Women’s activewear label Sweaty Betty will mark its entry into New Zealand with a flagship store in central Christchurch.

The 320sqm store, the brand’s biggest yet, will be located at a new Carter Group building. The two-storey office and retail building is under construction and is due to be finished by the end of the year.

Founded in 1998 in London, Sweaty Betty has about 150 boutique and department store outlets across Europe, North America, and Asia. The brand was sold to fashion group Wolverine Worldwide for $625 million in 2021.

David Steans, MD of Nevada Company – Sweaty Betty’s distributor in New Zealand, told The Press that Christchurch has great growth potential for the brand.

Steans added the label plans to open eight stores in New Zealand within the next five years.

Nicki Carter from Carter Group said attracting the brand to Christchurch is “fantastic news for the city and is a vote of confidence in the vibrancy of the CBD”.

“Their flagship store is one of the last pieces of the puzzle to complete the central city’s retail precinct,” she added.

• Further reading: Nike to open its largest NZ store yet, at Manawa Bay