Happy PLACES
Ingrid Starnes
ngrid Starnes lives in Auckland with her partner Simon Pound, 10-year-old twins Olya and Ned, six-year-old daughter Gertie and Harry the cat. She grew up in Manutuke, near Gisborne.
What do you do? I’m a fashion designer with two stores in Auckland, a busy online presence, stockists around New Zealand and a growing selection overseas. We create considered, beautifully made clothing and fragrances, designed and produced here by our small network of talented makers. We’ve been in business for eight years and have loved getting to know our customers and seeing the women who wear the clothes do some wonderful things.
Where did you grow up? I grew up in Manutuke, a small country village outside Gisborne, on a long, dead-end road, next door to a marae. We were surrounded by an amazing group of farmers, orchardists and winemakers. On our street we had great friends who were well ahead of their time and turning their fruit, vegetable and flower orchards into organic farms. Beside us was Millton Vineyard, who were pioneers in biodynamic and organic farming. It’s been so interesting to see the world catch up to the life we were living in Gisborne 30 years ago.
What was your family home like? It was built by my parents on a small lifestyle block. They were amazing gardeners, so we grew up with varied and beautiful flower and vegetable gardens, and every fruit tree you could think of. It was a very creative and busy home. My parents bought the property in 1980 and lived there for 24 years before they sold. My mum now lives at our small bach about an hour’s drive up the coast from Gisborne.
What prompted your move to Auckland? I moved to Auckland when I was 17 to study fashion design at AUT. I’ve lived here ever since, mostly in the suburbs on the fringes of the CBD. We’re now in Point Chevalier, which we love.
We usually go back twice a
