The glitterati came out last night to celebrate the 80th birthday of the New Zealand Woman's Weekly. More than 250 celebrities, politicians, staff and advertising clients thronged The Wharf on Northcote Point to toast the iconic mag.
Former beauty queen Lorraine Downes, who made her first covergirl appearance for the Weekly in 1983 as Miss Universe, made a heart-warming speech. Twenty-nine years later Downes plays covergirl again in the latest edition - on newsstands today - in honour of the birthday milestone. "Some things do get better with age," she laughed.
A star-studded musical line-up included Peter Urlich as DJ and Jessie Gurunathan crooning jazz ballads. Convicted activist Lucy Lawless, who was in court on Thursday looking contrite, came dressed in her glamorous celebrity best and offered the dulcet tones of her voice to the occasion.
The Hon Judith Collins, who also had a rather trying week in the news, was among the guests with fellow National MP, Nikki Kaye.
Labour politician Jacinda Ardern arrived with her boss, David Shearer, who is no stranger to the women's magazine. Earlier this year he gushed about his bravery in attempting to negotiate his wife's release from Somali gunmen.