RODD & GUNN OPENS MANHATTAN FLAGSHIP STORE

New Zealand-based menswear brand Rodd & Gunn opened its New York City flagship “lodge” at 125 Fifth Avenue in Manhattan’s Flatiron District on May 31st. The official opening party, held Thursday, June 20th, saw signature cocktails and culinary fare crafted by the brand’s executive chef, Matt Lambert. Reality television star Carl Radke (of Bravo TV’s Summer House) stopped by, as did the crew of brand-sponsored sailing team Sail GP New Zealand (who won the Mubadala New York Sail Grand Prix on June 23rd).

The store is just over 23,000 square feet and features the brand’s SS24 collection, ‘Journey to Paradise.’ Taking its design inspiration from the raw, natural beauty of the New Zealand landscape, the brand’s design team has blended Kiwi heritage with sartorial style, offering ‘woven in Italy’ pure linen shirts and cotton-linen blend jackets, pure Australian cotton polos, luxe leather accessories, and quality footwear.

The brand’s CEO, Michael Beagley, said,” We’d been looking for a site in New York for 10 years, and we finally got one.” He stated that the search lasted that long because he wanted to ensure that the location he selected had the best chance to be profitable when he did sign on the dotted line. “We never open stores for ego,” he added. “They need to make money and build brand awareness.”