Judith Baragwanath

Judith Mary Baragwanath (née Seay; born 7 January 1951) She rose to prominence in the 1960s as a New Zealand model after appearing in Vogue New Zealand at the age of 15. New Zealand journalist and writer Steve Braunias has called her "just about, if not the most, concise writer being regularly published that this country has ever seen. One of the most vivid writers we've ever had in non-fiction." She made her modelling debut on the pages of Vogue New Zealand (Summer 1966) and was frequently photographed by New Zealand photographers Williams, Roger Donaldson and Michael Baigent and appeared on the pages of British Good Housekeeping. The “Ferret” referred to Baragwanath, when she appeared in the column, as “Old Black Lips” to deter suspicion. It was axed in 2002. Baragwanath attended a party at the Rose Gardens in Parnell, Auckland, at which her friend was waitressing. Elton John and his manager, John Reid, were also there. The atmosphere deteriorated after Reid asked for whisky, which wasn’t available. Reid could not be mollified. “You’re an incompetent!” he is alleged to have shouted, and threw a glass of champagne in the face of party host Richard Wilson. “I lost my temper,” Baragwanath told Metro magazine in 1987. Reid’s defence, that he was under extreme pressure and hadn’t slept for nights, did not impress Mr Justice McMullin, and Reid spent 21 days in Mount Eden gaol. He settled out of court with Baragwanath for NZ $2,500. Baragwanath bought her first car with the proceeds.

Baragwanath has worked as a columnist for the Sunday Star Times, the New Zealand Listener, and Cuisine magazine. Since 2017 she has been a reviewer and occasional columnist for North & South, Metro magazine and The New Zealand Listener.

Personal life Baragwanath married twice; first to Tom Baragwanath in 1968, and later to restaurant owner Leroy Moody in 1985. Her daughter was born in 1969.

Baragwanath lives on Waiheke Island.

Influence on fashion In 2010, New Zealand fashion designer Kate Sylvester paid homage to the “notorious socialite” with a winter collection called "Diamond Dogs", the nickname given to Baragwanath's social set. Sylvester's models were sent down the runway in gym slips, jodhpur-cut trousers, military jackets, fur coats and black lipstick; the look Baragwanath had popularised.

Awards

2001 Qantas Media Awards – finalist: Magazine Feature Writer. 2002 Qantas Media Awards – winner: Best Column.