He'll also be returning to Auckland University in April to finish off a post-graduate diploma in Business Administration, which he had to put on hold last year due to work commitments.
Passions? Food and the creation of flavours. I guess that is why butchery works for me, as I have the ability to experiment, learn and create great combinations of flavours to offer our customers (whether it be sausages, marinades, or new and exciting cuts to inspire the home chef).
Philosophy? Be true and fair to yourself and everyone around you.
Personal approach to clothes? I have a pretty relaxed approach to clothing, but like to feel comfortable and fit in to most environments. I am normally found (outside work) in either jandals and boardies, or jeans and a nice shirt.
My favourite piece of clothing would be my Levi's 527s. I have owned them for several years and they are still my item of choice (they're a little scuffed around the bottom seams and a bit faded, but still in great condition). My best investment (apart from the Levi's) would be a green-striped Ben Sherman long-sleeved shirt. I'm getting great mileage out of it. You would find me shopping at Amazon (Lost, Rip Curl), North Beach, Meccano (Henley, Industrie, St Goliath), Jet and Ben Sherman.
Anything to add? There is a fascinating history about our shop at clarksbutchery.co.nz
HAYDEN STROM, MUSIC PRODUCER
The brothers Strom are dynamic DJs Antix who, for chunks of the year, can be found playing to sell-out crowds around the world. Hayden lives with his partner and a fluffy cat in Mt Albert, and when he's not making electronic music ("I just can't stop"), he loves woodwork, snowboarding and travelling.
Claim to fame? My dad was asked (but declined) to join the Arsenal football squad when he was a young boy, then he and his brother played soccer for New Zealand in 1967.
Passions? I've become pretty passionate about recycled native timber these days. I'm into making one-off pieces of furniture inspired by 1950s-60s designers such as George Nelson and Charles Eames. I love good coffee, art and I'm pretty keen on my friends and family too.
Philosophy? To get what you want, stop doing what isn't working.
Personal approach to clothes? I normally kick around in a pair of jeans and a T-shirt. I always go for a hi-top sneaker and my clothes are usually black. I like I Love Ugly, and also a couple of my mates' old labels Jimmy Hood and NVAH. My favourite jeans are my G-Star and Nudies. My favourite items in my wardrobe would be my orange Onitsuka Tiger shoes and my 1977 Alexander Balfour cap.
Anything to add? Stay tuned for some grand designed music and furniture in the near future. And if you're looking for something pretty fresh check out wildernest.co.nz - a new venture by my partner and I.
BARTON STROM, MUSIC PRODUCER
The older of the Strom brothers, Barton lives in Waterview with his partner and their new baby daughter Sanna. As well as his work with Antix, he also designs music for TV and film and DJs from time to time. He enjoys surfing, travel, good food and wine with good friends, architecture and design.
Claim to fame?
I brought the word "bro" to New Zealand! I also brought cords back into fashion, but then they went out again - or are they back in?
Passions? Family and friends firstly - I would be lost without them. Music is definitely up there as I have dedicated a huge part of my life to it - it's taken me to many parts of the world. Surfing is also really important - it keeps me fit and in tune with nature.
Philosophy? Life isn't about finding yourself, its about creating yourself.
Personal approach to clothes? I'm not a huge fashion follower but loved the I Love Ugly gear we wore for this shoot. I've been living in shorts and jandals over the last few months thanks to our cracking summer. I like a bit of the old school with a splash of the new, and there's probably a bit of Californian surf hipster in there too. Lately I'm enjoying coloured chinos - I have a red pair from NVAH that I'm wearing a lot. My most loved item at the moment would be my short-sleeve steamer from Westsuits. It's so comfy it feels like I'm wearing nothing in the water.
Anything to add? We have a new album coming soon, check antixlive.com for details. If you want some nice sound design for TV or film, check our studio work at slowburning.net
NICHOLAS STEVENS, ARCHITECT
A co-partner, with Gary Lawson, of award-winning Stevens Lawson Architects, Nicholas Stevens is married to photographer Deborah Smith. They live on the top floor of an apartment building in Parnell designed by Gummer and Ford in 1928, and share it with an Italian greyhound called Vita. Nicholas' hobbies include cinema, travel, tai chi and really bad guitar playing.
Claim to fame? Fame would be a strong word for it, but we have been fortunate to win the Home of the Year three times and are finalists in the pending 2013 event. We are building a concert hall and library in Hawkes Bay which we are very excited about.
Passions? Architecture old and new, art, Te Henga Beach, travelling with Deborah and getting lost in ancient cities.
Philosophy? Life is not a dress rehearsal.
