Fashion Strip: Karangahape's fashion stories

Karangahape Road is known for its vintage shopping but it is also home to some of New Zealand's most original designers. They are continuing a long legacy of fabulous fashion making that can be traced back through quirky boutiques, couture houses, department stores and all the way back to our first menswear manufacturer in 1873.

Next time you're on Karangahape Road, take a closer look with the New Zealand Fashion Museum walking tour Fashion Strip: Revealing Karangahape Road's Fashion Stories 

Hallenstein Brothers

246 Karangahape Road

In 1873, prompted by the difficulty of sourcing men’s clothing for their general merchandise stores, Bendix Hallenstein and his brothers decided to produce their own and established the New Zealand Clothing Factory in Dunedin. By 1876 the factory was producing a large amount of stock and in a canny business move, they began buying and building their own shops with the first one in the Octagon in Dunedin. By 1900 there were 34 Hallenstein Brothers shops around the country.

The Karangahape Road store was originally constructed in 1910 but it doubled in size in 1926 when the wooden building next door was added and the two were connected with a unifying facade. It was designed as retail premises at ground level and the upper floors were an up-to-date office complex complete with an electric lift and accessed by the side entrance here.

In the 1980s Hallensteins moved further along the road next door to Barker & Pollock before it left Karangahape Road altogether.

George Courts Department Store

238 Karangahape Road

George Courts Department Store started in 1886 as a drapery business owned by the three Courts brothers. People would purchase cloth and sew it themselves or take it to a dressmaker or tailor to be made up. The brothers separated the business amicably in the early 20th century with John opening a department store on Queen Street and George continuing the business on Karangahape Road. 

By 1920, George had purchased sites on the corner of Karangahape Road and France Street (now Mercury Lane) to construct a new, grand department store. Modelled on Selfridges in London, it had six floors, a grand staircase and five electric elevators, each serviced by an operator. They employed 350 staff of which 200 were women. With eight show windows on the Karangahape Rd frontage and three facing France Street, it presented an inviting public face to the street.

The dress fabrics department was positioned on the ground floor at the right rear to take advantage of the natural light fall. The second floor was the fashion showroom of the store with its displays of Ladies' frocks, coats, costumes, millinery and underwear [which included corsets]. Perhaps a more important convenience on this floor was the provision of women's toilets and a mothers' restroom.

George Courts closed in 1988. Another department store, DIC moved into the building for several years before it was converted into apartments in 1993.

Bradstreet Drapers, Mercers and Tailors

258 Karangahape Road

In 1900, Julius Augustus Bradstreet opened his Men’s Drapery & Mercery Store, offering heavy fabrics for suits and lighter cloth for shirts and dresses. Drapers and tailors often operated near each other, with tailors working above drapery shops for customer convenience. As ready-to-wear clothing emerged, these businesses naturally merged.

By 1926, Bradstreet expanded to three shops, which he remodeled in Neo-Greek style to create a unified storefront with display windows. In the 1930s, Leo O’Malley took over, splitting the business into womenswear and menswear, with the latter becoming O’Malley's. In the 1940s, Hugh Wright, a tailor since 1904, took over the site. His menswear chain grew nationally, running until 2002 when it was liquidated after 98 years.

Leo O’Malley’s busy corner

235 Karangahape Road

Leo O’Malley had worked as the manager just along the road at Bradstreet’s but in 1934 he set out under his own name with a Grand Slam opening of O'Malley’s Corner – the Modern Men's Store. They offered quality cloth for tailoring custom suits but also high-grade ready-to-wear suits at "best value prices".

The site had always been a prime retail location as all the trams and later, buses, turned at this corner on their way to and from the city or heading to the North Shore. For the previous 25 years, it was known as Ashley's Busy Corner and it was now O’Malley’s busy corner.

The business and its signage were a visual touchstone for 85 years until it closed its doors for the last time in 2019. Two doors back from the corner in Pitt Street is Checks Downtown - the new face of menswear on Karangahape Road.

Hannah's Shoeists

290 Karangahape Road

Hannah's (R. Hannah and Co Ltd) was established by Irish cobbler Robert Hannah in Charleston on New Zealand’s West Coast in 1868 to serve the needs of the gold miners. When the gold ran out he moved to Wellington and established a shop and factory there. The business expanded quickly and by 1893, Hannah had 10 shops around the country and his factory employed more than 250 people.

Hannah’s arrived on Karanagahape Road in 1913. Calling themselves Shoeists – they sold button shoes, laces and leglets – they also offered a repair service. In 1926 they built this shop at 290. At the time there were already more than six specialist shoe shops on Karangahape Road including KK Shoes at 145 and Offers on the ASB corner of Karangahape and Upper Queen Street and E. Kitchener which was on the opposite corner. There were also six Department stores or Emporia on Karangahape Road, all selling shoes – so the competition would have been pretty steep, but they were successful in their business and stayed on the road until the 1990s.

