International jewellery giant Tiffany & Co is looking to expand its retail presence in Asia-Pacific and will open its first company-operated store in New Zealand.
Located in Auckland’s prime luxury shopping destination, Britomart, the store will take up the entire ground floor of Australis House and is expected to open late next year.
The retailer already has seven stores in Australia. Glen Schlehuber, vice president and managing director of Tiffany & Co, says they have been looking to the New Zealand market for a while, and believes they have found the perfect location.
“We are very excited to introduce Tiffany & Co. to New Zealand and launch with a magnificent store in Auckland,” he says.
“We have many loyal Tiffany customers in New Zealand and have been looking to establish a presence for some time, and the location at Britomart is perfect. We look forward to welcoming everyone to experience our iconic jewellery collections, heritage and craftsmanship that have distinguished Tiffany for over 175 years.”
The heritage listed premises were built in 1903, and the interior is being carefully restored to preserve its historic features. However, the store will still feature some of Tiffany’s well-known trademarks such as the colour Tiffany Blue, a symbol of luxury and style worldwide; polished stainless steel details with a wheat leaf pattern that frames the entrance of the jeweller’s Fifth Avenue flagship store; marble and amazonite floors; and custom furnishings inspired by the stained glass works of Art Nouveau designer Louis Comfort Tiffany, son of the company’s founder, Charles Lewis Tiffany.
By Marion Gerritsen