Personal approach to clothes? It's pretty simple really: jeans, pointy shoes, nice shirts and the odd skinny suit. I love Margaret Howell and Liberty shirts and Topman suits. My most loved item are my brown Prada boots that I bought in Florence in 2005 and are still going strong. I also have a sandy Cerruti suit which gets rocked out for weddings, then returns to the drycleaners.
stevenslawson.co.nz
JONATHAN MAZE, ANTIQUE FURNITURE RESTORER
Furniture restoration is a lot like cooking, explains Jonathan Maze. " It's doing the right thing at the right time with the ingredients and not having a set response to a particular problem."
Maze who lives in Titirangi with his fashion editor wife, two children, a cat, and dog (saved recently from the SPCA) is sought after for his ability to restore and conserve wooden antique furniture, clocks, Maori objects and vintage items. "I try to preserve surfaces and spend a lot of time undoing previous inept restoration."
Claim to fame? I get to work on the best of New Zealand colonial pieces, for which there has been quite a strong market in recent years. I work on a lot of pieces by the great 19th-century cabinet making family of Seuffert and Son, who produced peerless marquetry and have their work in collections all over - even Buckingham Palace.
Passions? I enjoy my work and the people I get to meet. Each item is like a time capsule from a different era. Victorians with their mass production, global view, mechanisation and wealth were madly trendy which renders a lot of what they produced quite phony in a sense. I love to read and especially with my work I get through a great number of audio books of all kinds, I got through more than 50 last year alone, a lot of history as well as classic and genre fiction. I can't really be bothered with much modern stuff. I hope to get through the Bible this year.
Philosophy? I take a long view on things I guess. I live in the past surrounded by old things and I use a very traditional low-tech approach in my work, but I also love technology and like to follow all the latest developments in science and technology via podcasts. Despite the world's problems we live in incredibly exciting times.
Personal approach to clothes? Because I'm often in work clothes I'm probably the opposite of an office worker who dresses casually outside work. I tend to put on something decent when I'm not working and always relish any opportunity to dress up. Unsurprisingly I favour classic well-tailored things, which like any crafted object, is honest and true to itself and the materials. I have a good well-cut Workshop winter coat which I love - although with this weather I can't ever imagine wearing it again - and I also admire what Crane Brothers do. I bought a Gucci shirt on sale once, I never knew that cuffs were supposed to be so stiff and round, the cotton so soft, the stitching so fine ... it was a work of art. Also I love jeans and paisley shirts. I have an old favourite paisley that I roll the sleeves up on because the arms are completely worn through but I still love it. I have a fantastic fitted-out gentleman's wardrobe straight out of Jeeves and Wooster which has chrome fittings and even a label showing you where to hang your plus fours.
Anything to add? Buy a piece of antique furniture. A good object from 1750 or 1950 will hold its own in any interior. Even quality Georgian furniture is ludicrously cheap right now. There is a bunch of good furniture and objects belonging to one of our most famous prime ministers, Richard Seddon, at Dunbar Sloane in Auckland now with very low estimates. Antiques are way less pretentious than wine and food have become these days.
antiquerestoration.co.nz
STEVE ROIGARD, LANDSCAPE GARDENER
The owner/operator of landscaping and gardening business Living Escapes, Steve Roigard calls a mudbrick cottage on Waiheke Island home. He shares it with his partner, wedding and event planner Sophia Hoadley, two dogs, a cat, an assortment of chickens and a few beehives. The pair share a strong commitment to and interest in sustainable living and the principles of permaculture and food forests have been practiced in their rambling garden. In his spare time Steve can be found windsurfing, hiking around New Zealand, or in winter at a retreat centre on Taveuni Island, Fiji.
Claim to fame? Chutney Champion Trophy 2010 (variety: plum).
Passions? Creating food forests and encouraging the development of more food growing areas in suburban neighbourhoods.
Philosophy? Simplify life. "You must be the change you want to see in the world" - Mahatma Gandhi.
Personal approach to clothes? Comfort is key, [and I favour] practical and where possible, ethical brands. My wardrobe always has a few classic vintage pieces, some 70s print shirts that I break out for the odd party. I like labels like We-ar for casual wear, and for my line of work, Icebreaker and army surplus are always winners. In this photo, I am wearing a cap which says "End it", which for me is about taking a small part in supporting a cause. The hat was part of the fundraising behind the movie The Cove which was about bringing awareness of and an end to dolphin-hunting in certain parts of the world.
Anything to add? Observation is a wonderful tool in the garden. Spend time each week just being in your garden, Enjoy building that relationship. Plant food, not lawns.
livingescapes.co.nz
- VIVA
