This autumn, homegrown accessory brand Deadly Ponies is set to open their first boutique in Queenstown. Currently boasting three bricks and mortar stores in Tāmaki Makaurau/Auckland and one in Pōneke/Wellington, the new boutique will be the brand’s first in the South Island. Having been Aotearoa’s authority on luxury leather bags and footwear since 2005, the new space underscores Deadly Ponies’ desire to cater to their wide-ranging and growing customer base. “Queenstown is a premium destination for local and international tourists and has always felt like the next step for us,” said the brand’s founder and co-director Liam Bowden. “We want this new central location to amplify our existing international profile, and give those seeking high-quality, sustainable New Zealand design the opportunity to take home Deadly Ponies.”
Though currently under construction, the new store will be located within the historic Mountaineer Hotel building on Rees Street, and is set to showcase works from multiple renowned New Zealand artists, including an original 1950s watercolour by co-director Steve Boyd’s late grandfather, Douglas Badcock — a celebrated Queenstown painter. “We plan to celebrate the very best of New Zealand art and design within our Queenstown store,” said Bowden and Boyd. “This space has been thoughtfully designed to exemplify Deadly Ponies’ signature interior handwriting and showcase our pieces to a global audience.”
To celebrate their inaugural establishment down south, the brand will also be launching an exclusive product available to its Queenstown customers. “We wanted to showcase Deadly Ponies’ craftsmanship and creativity through a fun project, working on something entirely new for us as a brand,” said Bowden. “The iconic Mountaineer Hotel has been around since the early 1900s, and we’re excited to pay tribute to its history by creating a piece that feels nostalgic, but also super luxurious and limited.”
While an exact launch date is yet to be confirmed, the brand expects to open the new store doors in early May 2024.
