Trelise Cooper burglary: Third person charged denies receiving stolen couture

About $500,000 worth of Trelise Cooper designed clothing was allegedly stolen during a burglary in October. Photo / File

The third person charged over a $500,000 high-end couture burglary at world famous fashion designer Dame Trelise Cooper's styling room has pleaded not guilty.

The 44-year-old woman appeared in the Auckland District Court this morning where they formally denied a charge of receiving some of the clothing, knowing it to be stolen.

She was also granted interim name suppression and will appear in court again next week to seek continued secrecy into next year.

The woman, who is linked to a cake retailing business, is one of three people charged over the break-in at Cooper's Newmarket head office in October.

A 41-year-old television industry worker is accused of burglary and obtaining by deception, while a 44-year-old florist also faces a charge of receiving stolen property.

Both have name suppression and have pleaded not guilty. All three are due to appear in court together in March.

The arrests of the trio came after police conducted a search of a property in central Auckland last month.

During the search, police said they recovered "a significant amount" of the clothing which was returned to Cooper, who had said she was devastated after discovering her entire collection of 2021 spring and summer samples were gone.

About $500,000 worth of couture was allegedly stolen some time after 4pm on October 17, Cooper said.

Speaking to the Herald after the break-in, Cooper said the thief or thieves broke into the styling room through a vent in an electrical room.

It was the first time her head office had been burgled in 25 years, although someone unsuccessfully tried to break into the building 14 years ago, Cooper said.

The building was alarmed and monitored by security guards but did not have CCTV, which Cooper said were being installed after the fashion crime.