Hall of Fame

If your heart skips a beat and your eyes light up at the mention of shopping, this one’s for you. No doubt you’ll find your retail therapy fix at one of these fresh retail collectives.

AUCKLAND

Commercial Bay

Fresh faced and packed to the brim, shoppers can swing straight in from the ferry terminal or Britomart Station and wander through ultramodern laneways to seek favourite stores and discover new ones to crush on.

With three floors of gorgeous to explore, you’ll need extra time stamina here. Set to ultra-glam mode at Dior, Kate Sylvester, Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger. Accessory mecca awaits at Kate Spade, Nicole Rebstock, Deadly Ponies, Yu Mei, Furla, Wittner and Scarpa. For activewear, run into Lululemon, Lorna Jane, Edmund Hillary, Icebreaker and SOLECT. The abundance of boutique stores means happy shoppers can dip in and out of health and beauty, kids wear, homeware and gift stores all day. Spending $50 here gets you two hours free valet parking.

A driving force behind any great shopping venture is, of course, food and drink! No need to break the spending flow as this centre’s innovative design provides drink stations,sweet treats and fresh, fast eats throughout the precinct so you can eat, shop, eat, shop and be very merry.

Top tip: find time to gift yourself an indulgent ‘choctail’ (a hot cocoa served in edible biscuit cups) at Honest Chocolat.

Top dining room experiences in which to decompress after hours are Ahi, Origine, Gotchuand PONI, while a great tipple to ‘cheers to your successful day!’ can be found at The Lodge &Bar and at Reign & Pour.

© Commercial Bay

Ponsonby Central

Ponsonby’s hearth can be found here, with an eclectic, international mix of high-end street-style food and little galleries and boutiques focusing on Kiwi labels. You’ll be treated to something new and fresh every visit, as this precinct celebrates pop-up stores that rotate throughout the year.

Ponsonby Central © Tātaki Auckland Unlimited

More shopping magnets:

• Nuffield Street, Newmarket, Auckland • The Base, Hamilton • Bayfair, Mt Maunganui

WELLINGTON

Old Bank Arcade, Lambton Quay

This beauty is literally a cornerstone landmark in the capital. Gracefully retaining the grandeur from its days as the Bank of New Zealand, it now welcomes the pitter-patter of shoppers’ heels over its tiled floors.

Here, you’ll find boutiques including Ruby, Kathryn Wilson, Milli & Co, Sills & Co and the excellent shoe store, I Love Paris, all shining bright in their glass-fronted, old school arcade stores.

CHRISTCHURCH

The Tannery

This handsome collection of red brick buildings on the banks of the Heathcote River in Woolston gives industrial era vibes while housing something very modern inside.

It’s a bustling hive of creativity and hospitality showcasing top New Zealand labels such as Karen Walker, Trelise Cooper and Stolen Girlfriends Club - plus Status Anxiety, Noa Noa, Kilt, Nom*D, Kowtow and Elk. Menswear has a strong representation here, too which feels fitting for the Peaky Blinders-esque tone of the place.

Some great vintage pieces can be found in Wear Else, Recycle Boutique and natural treasures from Good Folks. Browse Uncommon Shop and Fashion Society and, for art pieces, the very colourful and cool Hapa.

Drop your stash back to the car (free parking here) before tucking into some kai. There are plenty of choices.

The Tannery © Nancy Zhou

The Crossing

Tall, sleek and modern, this has turned up the volume on Christchurch’s shopping game, creating an accessible hub with broad walkways and pristine shopfronts. Here you’ll find Seed Heritage, Witchery and Rodd & Gunn, Juliette Hogan, Workshop, Andrea Biani and Belleza; check out the fabulous Perriam, a luxury brand of New Zealand made merino clothing for man, woman and child.

More top shopping:

• The Precinct, Wānaka

• Wall Street, Dunedin

• O’Connells, Queenstown

Looking for more places to shop? Visit aa.travel.co.nz