STYLE IS BACK IN THE CITY
WORDS Joshua Brosnahan PHOTOS Rishi Samuel Patel
Harry Winston is famously quoted saying, ‘People will stare. Make it worth their while.’ And in amongst a month of suits and hats, dresses and races, it feels apt that Working Style’s new concept store has triumphantly returned to the city.
Next to the bustling Riverside Market and with a view of the Bridge Of Remembrance, the new Working Style store is the work of award-winning Canterbury-based architecture firm PRau Studio. The space has been deftly transformed at the hands of head architects Phil Redmond and Madeleine Clarke.
This is the third location in the Garden City and situates the brand perfectly between other premium menswear offerings and some of the city’s best hospitality options. It’s a new home for the label that is well- positioned to weather any storm.
Like all good tales of New Zealand ingenuity, the Working Style story revolves around satisfying a basic human need: to have a sartorial edge over your fellow man. From humble beginnings as a shirting company knocking on the doors of Christchurch offices, Working Style is now considered New Zealand’s heritage brand when it comes to made to measure suits, shoes, and other key pieces. Chris Dobbs is Managing Director and is proud of this contribution to Ōtautahi’s city centre.
“I feel the new store is carefully considered and curated, with the fit out from the company’s beloved Merivale store also being incorporated into the design. Nothing has been wasted as we build on a rich heritage of craftsmanship and service.”
Design elements within the new store include carefully considered use of premium materials like Travertine marble, rolled steel walls, milled brass bespoke fittings, and handmade concrete plinths. Mid-century light fittings and furniture have been sourced exclusively for Working Style, with beautiful walnut veneer and limestone chip sitting easily alongside more contemporary elements like polished concrete flooring and digital displays.
The design marks a subtle change in direction, with a clean and contemporary edge clearly felt in the new store. Chris adds that Working Style is thrilled to be reinvesting in Christchurch.
“Throughout Cup Week and beyond, our team look forward to providing the high standard of service you expect from us – and deserve. In these uncertain times, it has been great to be putting a post in the ground with a new store, signalling a new direction for a brand that has always held its head above the tide of an everchanging fashion environment.”
With tailoring consultant Amanda on hand, you can work on perfecting a custom suit that will see you from the races to functions, to formal events and more – curated and tailored to last you a lifetime, if you let it.
With a knowledgeable and talented team under the guidance of the store manager, Sean Gray, a future for the brand in the south is most definitely assured.