How a Kiwi-born accountant in her forties transformed her life in Zürich, becoming a street-style photographer, lifestyle influencer, and creative force for women embracing style at any age.
At the heart of FunkyForty is Yvonne Aeberhard Stutz, a dynamic Kiwi woman living in Zürich, Switzerland. A qualified Chartered Accountant by training, Yvonne spent almost three decades in the finance world before choosing to pursue her passions full-time. In her late forties, she leaped to start FunkyForty, a fashion and lifestyle platform aimed at women over forty, and by extension, anyone who believes style transcends age.
From Numbers to Street-Style Photography
Born in New Zealand to Swiss–German parents, Yvonne moved abroad at 24 and later settled in Switzerland with her Swiss husband and teenage daughter. Her transformation began when she left the corporate world: “I decided to be brave and do a huge leap,” she recalls. FunkyForty was launched at age 49 as a personal mission: “my insurance to staying 40 forever,” she jokes, but the blog quickly tapped into a deeper need. Its mission? To show that fashion has no expiration date, and that staying true to trends keeps the heart and wardrobe youthful.
Yvonne’s passion for street-style photography has become a defining feature of the brand. Each season she travels to Milan and Paris Fashion Week, capturing the “latest hot trends” through her lens for readers to feel connected to runway culture .
The Power of Funky in Forty
FunkyForty is more than a blog; it’s a vibrant extension of Yvonne’s values. Its name carries meaning: “Funky” symbolizes staying adventurous, creative, and open-minded; “Forty” celebrates a stage of life often overlooked in fashion narratives.
The platform combines four key pillars:
- Fashion & street style: Real-life inspiration with runway energy, translated into wearable looks for mature women. Recent coverage highlights top street-style from Milan and Paris Fashion Weeks 2025.
- Travel & lifestyle: Personal recaps of international escapes, like lakeside Swiss retreats or California road trips, offer readers “recovery breaks from everyday life”.
- Food & family recipes: Yvonne honors her family heritage, especially her father, a renowned baker from Auckland, by sharing beloved sweet recipes such as cheesecakes and caramel fig loaves.
- Wellness & beauty tips: From hair treatments to health insights (“Do Coffee Drinkers Live Longer?”), she provides approachable self–care advice funkyforty.com.
A Creative Community & Professional Shift
FunkyForty has evolved into a creative hub. Yvonne connects with Zurich’s fashion scene, collaborates with brands, and mentors emerging talent. In 2023 she contributed as a fashion editor to Germany’s Ladies Drive magazine, profiling female designers and celebrating women’s creativity. Earlier, she worked with platforms like Fashion TV New Zealand and UK’s Woman & Home magazine, broadening her footprint in international fashion media.
Her commitment to the image is evident: she has curated every detail of her photography, from street-style frames to candid travel shots. Illustrating an unfiltered confidence and ongoing curiosity, she embodies the belief that creativity is intelligence having fun, a favorite Einstein quote she often cites .
Wisdom for Women Over Forty (and Beyond)
In interviews, Yvonne shares wisdom distilled from her journey:
- Stay open: Embrace trends you love without chasing every fad.
- Invest smartly: One high-quality statement piece per season can elevate your whole wardrobe.
- Stay active and curious: Travel, run, photograph, bake, keep your mind, body, and style in motion .
Through FunkyForty, she encourages women to play with their looks, remix what’s in their closet, and maintain a spirit of adventure. Age becomes just a number; confidence becomes key.
Looking Ahead
Yvonne continues to push creative boundaries. She’s improving blog quality and exploring new ventures, expanding her photography brand, exploring interior design, and eyeing her own fashion label one day. Her street-style coverage remains cutting-edge, as her recent posts on Spring/Summer 2025 trends and fashion-week recaps reveal.
Conclusion
FunkyForty is more than a platform, it’s a celebration of midlife reinvention. Yvonne Aeberhard Stutz proves that with vision, style, and courage, forty can truly be funky. Her journey from accountant to lifestyle influencer embodies creativity, openness, and authenticity. For women everywhere craving inspiration beyond the first half of life, Yvonne’s voice, through fashion, food, travel, and photography, offers encouragement to shine as brightly today as ever.
