About Us



We are two women, friends, like you we are mothers, sisters, daughters, partners, dream weavers, free thinkers, playful spirits.  We are Bettie Monroe! And we are the centre of a larger network of love... from passion and hard work we created Bettie Monroe, and have been rocking it for more than 17 years!

We empower women to feel confident and happy through clothing and expression of personal style. We are not an age or size, we are not fast fashion, we are for everyone and timeless.

Many garments are versatile, they can be worn several ways or from daytime through to evening outings.  Being proudly New Zealand made, enables the highest quality and sustainably.

Our fabrics are a delight to the senses, vibrant to match your energy, soft to melt your heart, playful to lift your spirits. They wash and wear well, and last the distance, for what you need in your life. We love natural fabrics and put a lot of time into finding great fabrics. We have evolved to choosing our own fabric prints, sometimes changing the patterns by adding neat little touches and then choose each colour, so you won't find the fabrics elsewhere. 

Helen's dad grew and milled the trees to provide the rough sawn timber interior of our Boutiques, giving them a free, fun and organic feel. Lucy's brother Gareth, (a talented architect) designed our Boutiques intrinsic layout, to create the flow that facilitates the feel of Bettie Monroe. It is said that it takes a village to raise a child, in this case, it took a family to raise a dream ... and family to us is everything ... We invite you to be part of ours ... the Bettie Monroe family!

Each day provides new opportunity to surpass our dreams... and yours.

We genuinely love our work, we love our customers and the beautiful creations we get to share with you every day.


NZ MADE AND ETHICAL
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We have a strong commitment to Aotearoa, our country, our people. Bettie Monroe is New Zealand made and this matters to us.

We care about the people from start to finish, who help deliver these stunning garments to you. From the people who stitch our clothing, to our wonderful team who dress you in our boutiques.

We pride ourselves in our strong code of ethics, from sourcing fabrics which are produced as ethical as possible, right through to wrapping your garments. We are delighted to have a number of ethical fabrics in our latest range, bought from several companies committed to making sure the forests they source from are sustainable managed, where the trees are conserved and restored.

The fabrics are ethically dyed using organic dyes, reducing environmental pollution or digitally printed which lessens the environmental impact associated with traditional printing methods. Our latest fabric is 100% organic bamboo which offers a range of benefits, including exceptional softness, breathability, and moisture-wicking properties, providing comfort and freshness to the wearer. Additionally, organic bamboo fabric is eco-friendly, as bamboo is a fast-growing and a renewable resource that requires minimal water and pesticides to grow, making it a sustainable choice for conscious consumers.


OUR HISTORY
 
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Bettie Monroe was created in 2003 by Lucy Thomas who originally sold her garments at Auckland's Aotea Square Markets. A new chapter for the label began when fellow market designer and close friend Helen Fraser joined in 2008 with a vision to take Bettie Monroe beyond the markets and into boutiques. Bettie Monroe's flagship boutique opened in Whangamata in 2008, followed by Mount Maunganui a year later and in 2013 Cambridge Boutique opened. 

"Having quality time for work and for our children is such a balancing act, as every working mother knows. But the fulfilment of having a creative business and time for our children when needed, makes the hard work worth it."  We offer a rewarding shopping experience with our beautifully decorated boutiques, professional stylists, selection of inspiring fashion and fantastic customer service. We are more than a clothing shop; we are a family made up of unique women from all walks of life, celebrating diversity and empowering women to feel confident and beautiful through their individual style. 

Each garment adds a touch of magic to your wardrobe with vibrant colours and delightful prints. Much thought is given to the pattern-making process, designing clothing for different body shapes, where we celebrate the feminine silhouette. Over a decade and a half in fashion creation, we evolve by listening and responding to customer feedback. The result is clothes that are powerfully feminine, unique and inspiring women to feel confident and happy.  Our clothes look and feel great, with versatility - high quality but not too precious. Customers love the handmade details and signature prints that make our collections distinctive. 

With new styles arriving weekly, fresh new designs are always in the air. Fabrics are often limited edition, so some boutiques carry exclusive prints. With an endless stream of ideas and captivating designs, come share our love of fashion, laughter and life.