their glamorous lives, including previewing their long-promised reality series Property Developers.
In our last report in February, their reality show was promised to screen soon on a streaming service, with claims a second show was already in the pipeline and they were still a major sponsor of the Blues rugby team.
The high-rolling couple, who own the Du Val Group, splashed the cash on luxury lodges, expensive cars (including a Rolls-Royce Phantom), private jets and chopper rides.
British-born Kenyon has more than 100,000 followers on Instagram and was infamous for being braggadocious. It was his brand.
In 2022, Kenyon had told Society Insider the couple was downsizing their rented Auckland home to something rented and smaller as he was setting up a headquarters in Singapore and also moving his family to Fiji.
When asked for an update earlier this year on the reality series we also asked about Fiji and Singapore. Kenyon said the rules for the body corporate on land they were building on in Fiji wouldn’t allow for their dogs to join them, and they wanted to spend a significant portion of each year there.
He said they were considering dual listing Du Val on the Singapore Exchange, along with the NZX.
The reality show never screened and in August, the Herald reported the High Court had put Du Val companies into interim receivership. The FMA gained orders seizing assets and made an early morning raid on the couple’s rented home in Victoria Ave, Remuera.
Recent reporting of the now insolvent Du Val Group shows it owing close to $240 million.
The case has been set down for a three-day hearing in the High Court at Auckland in June.
At the 37th America’s Cup in Barcelona in October there was a special Kiwi support boat that kitted its guests out to cheer on Emirates Team NZ.
Rich listers Paula and Simon Herbert, who own Auckland’s Bayswater, Hobsonville and Pine Harbour marinas, had their Azimut Grande luxury super yacht H decked out in full Team NZ regalia.
The couple, who had recently purchased an apartment in Monaco, sailed along the Mediterranean and berthed the boat in Port Vell next to the super yachts of fellow Kiwis - property magnate Steve Owen and Lane Capital’s Gary Lane. Theirs was among the billions of dollars of super yacht real estate moored at Marina Vela, situated near the America’s Cup racing field.
Over the days that Team NZ raced Challenger INEOS Britannia to finally win 7-2, a variety of rich listers and Team NZ partners – including skipper Peter Burling’s wife Lucinda and Auckland real estate king Graham Wall, Stonyridge Vineyard owner Stephen White and celebrity foodie Polly Markus – enjoyed the hospitality of the Herberts and their crew.
Guests were provided with cocktails, champagne and canapes, the full Team NZ kit, the official 37th America’s Cup Barcelona kit and red socks too, of course.
Other New Zealand rich listers who enjoyed the sailing, were Sleepyhead’s Craig Turner and wife Cara Pollock-Turner, business titan Richard Seton and wife Angela, Hawea Station’s Geoff and Justine Ross, health and travel magnate Andrew Bagnall and wife Robbie, Winton’s Chris Meehan, Australian-based automotive baron Neville Crichton and Waikato philanthropists Mitch and Kate Plaw.
Olivia Carter, general manager of Soul Bar and Bistro, has shown herself to be the host with the most in and outside her establishment.
The establishment was on this year’s Viva’s Top 60 Auckland Restaurants list, scoring the best service gong. Soul outshone the huge amount of competition once again with its legendary celebrations on Melbourne Cup day with guests looking like they were attending Flemington itself.
There have been fashion shows, product launches and champagne evenings galore, including by designers Dame Trelise Cooper and Kathryn Wilson, which have been sellouts.
The Viaduct Harbour eatery has been jam-packed for lunch and dinner with myriad customers even in Auckland’s coldest months. Its Sunday soirees have made social butterflies miss one too many Mondays of work.
The entrance at Soul has become a group must for Instagram photo opportunities. Lunching there is a daily occurrence with hen parties and farewells - it’s still the chosen spot for some of Auckland’s most influential celebrations.
Carter knows how to work it. She was one of the first to celebrate former Soul owner Judith Tabron by visiting when Tabron opened First Mates, Last Laugh at Westhaven Marina, and supports other establishments with vigour.
On their 13th wedding anniversary in March, Carter and her husband Steve held a party , at their city fringe home for all the friends that were not in their lives on their original big day. The party was called “If we had known you”, and Carter wore a white mini-dress.
When it came to the hen party of one of her best friends, rich lister Anna Mowbray, bridesmaid Carter was the glue in helping with organising it before Mowbray married former All Black Ali Williams in Fiji.
Since its star-studded opening a year ago, Ayrburn in Queenstown has rapidly become the ultimate destination for the upwardly mobile, attracting a who’s who of society in New Zealand and beyond. This prestigious venue is now the place to be seen in all four seasons.
