New Zealand-based apparel retailer Rodd & Gunn has opened an experiential space at Chadstone shopping centre in Melbourne.

The new store features a concierge to facilitate an easy click-and-collect experience, as well as a live-feed direct from Queenstown, New Zealand, to connect the brand to its Kiwi roots.

“In the past … every conceivable part of the shop floor was used for stock but things are changing,” Rodd & Gunn visual brand manager Nik Rush said.

“It’s now about curating the experience on the shop floor and allowing for breathing space.”

Conceived as a multi-purpose environment to blur the line between retail and hospitality, the store also provides a mini-bar to customers.

“It showcases experiential retail at its finest and an insight as to where the brand is evolving,” Rodd & Gunn said in a statement.

“The powerful architecture consistent of a wooden panelled floor and ceiling is complimented by sophisticated decor and finished with New Zealand artwork making it feel more like an art gallery than a retail store.”

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