Hunters and Collectors

Hunters and Collectors is a Wellington institution. Locals know it for its whimsical window displays and comprehensive selection of vintage fashion. The shop’s owner Chrissy O is known for her flame-coloured hair and stylish spectacles. Her decades-long love for fashion has enabled her to seek out amazing finds. This makes Hunters and Collectors the spot for special and rare vintage pieces. Think Vivienne Westwood, Louboutin, Gucci, and Issey Miyake. There are also top Aotearoa designers like NOM*d, Zambesi, and Wynn Hamlyn.

Chrissy opened Hunters and Collectors in 1987, alongside her partner at the time. At first, they mostly sold collectables, but when her partner took a liking to leather jackets, things changed. As the story goes, Hunters and Collectors put a couple of jackets on display in the shop window. The next day they returned to a smashed windowpane and two missing jackets. Instead of bemoaning their fate, Chrissy and her partner saw it as a sign there was a market for good quality clothes. The journey towards collectable fashion had begun.

Like any passionate fashion aficionada, Chrissy understands the draw of a great consignment store. The thrill of finding a rare treasure in your size, of stumbling upon a designer piece you could never hope to afford new. It’s what keeps people coming back to the shop and explains why it’s remained open for so long.

Whether you’re on the hunt for a timeless classic or an outrageous statement piece, Hunters and Collectors has you covered. There’s also a gallery upstairs with a regularly changing exhibition schedule, and of course, those wonderful window displays. Even if you’re not in the market for a thrift purchase, Hunters and Collectors is worth visiting, simply as a shrine to the art of getting dressed.