Vintage vibes: exploring retro and thrift stores in New Zealand

The shopping scene in Wellington, New Zealand's capital, is as eclectic as the city's cultural vibe. It's a great place to shop, with vintage and thrift stores to drive any tourist crazy. A guide to the places to visit and shop without spending too much. Exploring thrift stores is always an alternative for our pocket. We can get products in very good condition, branded, and at really low prices. Circular fashion is very present and it is also a way to preserve the environment.

Thrift

Thrift is a sustainable vintage store that opened its doors in 2015. It sells clothing from Wellingtonians who need to clean out their closets, giving them a fraction of all profits. Retro and vintage labels fill the store's sleek racks daily and unique handcrafted garments are usually tucked in between. In addition to helping people recycle and update their closet in an eco-friendly way, Thrift also uses its profits to support a local animal shelter.

Newtown Vintage Market

A relatively new addition to Wellington's bustling market scene. Inspired by the vintage market scene in Christchurch and the prevailing alternative style of the Wellington suburb of Newtown, Kate Peters decided to establish the Newtown Vintage Market in late 2016. Peters had been involved in several markets in her hometown of Littelton and hoped to create a space that would support local artists and creative vendors of all backgrounds and interests. From plants to vintage clothing to antiques, this is definitely a good community initiative to keep on your radar.

Ziggurat

If you love vintage and contemporary designer brands, Ziggurat is the place to visit. This thrift store has been in the business of selling genuine vintage pieces since the 1980s. Their clothing is more expensive than many other stores, but the quality and timeliness of each garment makes the investment really worth it.

Wellington Flea Market y Car Boot Sale

An even newer community initiative. The Wellington Flea Market and Trunk Sale began operations in May 2017. It features more than 30 different stalls covering all the market must-sees, from food to vintage fashion.

Emporium

Emporium specializes in hand-harvested items, native to the U.S. Each season they travel to California to source the best yarns, from couture classics to elegant 1960s yarns and epic street style pieces. The store originated in Christchurch and relocated to Wellington's Cuba Mall a few years ago. Notable contemporary brands you'll find on Emporium's racks include Ralph Lauren, Tommy Hilfiger and Calvin Klein.

Spacesuit

Spacesuit is a vintage fashion store that likes to stay away from the mainstream. It features hard-to-find retro imports from the US, Europe, Japan and Korea, with a particular focus on 90's men's fashion. Everything is personally selected to ensure that quality prevails, and alternative fashion and accessories are always a strong suit for this budget boutique.

My Deals 365 brings you all the discount catalogs from your favorite stores in New Zealand. Remember that you can browse thrift stores to find amazing products at crazy prices.