Putting down roots in new countries
Great style, well put together, or just someone who catches our eye. Every week reporter Carly Gooch gets out and about to discover the people behind the clothes in Canterbury.
Whoever says getting along with your in-laws isn’t easy hasn’t met Brittany and her motherin-law Vicki who were more like best mates while out celebrating Brittany’s birthday.
The pair were celebrating Brittany
Keast’s 32nd birthday when they were spotted by The Press. She is self-employed and lives in Fendalton, Christchurch.
Before having children she was in sales and marketing, which she says was “fun”.
“My life consists of being a mum” to two girls, aged 5 and 18 months, she says.
She wears Billini boots, a Forever New dress, Whistle jacket from Farmers, Gucci belt and Louis Vuitton bag.
Vicki Keast, 53, is an entrepreneur living in Bottle Lake Forest, Christchurch.
She grew up in Invercargill and moved to Christchurch during the earthquake rebuild with her family’s roofing company.
She started “playing around with candles” and eventually created Sachii Candles, inspired by the Gatsby era, which are stocked in stores throughout the country. She wears shoes and jeans from Moutique in Prestons, a blazer from Maree Hynes Interiors in Timaru, a Hermes scarf and Louis Vuitton bag.
Reece Attrill, 31, is a student accommodation manager living in Brisbane, Australia.
He grew up in Hamilton and after living all over New Zealand, he followed some Kiwi friends to the Gold Coast for career opportunities. That was six years ago, and he’s since settled in Brisbane where he loves socialising, eating out, shopping and hosting dinners.
He has 10 tattoos, with a new addition he had inked on his thigh a month ago, which took eight hours. He had intentions of enjoying a book to take his mind off the ordeal, but says he read more than half “and I don’t remember any of it”.
“I’ll have to start it again.”
He wears Nikes, Levi’s, a Connor top, Country Road jacket, and a scarf purchased last minute from The Warehouse because he wasn’t expecting the cold in Christchurch.
Mattie Brichau, 54, is a freelance copywriter living in Lincoln.
Originally from Belgium, she moved to New Zealand 21 years ago with her husband and children for the lifestyle and people.
Aiming to settle in Christchurch, their plan was foiled when they couldn’t get the kids into the school they wanted, so they moved to Hamilton instead, followed by Auckland for work, then finally Christchurch two years ago. Her family is still in Belgium, but she now has a New Zealand citizenship — “this is home”.
“The history is cool” in Belgium, but she would choose here “any day”.
Her mother tongue is Flemish Dutch, and she learned French, German and English at school.
She wears boots from Head Over Heels – “the best shoe shop in New Zealand” – Caroline Sills pants, a Cos jacket, a knit from Belgium, and a Saben bag.