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Founded in 1992 by mother of 14 and grandmother of 30, Jane McAllister, Dimples has become known for its hand-sewn and embroidered babywear, crafted by skilled New Zealand makers. The brand has become a trusted destination for parents, with their thoughtfully selected range of nursery furniture, baby gear and parenting essentials sitting alongside the merino and organic cotton clothing, all instantly recognisable for their hand-embroidered iconic Dimples Bee.
The store has evolved many times over the years, becoming a quiet sanctuary where families can find advice, quality products, service and support through every stage of early parenthood.
After months of hard work behind the scenes restoring and renewing their beautiful Newmarket home, the store is set to reopen. To celebrate, Dimples are hosting a community launch event featuring complimentary coffees and matcha, $50,000 worth of spot prizes and gift bags for the first 200 customers through the doors.
We caught up with Jane to discuss how it all began, restoring the Newmarket store and what's next for the beloved brand.
Dimples Newmarket store reopens at 10am Saturday June 6, 25 Kent Street
Can you take us back to the beginning and tell us a little about how you got started?
As Mum to 14 children, I’m used to being busy and I wouldn’t have it any other way! When I was at home with small children I couldn’t find the quality clothing I wanted, so I would sew outfits for my own babies from beautiful fabrics, finishing pieces off with a hand-embroidered bee. So many friends told me I should sell them and eventually I realised they might be onto something.
Our first stockist was in Titirangi but soon we were selling to department stores Ballantynes and Smith & Caughey's, and it grew from there.
What was the vision for the business when you first started, and how has it evolved over the years?
Dimples started with a focus on premium clothing and hand-knits - things I could make from home while little ones napped. As we grew, our second lounge became a makeshift production hub and stockroom.
Nowadays, Dimples is still focused on merino and organic cotton babywear that’s proudly made and hand-embroidered in New Zealand. But we’ve expanded to become a one-stop-shop for everything baby - like car seats, strollers, cots, highchairs and nursery décor.
What hasn’t changed is our belief in creating products that truly last. We often hear from families passing our garments down through generations.
The retail industry has changed enormously over the past three decades. What are some of the biggest shifts you’ve witnessed?
Over 30 years in business we’ve seen real shifts in the retail industry. When we started, it was all about foot traffic, store location and what was on the shelf. Today, your storefront is everywhere - on someone’s phone at 10pm, in their Instagram feed or in a Google search.
People might first discover us online, but they still value the tactile, personal experience of coming into a store. There they can feel the fabrics, ask questions, take a stroller for a spin or connect with the team.
Your Newmarket store was badly damaged last year in what was a big shock to the whole Newmarket community, what was the biggest challenge from this?
It has indeed been a challenging time. Of course we were grateful no one was hurt, and that’s the main thing. But the loss and waste from fire and ash damage was devastating.
Our first priority was keeping our fabulous Newmarket retail team in work. For several months they worked out of our Avondale Head Office and we got some projects done that had long been on the “when we have time” wishlist!
Eventually we moved into a small Pop Up shop that allowed us to again connect with customers in person.
We’re so delighted to now be getting back into our Flagship store. Expecting parents often find it overwhelming to make all the buying decisions that come with a new baby and we can make that process so much easier for them when they can see and compare all the options in one space.
You are about to re-open your restored Newmarket space, can you tell us about the space and what is it about Newmarket that resonates with Dimples
One positive to come from the rebuild is the opportunity to reimagine the space, and we’re really excited about how it has come together.
We have two large zones for key European brands Nuna and Stokke – that are flagships for those brands in New Zealand.
We have grown the nursery area too, with mini room settings that help expecting parents to envisage the cots, dressers and nursing chairs in their own homes.
Dimples’ retail environments are designed to be calm, supportive spaces for parents. Where they can take their time, sit down and breastfeed if they need to.
Practical details matter too - like easy parking and car seat fitting services that genuinely make life easier for parents.
Have there been any standout milestones, memorable moments or proud achievements throughout your journey in business?
We opened our first store in Newmarket 20 years ago in just 60m2, then we shifted to a 120m2 space but always had our eyes on the fabulous corner site where we are now.
Taking on this 400m2 space we’re in again now was a bold undertaking. To more than triple our footprint was a leap of faith for us which has proved to be the right move. We followed this by opening a Christchurch store in 2021.
Last year we launched a brand new website – a huge project that we’re delighted to be seeing good results from now.
But the real standout for me is our people, we’ve got a great team and that’s what ultimately makes the business special.
Looking ahead, what excites you most about the future and the next chapter of the business?
Now that the Newmarket rebuild is complete, it feels like we can finally lift our eyes to the next chapter. We’re excited about future store opportunities, continued digital innovation, and finding new ways to support families through every stage of early parenthood.
We’re always evolving - because retail never stands still.
Dimples beautiful Newmarket store opens at 10am on Saturday June 6
Dimples, 25 Kent Street, Newmarket
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