Hunters and Collectors is a Wellington institution. Locals know it for its whimsical window displays and comprehensive selection of vintage fashion. The shop’s owner Chrissy O is known for her flame-coloured hair and stylish spectacles. Her decades-long love for fashion has enabled her to seek out amazing finds. This makes Hunters and Collectors the spot for special and rare vintage pieces. Think Vivienne Westwood, Louboutin, Gucci, and Issey Miyake. There are also top Aotearoa designers like NOM*d, Zambesi, and Wynn Hamlyn.
Chrissy opened Hunters and Collectors in 1987, alongside her partner at the time. At first, they mostly sold collectables, but when her partner took a liking to leather jackets, things changed. As the story goes, Hunters and Collectors put a couple of jackets on display in the shop window. The next day they returned to a smashed windowpane and two missing jackets. Instead of bemoaning their fate, Chrissy and her partner saw it as a sign there was a market for good quality clothes. The journey towards collectable fashion had begun.