New Zealand fashion and lifestyle brand Rodd & Gunn has unveiled the first chapter of its new global flagship store in Melbourne.
Located at 280 Collins Street in the CBD, the flagship has just opened the doors to a ground-floor retail stores and a lower-ground cellar retail and caffetteria.
Rodd & Gunn, the leading New Zealand brand renowned for its refined style and hospitality, is thrilled to unveil the first chapter of its most ambitious project yet – the opening of the lower levels of its global flagship at 280 Little Collins Street, Melbourne.
The cellar includes checkerboard floors, bluestone laneway walkways and booth seating. Michelin-starred executive chef Matt Lambert and head chef James Evangelinos will serve up an Italian-inspired menu in the lower ground space.
Above the cellar, the ground-floor Rodd & Gunn retail space includes elements such as corniced plasterwork, marble joinery and heritage-inspired balustrades, alongside modern product displays and warm-coloured aromatic timbers.
As well as a dining space, the cellar will also house a first-of-its-kind Cocktail Laboratory, led by mixologist Matt Bax – the creative behind Melbourne’s Bar Americano.
The space is outfitted with a rare distillation and infusion apparatus, allowing Bax and his team to create their own flavours.
“We can distil mandarins at the height of the season, test new vermouth blends or create infusions that add depth in unexpected ways,” Bax said. “Here, cocktails are not an afterthought, they sit at the very centre of the experience.”
Speaking on the cellar experience downstairs, Lambert said the menu is not about reinventing tradition, but focusing on consistency and respect for produce.
“For me, success is when the food feels effortless – where a plate of pasta or a glass of wine can carry as much weight as a ten-course menu because it’s made with care, balance and a sense of place. That’s what we’ve tried to capture in the Cellar.”
The upper levels of the new flagship space – the Members’ Bar and Dining Room – are set to open in early November.
Rodd & Gunn manages over 200 stores globally across 15 countries. The brand is also featured in both Myer and David Jones, as well as other stockists both locally and globally.