Today Hannahs are part of the same company as Number One Shoes and together they represent about a quarter of all retail shoe sales in New Zealand. In 2018 they celebrated 150 years as shoeists.

Rendells, The Ladies Warehouse

184 Karangahape Road

This building is one of the oldest on this section of the street, but it wasn't where the Rendell family began their business. John and Emily Rendell, along with several of their children, emigrated from Britain in the 1880s, seeking a new life in New Zealand. Initially, they bought a dairy farm in the Waikato, but lacking the necessary skills for farming, they moved to Auckland and started a drapery business. They opened their first store, Brighton House, on the corner of Greys Avenue and Pitt Street, specialising in babywear and offering a unique 'Baby Parcel' service that could be ordered and mailed nationwide. By 1900, they expanded and relocated to the western corner of Mercury Lane, before commissioning their own building on this site in 1904.

With female shop assistants, including Mrs Rendell and her daughters, the family business gained an edge over more traditional stores staffed by male assistants. They capitalised on this by advertising themselves as 'The Ladies Warehouse' with signage over the veranda. Just seven years later, they expanded the shop by doubling its size, mirroring the original facade. If you look closely, you can see the difference in brickwork on each side. By this time, Rendell's had become the grandest building on this stretch of road, and soon after, other businesses followed suit, replacing the last remaining houses on the northern side.

Rendell's grew into a major retailer of ready-to-wear clothing and remained a prominent fixture in Auckland throughout the 20th century. The store's signage evolved to 'Rendells, The Fashion House', and they opened several suburban branches as Auckland's population expanded. Despite these branches, Rendell's maintained a presence on Karangahape Road until 2006, when it was sold to Postie Plus. After Postie Plus went into liquidation in 2014, the building was taken over by Lim-Nam Chhour, a Cambodian Chinese refugee, who transformed it into a supermarket and food hall, with a gym in the basement. His daughter, Muy Chhour, is now the chairperson of the Karangahape Business Association.

The House of Flackson, Fotheringay

191 Karangahape Road (1925-?) , Fotheringay (1971-?)

The House of Flackson was founded by Hungarian immigrant Barnard Kars, who later Anglicised his name to Kay. The business passed from him to his son Mortimer, and then to Mortimer’s son, Colin Kay. Colin not only successfully ran the family business but also served on the Auckland City Council, the Auckland Regional Council, and as Mayor of Auckland from 1980 to 1983.

In a 1995 interview, Colin recalled how Karangahape Road, known as the Golden Mile, was once Auckland's busiest shopping street. So busy that a line was painted down the center of the footpath to direct pedestrians. The House of Flackson catered to younger, fashionable women, while Sneddens (at 161 Karangahape Rd) served older women. Sales staff were expected to go above and beyond to close deals, with each salesperson’s initials on the sales docket, making it easy to see who excelled.

In 1971, the upstairs space became one of the city’s first boutiques, named Fotheringay after a Scottish heavy metal band. The decor was bohemian, with velvet drapes, dim lighting, and music by Jim Morrison and other heavy metal bands. Designers Walter Hart and Sharman Maich (stepdaughter of fabric shop owner Gordon Pollock) created dramatic clothing for young people, including floor-length velvet coats and full-circle wool skirts. The boutique quickly became a success, leading to four more Fotheringay locations. As demand grew, Walter Hart set up a factory on Upper Queen Street. Brigid Brock and Elisabeth Findlay also worked at Fotheringay.

Today, you can find Fotheringay and House of Flackson dresses in vintage and charity shops on Karangahape Road.

DNA

161 Karangahape Road

The basement of the Bristol Piano Building at 161 Karangahape Road was home to DNA Clothing’s workroom and shop for more than a decade in the 1990s and early 2000s when boutique creators made use of the great spaces and cheap rent available on Karangahape Road.

DNA clothing was a collaboration between designer Doris de Pont and textile designer Adrienne Foote. Their first collection, Summer 1994/1995, was put together in about six weeks, and established the basic motifs of their collaboration: fashion-forward garment shapes, unique collaged screenprinted fabrics, often combining classical statuary and botanical or other scientific engravings, and a limited but flexible colour palette. It took off straight away, being picked up by local and Australian retailers and featured in Fashion Quarterly and More magazine.

DNA enjoyed successful shows at Mercedes Australian Fashion Week and L’Oreal New Zealand Fashion Week before Doris and Adrienne decided to go their separate ways in 2002.

Doris de Pont founded the New Zealand Fashion Museum in 2010.