Developed by the visionary Chris Meehan, chief executive of Winton, Ayrburn is the result of five years of planning and construction. Nestled alongside Mill Creek, the precinct has integrated restored farm buildings into a vast and opulent playground of hospitality.
Among the calendar of events have been luxury high-performance car days, seasonal celebrations including Easter and Christmas and a Winter Wonderland Ball in July. Ayrburn’s myriad offerings to date have included huge dinners and massive drinking nights, through to private parties that have kept staff up into the early hours with plenty of high-jinks.
Numerous rich listers have enjoyed the offerings including Zuru’s Nick Mowbray, property moguls Richard Seton and the Wyborn family, Ecostore’s Pablo Kraus, as well Auckland movers and shakers such as real estate king Graham Wall, hospitality star Albert Cho and fashion designer Caitlin Crisp.
Last year, the toned arms of Amanda Luxon, wife of Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, made headlines. This year she is Society Insider’s best dressed.
Luxon, who has a love of leisure and activewear, has turned it on when turning up at her husband’s side for official events.
Whether it be welcoming official dignitaries on the Beehive stairs in power suits or dazzling in an array of gowns at numerous black tie occasions this year, Luxon always looks fashionable and fabulous.
Designers favoured by Luxon include retiring couturier to the rich and powerful Adrienne Winkelmann, her former assistant the new go-to designer to the rich and famous Blair Wheeler, celebrated designer Kiri Nathan and Australian designers Carla Zampatti and Rachel Gilbert.
In October, Luxon was at her sartorial best at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Apia, Samoa, to support her husband. We were told Luxon wanted to showcase New Zealand designers with her outfit choices.
Former Prime Minister Dame Jacinda Ardern and Clarke Gayford made world headlines when they finally became husband and wife after marrying at Craggy Range on the outskirts of Havelock North.
Ten years ago, we revealed the pair were dating. What followed was two terms as PM for Ardern, their daughter Neve’s arrival and one cancelled wedding due to a Covid wave in 2022.
Politicians, including former deputy PM Grant Roberston (who officiated), and music star friends of the couple, including Hollie Smith and Marlon Williams, were part of the celebrations.
Security was as tight as it can get, with world media flying drones over the venue.
One of Society Insider’s biggest premium stories of the year was: Inside a billionaire’s wedding: The venue, the dress, the star guest list.
Zeil founder Anna Mowbray and former All Black Ali Williams' luxury three-day extravaganza was held on Kokomo Private Island resort in Fiji.
Among the more than 100 guests were Williams' former All Blacks captain Richie McCaw and his wife, former Black Stick Gemma, who called the celebrations the best weekend ever.
The bride shone in an intricately beaded white sheer chiffon dress featuring a corset bodice by Australian bridal house, Pallas Couture. Williams and his groomsmen, including his brother Jay, donned three-piece white suits with white ties.
Mowbray’s four bridesmaids, who included girls about town Olivia Carter, Julia Leuchars and Shelley Fergusson, wore pale, blush pink, one-shoulder satin gowns.
The next day’s after-bash was a colour explosion from the 60s and 70s with a theme of famed society photographer Slim Aaron’s, Poolside.
Meanwhile, it was a year full of milestones for the country’s second wealthiest family – the Harts.
Society Insider readers were fascinated by the engagement of heir Harry Hart to Aussie cattle baron heiress Cartier Lee.
They held a celebration in the Cote d’Azur. Celebrating with the couple on the French Riviera were uber-wealthy friends and family from around the world. A few months later, Lee’s engagement ring, described by one expert as around a 10-carat canary diamond, became the talk at a party at Jaimee Lupton and Nick Mowbray’s Halloween party in Herne Bay.
Earlier this year, Harry and his parents Graeme and Robyn, were in New York to celebrate Lee’s graduation, where she received an MBA in Fashion and Luxury from NYU’s Stern School of Business.
In October, Harry’s niece Jemima Hawkesby celebrated the ultimate 21st birthday party at her grandparent’s $100 million compound in Glendowie. At the end of November, Jemima’s parents, Duncan and Gretchen, held a joint birthday celebration at their modernist clifftop house next door to Gretchen’s parents' home.
Also this year, former Bachelorette Danielle Robinson, daughter of Warriors’ owner Mark Robinson, married former YouTube star Logan Dodds at one of the most luxurious estates in New Zealand.
The weeks of celebrations at the palatial Ātaahua Estate in Ōmokoroa were attended by a few Warriors’ stars, including former Warrior Shaun Johnson and his wife former Silver Fern Kayla, and Pals co-founders Anna and Jay Reeve.
The Dodds announced they were expecting their first baby in October and the milestones continued with Mark Robinson celebrating his 60th birthday with a big bash last November.
It feels like he basically lives here now.
