Shopping

A classy and upbeat apparel store, the Untouched World is full of glamour and stylish clothes especially top of the line woolen and sports gear. The outlet prides itself for being a green organization and one that believes in sustainable development. The philosophy of being fashionable without harming the planet is depicted in the high quality clothing and the awards and recognitions that the store has won over the years.

The Wild South Clothing culture is hard to go unnoticed. Raw fashion and wild beauty are the pillars that the store stands on and the collection of clothing lines are proof enough for this philosophy. Dedicated to developing clothes that best suit the New Zealanders, Wild South is a much wanted apparel king in the country and offers stylish and fashionable clothes for the hip crowd. A good place to buy expensive but quality clothing.

A haven for travelers and adventurous people, the Map World is full of accessories and necessities that travelers should have to find their way across New Zealand and Christchurch. At this high end store you will find everything from binoculars, compasses, sports watches and rental equipment to all kinds of high tech regular and digital maps. With the high tourist influx in the country, the Map World is an asset for backpackers who wish to explore the city on their terms.

Decodence is an art deco shop on High Street in Christchurch. Most of the visitors here either have a special interest in art and decorative items or just enter the shop for the sake of exploring. Either way, decadence doesn’t fail to impress the shopper. With dozens and dozens of artifacts displayed in the shop, anyone with doubts for New Zealand’s creativity is hit in the face. From vases, clocks and pottery items to painted jewelry boxes, all is showcased at Decodence.

One of the leading jewelry designers in Christchurch, Koji Miyazaki, runs this lavish store on High Street. The contemporary jewelry available here is tasteful, unique and has the most stylish cuts and designs in all of New Zealand. Inform carries the credibility of its owner who has held various displays in the Art Center as well to promote the country’s image as a fashion hub. Visit the store to take in the posh aura and fame of the designer. Location: 158 High Street Phone: 03/366-3893

No other New Zealander has better knowledge of antiquity and vintage histories than Barry Holliday, running a grandfathered business of Edwardian and Victorian furniture. Barry himself has mastered the art of antique style and design with his extensive European tours and his arts education. Therefore, one step in the Holliday’s shop and you find exquisite pieces of furniture that Barry has handpicked throughout his multiple cultural tours abroad.

In business for 45 years, the Wayne Wright Antiques shop can leave a shopper speechless at the deep of the collection of European and French furniture here. The owners travel extensively and collect antiques from all over Europe including Spain, Italy, England and France. Their collection includes French doors, drawer chests, garden antiques, wall panels and shutters to name a few. Step in here to feel the French and English history on its height.

Along the length of High Street, pick out Chaos from a multitude of shops for antiques and second hand decorative items. Chaos holds a number of collections ranging from interior decoration to personal favorites such as china dolls and miniatures. To cater to the kids, the shop also keeps collectables of action figures and magic trading cards in extensive variety. Take your pick out of the second hand collection as a memorable souvenir from your visit to Christchurch.

A department store with welcoming service and quality merchandise is what Ballantyne prides itself on. With several locations across the city, this department store is one of the biggest in terms of assortment and size. For anything hat you need from house hold everyday items to personal hygiene and beauty products, this store is a convenient and affordable place to shop.

If you are a big fan of costume and artificial jewelry, One Big Sugar Bowl will appeal to your tastes immensely. Extravagant displays of colored, gemmed, stoned and polished rings, necklaces, bangles and hair accessories line the shelves sparkling and glittering. A few favorites include classical clothing, leather bags, gemmed broaches and designer collections of earrings. A must visit for you to travel in style.

Experience the hustle bustle in New Zealand’s largest outdoor market organized on every Sunday of the month. From 9am to 2pm, over 300 vendors set up stalls in the Riccarton Park and sell their best produce of the week. From fresh fruits and vegetables to low priced clothing and accessories to second hand appliances, you name it and the market has it. Not only do shoppers make purchases, they laze around in the park and join friends and family for lunches and snacks at the market.

Regency Duty free has the biggest range of duty free products at the Christchurch airport and other city stores through out the city. Hundreds of duty free products are on display including alcohol, collectable cigarettes and other souvenirs that travelers pack up to take home. Antiques, building monuments and the handicrafts of Christchurch are the most valuable souvenirs to gather from the Garden City.

Fulfilling a promise to preserve New Zealand’s heritage, culture and historic past, the Vault has a fine collection of handmade New Zealand handicrafts, unique gifts and decorative home ware. The wooden interior filled with yellow lights compliments the shop and is inviting to the passersby. Indulge in a few high priced delicacies to cherish your New Zealand vacation for years to come.

Another of the finest gift shops in town, Wild Places is full of New Zealand delights like handicrafts, kites, handmade toys and books. The gifts are moderately priced for all tourists to take their picks, however some specialty items may have a heavy price tag attached. Buy for friends and family back home to give a memorable finish to your holiday.

An international chain of malls through out the world, Westfield is renowned for Branded retail and stocks clothes, accessories, fresh foods and all items under the sun! The Westfield group aims to have a good mix of retail brands in each of its four shopping centers across New Zealand so as to provide shoppers with a well rounded experience. With a multitude of attractive shops in the mall and a scrumptious café setting, the Westfield is an all day hangout for sure.

Northlands Mall has a total of 135 stores under one roof with tons of variety and choices for eager shoppers. Be it beauty, hygiene, sportswear, or a multi purpose mart, the Northlands Mall offers you a well rounded service for an all day shopping spree. The mall holds event, competitions and entertainment sessions apart from featuring blockbuster movies in its cinemas to attract more tourists and ensure their time is well spent.

If you want to shop till you drop, visit the Palm shopping mall for some of the best retail stores for accessories, clothing, candies, electronics and high end fitness and fashion salons. The Palm also has cafes and restaurant like Cocopelli, Gloria Jeans Coffee, Robert Haris Café and the Fox and Ferret that are almost always crowded because of the scrumptious food on the menus and the sheer amount of people visiting the mall.

Another top pick in malls in Christchurch, Merivale Mall has over 40 shops with designer brands of each category of men & women clothing, accessories, beauty services, hardware, gifts and ten different cuisines to chose from in the glamorous restaurants. Located peacefully in the Merivale valley, the mall has been designed such that shoppers feel at peace while they roam around and explore various shops, holding true to its tagline “expected to be tempted”.

Christchurch offers tourists several shopping options, from shopping centres to shops and luxury shopping districts. New Zealand has excelled in fashion worldwide. You can find the finest fashions on the famous High Street and Victoria Street, which have many different shops to suit your needs.