Leading NZ lifestyle fashion co opens in ChCh

Leading NZ lifestyle fashion company opening in prime Christchurch site

Lifestyle clothing brand Untouched World will officially open its long-awaited downtown Christchurch concept store in prime location on the corner of the Arts Centre on November 26.

Prime Minister Helen Clark will open the store which will also include the national headquarters for the Untouched World Foundation.

The foundation is helping convert Blumine Island in the Marlborough Sounds to a native wildlife sanctuary, providing young people a rare learning experience. Conservation minister Chris Carter will visit the island to inspect progress on December 1.

Untouched World has stores in Auckland, Queenstown and nearer Christchurch airport, on Roydvale Ave. The company sells in Japan, North America and Europe in fashion boutiques alongside Donna Karan, Calvin Klein and Lora Piana.

Run and owned by Peri Drysdale, Untouched World was named best Canterbury fashion retailer at the annual fashion awards last week. Ms Drysdale’s daughter Emily is the company’s award winning top designer. ``We are also the only New Zealand company supplying to the store Isetan in Japan. This is an account sought after worldwide.

Untouched World built their sustainable clothing brand reputation initially from the Roydvale Avenue store which has virtually no foot traffic in a low key street.

Ms Drysdale, a former South Island businesswoman of the year, said the Roydvale Avenue store was the antithesis to a good location yet had proved highly successful.

``We always said if we were successful from Roydvale Ave, we could be successful almost anywhere.

``Our new Arts Centre store opens on an iconic site in the cultural heart of Christchurch. Being in a prime spot, means our Untouched World ‘kite’ label is now accessible to everyone in Christchurch. ``We only move into special locations we are totally happy with and we've waited more than three years for this downtown location. ``We waited three years for the right site in Queenstown and a similar period in Auckland.’’ The Arts Centre chief executive Tony Payne said Untouched World’s opening would enhance the reputation of the Arts Centre.

Copyright 2004 Mouth Media NZ Note: World leaders at the 1999 APEC Forum in Auckland all wore Untouched World clothing and then US President Bill Clinton returned two years ago to buy more Untouched World clothing

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