Top Australian brands look to cash in on NZ capital's 'vibe' Retail Chloe Winter Bailey Nelson New Zealand general manager J.C.Hinsley, who says the brand saw a gap in the Wellington market for fashionable eyewear. 
Photo: David White/Fairfax NZ From the shores of Bondi Beach to the bustling streets of Wellington, a boutique eyewear store is looking to make its mark in the New Zealand capital.
Bailey Nelson set up shop in Wellington's Willis Street last week, joining other international retailers who have announced they will enter Wellington in 2016.
It is the company's third store in New Zealand, after they opened in Auckland and Christchurch.
Bailey Nelson New Zealand general manager J.C.Hinsley said the company had seen a gap in market for "stylish and affordable eyewear".
The company, founded in Bondi Beach in 2012, had grown into an international brand with more than 20 boutique stores worldwide.
Wellington was an ideal market because the city had a "Melburnian feel", Hinsley said. "Wellington is a fantastic place and has a great culture - it is a beautiful city with a wonderful vibe.
"We wanted to be in the central area and capture Wellingtonians and the tourists."
Bailey Nelson has taken a six- year lease on the Willis Street shop.
Colliers International retail leasing specialist Ty Dallas said the unprecedented demand for leasing space in Wellington's "golden mile" had been boosted by the pending arrival of upmarket department store group David Jones.
David Jones has bought Kirkcaldie & Stains.
A number of Australian retailers are also expected to open in the capital next year, including RM Williams, Seed Heritage and Mecca, plus a Countdown Metro supermarket.
The "Aussie players" would add a new dimension to the Wellington retail landscape, Dallas said.
"Unquestionably David Jones will add further vitality and prestige to New Zealand's premier retail strip, Lambton Quay."
Dallas said he was already receiving requests from Australian retailers seeking space in the "David Jones zone".
"Many Australian retailers refer to Lambton Quay as a Westfield mall without a roof."
First Retail Group managing director Chris Wilkinson said Bailey Nelson's arrival in the capital was great for Wellington's retail scene.
The eyewear store was close to other similar stores including Geraldine Booth Optical and OPSM, which he believed was part of a "cluster strategy".
"It gives consumers a really wide choice in a small space," he said. "There is a real cluster developing - it's good for Wellington and good for the sector."
The capital was "very much on the radar" for international retailers, Mr Wilkinson said. "It is a very, very reliable market - if you can succeed in Wellington, you can succeed in most places."