On Thursday 6th May, the New Zealand government’s international business development agency, New Zealand Trade & Enterprise (NZTE), brought its country’s top designers to Australian shores – some for the first time.
Discover New is an artfully curated, time-bound retail experience, featuring luxury New Zealand brands in Australia’s premium shopping destination, Chadstone The Fashion Capital.
The retail experience offers a tactile glimpse into the window of contemporary and sustainably led New Zealand design
The residency showcases New Zealand’s cutting-edge craftsmanship, with offerings from global icons such as Karen Walker and Kate Sylvester, and up-and-coming designer brands including Yu Mei, Ashley & Co, Meadowlark, Crywolf and Tailor Skincare.
Made all the more exciting by the recent announcement of the Trans-Tasman bubble, Discover New represents a fruitful partnership between New Zealand and Australian trade.
“This May, Discover New gives Australians the chance to ‘discover’ and experience New Zealand brands in a unique setting,” said NZTE Trade Commissioner, Vanessa O’Neill.
“The country has a rich design culture that rivals the best in the world. There is a unique perspective that New Zealanders bring that’s fresh and constantly challenging convention, so the opportunity for our two economies and people to work together is compelling. This Trans-Tasman bubble opens the doors to many future partnerships.”
The retail experience at Chadstone runs from May 6 through May 23, offering a tactile glimpse into the window of contemporary and sustainably led New Zealand design.
“At Chadstone, we provide an opportunity for visitors to explore first-to-market retail product and experiences including the largest luxury retailer offering in Australia and the best in international and local high street flagships,” said Chadstone Centre Manager, Michael Whitehead. “The arrival of the Discover New experience will introduce visitors to New Zealand’s designer offering and provide shoppers with another unique experience, and an Australian first.
“The arrival of the pop-up further cements The Fashion Capital as in internationally-recognised fashion, lifestyle, entertainment and tourism destination,” added Whitehead.
To further enhance the Discover New shopping journey, NZTE is partnering with retail customer experience agency, Arkade. Shopify Plus will be used to create an engaging and streamlined point of sale space in-store and will also ensure brands and products are showcased beautifully online.
Discover New has appointed leading retail metrics company, Bellwether, to analyse customers entering the store in real time. By utilising live customer counting technology, POS data and smart analysis, Bellwether instantly provides the tools to improve in-store and staff performance.
With a slew of luxury brands on offer, Discover New is working with Checkpoint to tag products of high value.
Brands featured include Karen Walker, Kate Sylvester, JHL by Juliette Hogan, Yu Mei, Crywolf, Nature Baby, Bobux, Wallace Cotton, Twenty-Seven Names, Blunt, Citta, Ashley & Co, Ao Skincare, Antipodes, Tailor Skincare, Me Today, Meadowlark and Mindful Fashion NZ.
As the New Zealand government’s international business development agency, NZTE’s role is to support exporters in order to grow a productive, sustainable and inclusive economy. The agency works with all kinds of innovative businesses, including food producers, Māori land trusts and iwi, tech start-ups, service providers, manufacturers and more.
