He’s only just old enough to wed without his parents’ consent but Raglan teen Arden Andre has been selected by a top-selling women’s magazine as one of the country’s most eligible bachelors.
The smart, good-looking 18 year old says he’s “stoked” to have been named one of this year’s finalists in Cleo magazine’s long-running Bachelor of the Year awards. He’s the youngest of the 12 finalists.
As one of New Zealand’s “hottest guys” – to quote from Cleo’s publicity machine – Arden’s right in there with a chance to win $1000 and a six-page feature in the popular monthly, which targets 18 to 29 year old Kiwi women.
And Arden – speaking to the Chronicle last week from his family home in Cambrae Road – said winning the title would also put him in the running for other modelling opportunities.
The magazine’s launched what it calls some “pretty impressive” careers from its ongoing bachelor awards over the past 20 years, including that of ‘NZ Idol’ and ‘The X Factor New Zealand’ host Dominic Bowden.
As it is, Arden’s up against some already well known faces from the telly including Juice TV presenter Jesse Burt and ‘Shortland Street’ actor Reuben Milner, better known as Jack Hannah.
Meantime, as the votes roll in via Cleo’s online voting system, Arden’s also getting on with working towards becoming a bachelor of a different sort.
Arden – who went to Te Uku, Te Mata and Waitetuna primary schools depending on where his mother was teaching at the time – left St John’s College in Hamilton at the end of last year with a three-year scholarship to study communications at Auckland University of Technology, majoring in advertising creativity.
Back in town briefly last week however he had the Cleo competition foremost on his mind, and roped oldest sister Ezra – a graphic designer at Verdict Communications in Hamilton – into designing a promotional card to hand out to friends to help swell his support.
Posts on the Raglan Noticeboard are also urging Raglanites to get behind their local hopeful.
The overall winner will be decided entirely by public vote and crowned at an exclusive winner reveal party on July 2.
Arden’s no newbie to modelling. He’s earned in the past year or so “more than just pocket money” as a model for local online streetwear company Fallenfront. Previously he worked with New Zealand’s premiere modelling agency 62 in Auckland, which nominated him for the Cleo competition.
Arden says he was “ecstatic” when he heard he’d made it as a finalist. But it’s early days yet and he’s doubtful he’d ever be good enough to follow in the footsteps of Raglan model Vinnie Woolston, now the new face of Yves Saint Laurent men’s scent La Nuit de l’Homme.
Meanwhile, as a finalist he’s got his own revealing clip on Cleo’s website. “I surf and I like to work out,” a barechested Arden tells his interviewer. “And to show off these puppies,” he adds cheekily of his bulging biceps.
But he’s also keen, he says, to show New Zealand what kind of a guy he really is and that “there is substance to me”.
Check out Arden’s profile on http://www.cleo.co.nz/guys-relationships/bachelor/top-12/arden-andre/
Go to www.cleo.co.nz for the online voting system which closes May 31.
Edith Symes
