There isn't a fashion designer in this country that has not had the keen eye of Karen Inderbitzen-Waller either styling or photographing their brand. Editor Trudi Brewer shows off her stunning 60’s inspired home; she shares with wife, model and business partner Delphine Avril Planqueel.

From a magazine stylist at 20 to one of NZ’s most celebrated photographers, Karen Inderbitzen-Waller and her wife Delphine Avril Planqueel were two of only 12 photographers selected and recognised byVogue Italia. As a creative force, when they are not on a film set or shooting a campaign for high profile fashion brands, you may find Inderbitzen-Waller at home painting her roof and Planqueel working on a garden project, which is precisely what was happening during the recent COVID-19 lockdown. Here she shares her love of fashion, her fragrance collection, and the to-die-for home.

How did you become a stylist and photographer?

It was around 18 years old, and I was living in Sydney, my best friend from New Zealand got discovered as a model, and he asked me to dress him for his test shoot. The photographer on the shoot commented he liked my work and told me I should consider becoming a stylist. I moved home to Auckland and started contacting local photographers and worked unpaid on collaborations, and editorial shoots, while working in a bar at night. Then I was officially working as a freelance fashion stylist from about age 20. It was a couple of years later that it became a natural progression for me to take pictures of my work, so I started to shoot, and style, which cemented me in both professions - both I love equally.

What do you love most about your job?

The variety and the different people I get to meet and work with each day.

What's a typical working day for you?

Each day is different as a freelancer, but my routine is consistent. It starts with a black coffee when I wake up, and then a walk with our dog, Serge. Then I'm off to the studio to shoot for a client, or on a film set if I'm working on a commercial. With with every job, comes meetings, mood boards, sourcing props, or location hunting, selecting or buying a wardrobe, there’s never a dull moment.

Karen and wife Delphine in their stunning Auckland 60’s-inspired home.

What have been your career highlights to date?

I would say publishing our first book of photography (a collaboration with my wife), Smoke & Mirrors in 2013. Another is winning worldwide top 10 Photographers Portfolio for the best photography portfolios judged by Vogue Italia in 2016. We flew to Milan to meet the Vogue team, and I got to attend my first Prada show.

With the change in the media landscape, what advice would you share with up-and-coming creatives?

Embrace this new frontier and use your skills to open up new avenues and try new things. Find a way to stand out and do something that no one else is doing - and always believe in yourself.

The couples beloved dog, Serge and their collection of cool objects.

HOME

What do you love about your home?

It feels like a holiday home, full of sun and books, the pool for swimming on hot days, and the fire for cold days, also we are surrounded by palms, New Zealand natives and fantastic birdlife.

How long have you lived there?

Almost three years.

What makes a great interior?

Art, books, collected meaningful curios objects, and music, preferably played on vinyl.

The couple has a stunning art collection some bought on their yearly trips to visit family in France.

What are your most treasured possessions?

The paintings Delphine has done for me, and a few others I bought in France. My Gucci shoes I bought in Milan, a signed record by Serge Gainsbourg, Delphine's Birkin bag (that we share), and Serge.

Describe your home in six words?

Tranquil, dreamy, sunny, peaceful, creative, and happy.

What's your best interior advice?

Let your design speak to the era of your house. Think of it as a movie set in which you will play out your life every day. Create a dreamy and safe haven from the outside world.

Delphine is a keen gardener and the couple love the pool for creating that holiday vibe.

FASHION

Who are your fashion icons?

Katharine Hepburn for championing the suit, for women, it's still a cool look, I also love Carine Roitfeld for wearing a skirt with heels, and loving it as much as I do. Locally, designers Helen cherry and Karen Walker always look immaculate, they make me feel scruffy.

What's your fashion weakness?

Shoes. But I have come to appreciate dresses and have a vast collection. Leather bags, cashmere knits, and silk shirts, (Karen Walker does the best signature prints I have one from almost every season). A French Breton, or nautical striped sweater. French lingerie and vintage worker-style clothing.

The eclectic wardrobes of both Karen and Delphine are the envy of their friends.

How would your friend describe your style?

They would mention my shoe obsession, and that I'm always wearing something new. My close friends beg me to do regular wardrobe clear-outs, and all demanded a preview when we moved house when I sold a lot of my hoard. They know I'm obsessed with clothes and shoes and have collected so much over the years of working in fashion and yearly trips to Paris.

What's your best style advice?

Forget about trends and dress to your figure shape. Discover what suits you best, and build a uniform of similar pieces, buying the best quality you can afford, rather than fast fashion that doesn't last. That uniform will be your go-to for feeling good even when you don't and need to fake it. Treat your clothes like loyal friends; love them, and care for them, and they will have your back.

The couples, beauty and fragrance collections.

BEAUTY

What is your desert island beauty stash?

I love the Nuxe range of honey products. I would not want to be without NUXE Reve de Miel Ultra-Nourishing Lip Balm; it's the best.

What's your favourite fragrance?

It's always been the Jo Malone London colognes for me, I started with Jo Malone London Pomegranate Noir, and now I love Jo Malone London Wood, Sage, and Seasalt. I also adore Tom Ford Fucking Fabulous, and the Roger & Gallet range of fragrances, my lovely mother-in-law, sends it to me every Christmas. Locally I buy and wear Ingrid Starnes Vetyver Bergamot and Curio Noir Pablo.

What would we find in your beauty bag?

I use MAC Cosmetics, and cannot live without MAC Liquidlast 24 Hour Waterproof Liner. All my skincare is French; it's the best. Currently, I am using a Bioderma Sensibio H2O Micelle Solution cleanser and the Inès Lait-Crème Concetratè as my daily moisturizer. At night it's NUXE Crème Fraîche de Beauté 48h Moisturizing Cream and for spritzing or toning my skin (it's great during summer on hot days to refresh the skin), Caudalie Beauty Elixir - it's delicious it's made with white grapes.

Some of Inderbitzen Wallers’ favourite beauty buys.

NUXE Reve de Miel Ultra-Nourishing Lip Balm, $23. MAC Liquidlast 24 Hour Waterproof Liner, $44. Bioderma Sensibio H2O Micelle Solution, $35. Caudalie Beauty Elixir, 30ml, $29. Tom Ford Fucking Fabulous, 50ml, $350. Curio Noir Pablo, from $50.

What’s your best beauty advice?

Always use sunscreen, especially on your hands, to slow down the suns ageing effects; this extends to my wearing sunglasses outside to protect the delicate skin around your eyes. Also, treat your neck as you do your face, moisturise it every day - it's often overlooked.

Photography: Karen Inderbitzen-Waller