Virus Clothing

161, 170, 178 Karangahape Road

Virus Clothing was established in 1986 by Mike Brookfield and Rick Read on their return to Auckland from an OE in London. Dada- and surrealist-influenced screen-printed images dominated Virus Clothing designs, including May Ray's cello torso, vampires, medical imagery and a recurring sperm motif, initially designed by Virus collaborator Steve Nixon.

The Virus printing studio was located on Cross Street, Auckland. The clothes were initially sold in a shop called Beast, established by Mike's sister Alice Brookfield alongside the textile designer Adrienne Foote, responsible for Footeprints and later the distinctive neoclassical and nature-inspired prints for the label DNA.

Other stores were located at 170 Karangahape Road and at 23 O'Connell Street (from 1987 to 1991). In 2012 they opened a store on Ponsonby Road. There was also a Virus store at Wellington's Wakefield Markets in the late 1980s.

Virus Clothing was worn by musicians including INXS's Michael Hutchence and Fetus Productions' Jed Town, and appeared on the tv show Miami Vice.

Hunters and Collectors

Hunters and Collectors has been a key player in New Zealand’s vintage and designer retail scene for over 30 years. Founded in 1984 by Chrissy O (Dewar) and Mike Zero, it was the first store in the country to blend high-end designer fashion with Art Deco antiques, curiosities, vintage clothing, leatherwear, and Doc Martens — all under one roof.

At its peak in the 1990s, Hunters and Collectors operated seven stores across Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch. The brand developed its own leather label and became especially known for its British vintage imports, including early Vivienne Westwood pieces and retro fashion staples.

Hunters and Collectors is now located on Wellington’s Cuba Street.

Hailwood

516 Karangahape Road

The Hailwood label designed by Adrian Hailwood was started in Auckland, New Zealand in 1999 after he decided to turn a "side hustle' making t-shirts into a full-time business. He opened the first Hailwood store on Ponsonby Road in 2001, later moving to his current location on Karangahape Road. "I try not to do trends, I make wearable clothes for women." He is known for his eveningwear. Celebrities who have chosen to wear Hailwood designs include Lorde, Tilda Swinton, Maggie Gyllenhaal and Paloma Faith. "I try to use as much natural fibre as I can - except for the sequins of course!"

Lela Jacobs and the Keep 

504 Karangahape Road (2011-)

The Keep, Lela Jacobs’ studio gallery, is located on Karangahape Road in Auckland. While it is functional as a retail space, it is also her flagship in other ways, offering a window to her methodology. The space has included a workroom setup including a large cutting table, an exhibition and gallery space, a live performance space, a photographic studio and a maker space for 3D printing architecture and ceramics. Working alongside Lela are The Keepers, an evolving group of emerging designers.

La Gonda, Nick von K, Maaike, Rawiri Brown, Ovna Ovich, Vaughan Geeson and more

203 Karangahape Road (La Gonda 1950s-1970s, New Zealand College of Fashion Design 1980s-1990s)

The La Gonda building was originally a furniture, carpet and linoleum store and in the 1950s it became the flagship store for ladies' fashion brand, La Gonda with its byline 'Devoted to Fashion'. Inspired by the fashion of Italy rather than Paris the Gonda family built a whole chain of retail stores with about 20 branches around the country selling their own label as well as others. The store closed after the company was sold in the 1970s.

In the 1980s and 90s the building was home to the New Zealand College of Fashion Design, which counts Karen Walker among its alumni.

More recently the La Gonda building has been home to a new generation of fashion people including jewellery designer Nick von K, and garment designers Rawiri Brown and Sarah Jane Duff (2016-2018), Ovna Ovich (2017-2024), Maaike (2020-2023), Vaughan Geeson and others. 

Sarah Jane Duff has since moved to 482 Karangahape Road where she opened LaLA (Lost and Led Astray), her own retail shop and studio workroom.    

Crushes

225 Karangahape Road (2021-)

Crushes stocks underground and independent designers, alongside a curated selection of vintage clothing. Founded by Rose Hope and Sarah Firmston in 2011, their shop was originally called Bread and Butter Letter before they rebranded to become Crushes in 2021. After struggling on Great North Road due to a lack of foot traffic, they made the leap and signed up for a lease on Karangahape Road. "On our first day on Karangahape we had our biggest ever day of sales, and I think that was one of the first times we thought we could be okay. To say we were relieved is an understatement."

References

Black: The history of black in fashion, society and culture in New Zealand, 2012. Curated by Doris de Pont. Published by Penguin NZ.

https://sacrificiumlaudis.substack.com/p/virus-clothing

https://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/capital-life/9460924/Meet-the-first-lady-of-vintage

https://huntersandcollectors.net.nz/pages/about

Please email hello@nzfashionmuseum.org if you can contribute more stories about fashion on Karangahape Road.