Shops we love: House of Hank

File under: retail, fashion, urbanism, Wellington

Wellington men might look very much more boring if it weren't for the efforts of Hank Cubitt and his team at House of Hank. Combining impeccable tailoring with a flair for the outrageous, Hank's creations are powerfully individualist but instantly recognisable. The fact that he can convince me to wear a denim jacket is proof enough that his garments defy expectations.

The shop itself is also a paragon of good urbanism. Located opposite the Willis St Village, it addresses the street in a way that is not just positive but extremely inviting, with stunning window displays and floor-to-ceiling windows that open right up on a calm day, blurring the boundary between shop and street. Much of the shop is taken up by a huge cutting table and rolls of intriguing fabrics, so it's not just a showroom but a workshop as well, connecting customers and passers-by to the process of tailoring. It's the perfect antidote to bland, placeless chain stores, though I have to admit that it's not exactly in the same price bracket as Hallensteins.

Hank somehow manages to find the time not only for his own fashion business (and an impressive social life) but is also organising a series of fashion shows with a difference. The second of a series based upon the four elements, Walk on Air is a showcase of local fashion (not just his own work, but also Starfish, Laurie Foon, Robyn Mathieson, Fashion HQ, Mandatory, Andrea Moore, Miss Wong and Soup), and it takes place in an hangar by the airport this Thursday. Some tickets are still available, but it looks like you'll have to be quick: it should be a spectacular show.