Australian lifestyle brand Oroton has opened its first store in New Zealand at Commercial Bay, marking the brand's first venture beyond Australia.
The store represents a deliberate and considered first step into New Zealand, a market with a long affinity for considered design, quality craft and heritage brands with a point of view.
The opening has signalled the next chapter in Oroton's growth, building on sustained momentum in Australia and a clear commitment to physical retail and the local community.
Oroton's CEO, Peter Halkett, said that the move across the Tasman was in response to the significant number of New Zealand customers shopping in its Australian stores.
"Opening our first store in New Zealand is an exciting milestone for the business, providing the Oroton store experience for our New Zealand customers. We chose Commercial Bay due to its central location, premium brand offering and its connection to the city. It will be a great home for Oroton in Auckland and New Zealand,” said Halkett.
“Oroton is a luxury heritage Australian brand established in 1938, with a reputation for quality, craftsmanship and timeless design, which are qualities that resonate strongly with New Zealand customers. Commercial Bay is the first of several stores we will be opening over the next 12 to 24 months in this market, and we look forward to growing our presence in New Zealand - bringing Australian luxury heritage to a new generation of customers.”
Designed under the vision of Oroton Creative Director Sophie Holt, the Commercial Bay store has carried the brand's distinctive design language into a new setting, with a deliberate focus on New Zealand artistry and craft.
The space features handmade decor and accessories from local makers, including ceramics by Gidon Bing and original pencil drawings by Mark Alsweiler, grounding Oroton's first New Zealand store firmly in its place.
Since Holt wanted the space to feel more like a home than a shop, it is warm and material-driven, with timber, brass, soft leather and light.
“There's a calm confidence in the room, and that really reflects where we are as a brand and how we want New Zealand customers to experience it."
The launch has also introduced New Zealand shoppers to Oroton's full world, from its signature accessories and leather goods to its growing apparel and men's accessories offering, capturing a new generation of customers while remaining true to the brand's ethos.
As it marks 88 years of design, craft and reinvention, Oroton has proven that heritage doesn't mean standing still, and that Australian fashion, when reimagined with conviction, can travel well and lead with both heart and strength.
