Australian streetwear brand General Pants Co set to hit Auckland and Christchurch

Tuesday, 1 October 2019

The first stage of the $790 million Westfield development in Newmarket, Auckland opened in August.

Australian fashion retailer General Pants will open its first New Zealand store in Auckland on October 16.

Another store will open in Christchurch three days later.

General Pants Co chief executive Sacha Laing, said the store openings were only the beginning of its foray into Kiwi pop-culture.

The streetwear company sells labels such as Dr Martens, Lee, ksubi, Huffer and Stussy.

The General Pants Co stores in Australia have a distinct 1990s streetwear style.

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General Pants Co chief executive Sacha Laing says the Auckland and Christchurch stores are just the beginning.

General Pants Co's Auckland store will be located in the new Westfield Newmarket as part of the second stage of the $790 million redevelopment of the mall.

The Christchurch store will open on Cashel St, in the city's CBD.

Laing said more stores would be added across the country over the next year.

In September, General Pants Co will be a sponsor of the St Jerome's Laneway Festival, in Auckland in on January.

Pants Co has 51 stores in Australia as well as in Los Angeles and New York under the ksubi brand.

Founded in Sydney in 1972, the company already sold to New Zealand customers through its online store.

In 2017, General Pants Co opened its flagship store in Sydney in partnership with Universal Music and included a pop-up tattoo studio, sections dedicated to vinyl records and vintage clothing and a frozen Coke machine.

The store in Paramatta has an indoor basketball court.

General Pants Co is following a number of other international retailers to open in New Zealand in recent years.

American clothing brands Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger and Dutch fashion store Scotch & Soda will debut their first New Zealand standalone stores at Commercial Bay mall, in Auckland, which is expected to open in March.

Big box retailers Ikea and Costco have also announced plans to set up shop in New Zealand.