From the start to the finish of this year, Hollywood superstar Jason Momoa has brought major stars and multimillion-dollar productions with him to Auckland.
This year the Aquaman and Game of Thrones star finished production on his Apple TV+ series Chief of War.
In January, he had another Kiwi Hollywood favourite, Jack Black, with him to film Minecraft in West Auckland.
And over the past few months, Momoa filmed his third production in Auckland, the buddy movie The Wrecking Crew in which Momoa stars with Guardians of the Galaxy actor Dave Bautista.
Over spring, Momoa delighted fans with a Godzone tour with his band Oof Tatata, which he’s in with long-time friends Mike Hayes and Kenny Dale.
Gigs were rock ’n’ roll to the max as were, we hear, the associated parties.
When the band played in Rotorua early last month, Mayor Tania Tapsell said she was “beyond excited” to announce Momoa was officially an honorary citizen of the North Island tourist mecca.
He finished up the tour in Queenstown.
Momoa even got his favourite Ponsonby store, vintage clothes shop Search and Destroy, which specialises in leather and denim, behind the merch sold for Oof Tatata.
Last month Momoa urged his millions of Instagram followers to support Hīkoi mō Te Tiriti and stand with Māori against the proposed Treaty Principles Bill.
Momoa shared footage of Te Pāti Māori MP Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke performing the haka in parliament and shared his backing for the movement.
Momoa calls the All Blacks his favourite sporting team and likes to take credit for organising for them to play Fiji in San Diego in July.
After a few years of having Sydney as their base, Georgia Fowler re-established herself as an in-demand international model and influencer Stateside.
This year she relocated from Sydney with her two children and her Australian husband Nathan Dalah to New York.
Dalah, who co-founded the multimillion-dollar Aussie fast-casual chain FishBowl, has set up shop in Manhattan with THISBOWL.
Fowler and Dalah attended the megastar-studded bash of the season, global digital sports billionaire Michael Rubin’s Fourth of July party in New York’s holiday haven for the rich and famous, the Hamptons. They rubbed shoulders with dozens of the world celebrity elite, including Kim Kardashian, Jay-Z, Beyoncé and Leonardo DiCaprio.
Meanwhile, Los Angeles-based, world-renowned choreographer Parris Goebel took a Parisian turn as the artistic director for this year’s Vogue World in Paris. The event celebrated 100 years of fashion and sport on the famed Place Vendome, surrounded by haute couture ateliers. Previous events have been held in New York and London.
Vogue Global editorial director Anna Wintour nicely timed the third Vogue World to be held in the city of love at the end of June, weeks before the Olympics.
As far as our acting superstars go internationally, The Boys actors Karl Urban and Antony Starr have made millions with their Prime Video franchise and they have also had movies on the go. The Netflix series Virgin River has done the same for Martin Henderson.
London-based actor Thomasin McKenzie’s schedule this year has been hard to keep up with. She was back in New Zealand last summer to film Kiwi director Andrew Niccol’s film I, Object in Wellington. The Last Night in Soho and Jojo Rabbit star is currently on Netflix in the feature film Joy, which also stars Love Actually’s Bill Nighy and she has just finished filming musical Ann Lee with Mamma Mia star Amanda Seyfried.
She will take a comic turn in the English film Fackham Hall, described as a Downtown Abbey spoof. She is also set to star in psychological horror Self-Portrait, with Big Little Lies actor Zoë Kravitz. McKenzie is also soon to film Grendel with Jeff Bridges and Bryan Cranston and has another three upcoming productions The Stunt Driver, Victorian Psycho and Perfect.
In March, we celebrated multi-millionaire director Taika Waititi, 49, and his British popstar wife Rita, 33, for scoring goodwill and fans across New Zealand with their influencing dubbed the “The Taika and Rita Effect”.
His humour when promoting New Zealand businesses such as spa pool company Stoked Stainless and Land Rover NZ went down well.
With her more than 16 million Instagram followers, Ora has shown the world the luxury retreats on Waiheke and Queenstown, as well as shouting out to wellness spas around Auckland.
The goodwill dissipated somewhat in September when Waititi was accused of being tone-deaf for a social media post promoting private MRIs in the US while Kiwis back home struggled for access to healthcare. Waititi joined a list of Hollywood A-listers, including Kim Kardashian, who have shown themselves on Instagram going for an MRI with start-up US health company Prenuvo.
The Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners' medical director Dr Luke Bradford told Society Insider that if patients had a few thousand dollars to throw around, they were better off buying medical insurance.
Since then, Waititi has mainly posted about his work and support for the hīkoi on Parliament last month.
In the past few weeks, Ora has been back in Auckland for her summer break and wellness centres and spas are once again thankful for her shoutouts.
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.
He then appeared somehow confused about the woman's reaction.