Rickie Dee, Co-founder of Superette. Image supplied.
Exciting new retail precinct Commercial Bay finally opened today in Auckland’s CBD with the $1b development home to many local retail brands including fashion powerhouse Superette. The opening was due to happen in late March but after four years of construction it got pushed back due to the nationwide lockdown but that hasn’t dampened the excitement for this unique new retail development. For Superette Co-founder Rickie Dee the brand’s new store is another huge milestone, marking eight Superette retail stores since the brand was launched in 2002. Superette has become a destination for fashion forward shoppers who love the brand’s cleverly curated offering which serves up the best in local and international fashion and lifestyle products in a fun and stylish way.
We caught up with Rickie Dee to find out more about Superette’s new store, how the brand has evolved and why she’s excited about Commercial Bay?
Congratulations on celebrating 18 years in business this year, how are you marking the milestone?
Thank you! The years have flown by! Our official 18th birthday actually fell within the lockdown so it wasn’t quite the birthday we had planned but a special moment nonetheless. An 18th birthday is a bit of milestone and our venture in to the CBD feels quite “grown up” in some respects so it does feel quite fitting to be opening our new Commercial Bay store to mark the occasion. We have customers that have shopped with us for many years if not since day dot so it’s really nice to be able to give them something new and a bit different.
Take us back to 2002, what was the original plan and vision for your brand and how has it evolved since then?
We were only 21 when we started Superette so we have definitely learnt a lot over the years! We were winging a few things in the beginning and just figuring it all out as we went along. There are definitely still moments where we just go for it but for the most part it’s a lot more planned and thought out. It’s a much bigger chain with specialised teams involved in different parts of every project.
From the get go our vision for the brand has always been to inspire in everything that we do. From the spaces we choose for our stores to the designers we bring in and the imagery we create or post, the key focus is always to create and curate an experience that inspires each and every one of our customers.
Superette’s new Commercial Bay store.
How do you describe the Superette customer and what do you think they’re looking for from your brand?
This is one of the hardest questions we get asked! We stock such a wide range of brands and as a result we have a very broad definition of the Superette customer. There really is something for everyone and it’s exciting to be able to offer everything in one place from a new coat for winter to a throw or candle for their home.
What was behind the decision to open your next store in Commercial Bay and what makes you excited about it?
Commercial Bay presented an exciting opportunity to join a community of amazing hospitality and retail in the hustle and bustle of Auckland’s CBD. The project felt right from the get-go and we loved the design and aesthetics of the precinct, it was important to us that it didn’t feel or look like a traditional mall. We’re most excited to show off the store! It has quite a different look and feel to what our customers are typically used to but still has elements of our quitessential Superette style. We’ve used the amazing DesignOffice who also designed our Superette International store. It has an elevated feel with an amazing neon yellow and sage green as heroes of the design combined with raw concrete, timber and chrome features. It’s pretty special!
Superette’s new Commercial Bay store.
Images supplied.