Meet Portia Prince | Sala Studio, Auckland, NZ

We may not be able to travel, but London’s calling! Take a stroll through Soho with a Bloody Mary in hand with model and mother Portia Prince.

Hey, who are you? What do you do and where do you live? 

My name is Portia Prince, model and mother from London. I’ve been living in Auckland for 1 year now, in the beautiful inner city suburb of Grey Lynn.

Where do you see yourself in five years?

I see myself with a company that feeds me creatively. There’s a lot of opportunity for growth here and I’ve made some very exciting connections since arriving.

Who/what would be your dream collaboration?

Dream collaboration would definitely be with a sustainable or repurposing old waste brand.

I’ve been especially climate conscious since giving birth to my daughter and really hope she gets to experience a world that isn’t polluted. I’d love to be at the forefront of that change.

How did you hear about SALA? What’s your favourite thing about the SALA community? What’s your favourite class?

I actually heard about SALA through a makeup artist friend from London who told me she used to love Sarah’s classes at a studio in East London so I had to come down and try them. Sarah and I got on so well straight away, it's like having a piece of home away from home. I cherish that.

What’s your go to movement to elevate your mood?

Music is a huge mood elevator for me, I’ve been creating monthly playlists for different scenarios. I have a talented musical family and have had the opportunity to DJ whilst here and loved every minute of it.

Describe your dream day?

Dream day is 100% walking in nature, with a dip in a waterfall or ocean to finish. We’re pretty outdoorsy as a family, so walking and moving are where I find my peace.  

Wellbeing is…

Well-being is your own personal journey, I’m a big believer in it being very different for every individual. Over the years I have been able to recognise my triggers for certain bad habits and I know what my wellness journey entails.

If someone was visiting your city, what would you tell them to do?

Okay, my city is definitely London so I’d plan to meet you in Soho and take you to Mildred’s for breakfast, my favourite veggie cafe, then we'd go shopping.

Head to a new exhibition at the Tate. You can spend hours there. I’d then take you to a rooftop bar to enjoy the afternoon, either Sky Garden or Shoreditch house. Dinner at my favourite place, Gloria Trattoria and finishing at a friend's gig in South London called Touching Bass. They have a “no phones on the dance floor” rule and it brings all the good vibes. It would be a full-on day, sorry if you’re tired just reading that.

What’s a hangover cure you swear by?

My hangover cure is always a full English breakfast and a Bloody Mary, it works every time. Failing that a super juice but it must have ginger and turmeric in it.

What’s the best advice you’ve ever been given?

Something my grandad used to say to me was, "the glass is always half full."

He was highly ambitious, the bones of our family and such an opportunist. He would see the positive and teaching in everything, even the bad.

What’s your star sign? Are you typical of it?

I'm an Aries and I’d say I’m a pretty typical one but with an Aquarius moon I’m a little aloof at times. Very headstrong and moves a million miles an hour though. I can usually tell other Aries a mile off because they talk as much as I do!

What’s your go-to song to get you moving?

Aretha Franklin - Get It Right. Have played that once a week probably for the last 8 years! It will motivate you to get out the door.

I love to wake up with the birds, sunrise is my favourite time of the day. See you guys 6am Wednesdays!

Movement is a conduit of…

It includes nature, exercise (preferably outside), and considering time to fulfil because when I try and rush everything I feel like I’ve completed everything at half capacity and it leaves me feeling more anxious than anything else. Resulting in a depleted cup, not a full one.

If you could tell you 20 year old self one thing what would it be?

I would tell 20 year old self to have no regrets and trust in the process. I have always been a yes person and tend to jump into things without thinking much about the logistics but it’s taught me that as humans we're resilient and you really don’t know what you’re capable of unless you try. Live fearlessly whilst you’re here 🧡