Creative Cornish brand, Seasalt has announced an extension to its longstanding and successful partnership with New Zealand based retailer, Ballantynes. The agreement will see Ballantynes become the exclusive distributor for Seasalt across the country and open a number of Seasalt branded stores – in addition to the concessions already available in Ballantynes retail outlets. The first of these dedicated stores will open autumn 2023 in the Milford Centre, Auckland, with further locations to be confirmed.
Seasalt’s relationship with Ballantynes stretches to almost a decade with the chain becoming the first wholesale account in 2014 and more recently with the launch of Seasalt’s first international concept store, which opened as a branded area within the Ballantynes Christchurch store in 2021. Ballantynes will continue to sell the brand through its stores and online channels and will open a number of partner-owned Seasalt shops over the coming years.
Seasalt has gained a loyal following since launching in New Zealand and the Auckland store will be the brand’s third physical presence in the country adding to Seasalt branded spaces in Christchurch and Timaru Ballantynes stores on the South Island.
Paul Hayes, CEO, Seasalt Cornwall said: “We are very excited about this next stage of growth for Seasalt in New Zealand. We’ve had an incredible response from customers in the country to date, who love the Seasalt story, alongside the creativity and quality in our product. In Ballantynes, we have developed a strong partnership, they share our vision and values and bring essential local market expertise. We are confident this deal will build on our existing foundation in the market, accelerate our growth and cements our commitment to invest in high streets across the world.”
Ballantynes Chief Executive Officer, Maria O’Halloran, explains: “We are very proud of the relationships that we forge with International Suppliers. Our team appreciate how much they entrust us with their brands and we work hard to nurture them in the New Zealand market. Seasalt is an example of this. We are thrilled with the Milford store – it looks fabulous, we know the product will be well received and our Ballantynes team of staff are enjoying getting to know their new Customers. The response has been very positive and we are already excited about our next Seasalt store!”
At Seasalt, every piece of clothing is designed with sustainability in mind. With clothing created from recycled fibres, responsibly managed plant sources and GOTS-certified organic fibres, each element is carefully considered to create styles that stand the test of time. This sustainable, forward-thinking approach extends to the shop design. The new store in Auckland will represent next generation retail design for Seasalt and will reduce the stores carbon footprint by more than two thirds. This follows in the footsteps of Seasalt’s recent store openings in the UK and concept spaces in the Ballantynes department stores. All fixtures and fittings will be chosen for their sustainable features and with longevity and flexibility in mind. The new store will utilise NZ-sourced materials, created by working with local makers, to create versatile furniture and fittings that can be moved, reused or repurposed.
