Collaborations
Spring 2021
"A lot of my work is monochromatic, so creating an umbrella felt most natural for me if it was classic and not too bright. I wanted to create an artwork that was made up of words, but at the same time the words go together to create a kind of graphic element rather than a bunch of words you felt like you needed to read every line. It’s fun and not too serious."
- Nathan Johnson of Blacklist Studios
Winter 2021
“I loved the challenge of working with a new and unusual canvas! Playing around with how the umbrella would look at different angles, open, and closed was really fun. I was given a lot of creative freedom by the Blunt team to go wild with the patterns and colours, so seeing it come to life was amazing. I hope this umbrella injects a bit of psychedelic fun and colour into people’s rainy days.”
– Ellen Porteus
Full Interview here
Autumn 2021
"During lockdown in Melbourne in 2020, I was lucky enough to have a farmer’s market within my 5km radius. The market became my one and only permitted adventure during the week, so I spent as much time as possible there on Sundays. Every week there was a man selling some of the most amazing mushrooms I’ve ever seen, giant pink ones, weird wrinkly ones and fungi of all colours and descriptions, I would come home every week with a new variety to try (and also just look at!). At the same time, I’d just planted a flower garden to attract insects to my garden, so when it came to sketching these two things became my biggest inspiration, some could say I was mildly mushroom obsessed for a while!"
- Kelly Thompson
Full interview here
Spring 2020
"I wanted to create something BLUNT customers would have never seen before on an umbrella, I wanted it to “breathe life” and be something a BLUNT customer would use to provide a certain level of self-expression. I am pretty expressive myself with my art and with my physical appearance and I find my work is most appreciated when I don’t hold back. I wanted to make BLUNT customers feel like they weren’t just buying an umbrella, but also a piece of art."
- Jordan Debney
Full interview here.
Winter 2020
"I put myself in the position of pulling out an umbrella on a rainy day. I am feeling cozy and I have to go out into the wet, it is dark and rainy so I want my umbrella to bring a bit of light into my day. I wanted the BLUNT + Studio Jasmine umbrella to bring joy through the abstract painted foliage design in colours that instantly make me feel happy and positive."
- Jasmine Dowling of Studio Jasmine
Full Interview here.
Winter 2020
The BLUNT + Flox Limited Edition pays homage to the beautiful landscapes
in Aotearoa as well as across the ditch in neighbouring Australia.
Featuring a mix of both native New Zealand and Australian birds and botanicals, the artwork is a lush synergy of nature and colour.
Read interview here.
Autumn 2020
“I designed the Blunt + fortyonehundred umbrella as a reminder of connection; between the rain falling, with the soul in the middle, grounded to the earth below. Fractal patterning allows us to visualise the unbreakable and immense interconnection between humans and nature. A beautiful fusion of art, science, mathematics and people”
- Lizzie Snow AKA fortyonehundred
Full interview here.
Spring 2019
"The gloss black print on matte black umbrella catches the light beautifully and has a wet look. We have also incorporated elements of our fine jewellery collection, with the detachable leather strap featuring silver ‘Ninja Star’ charms and a branded snap-dome.”
- Marc Moore, founder + creative director at Stolen Girlfriends Club
Spring 2019
Inspired by George’s ‘Freedom of Expression’ collection, where he explores the different identities influenced by street culture. Using multiple printing techniques, George created a distinctive camo print allowing the colours and textures to blend and fabricate into a unique print.
Winter 2019
“My husband breeds tropical fish, and for the past year our studio has been shared with quite a few aquariums, which is lovely to be surrounded by, and has definitely had some influence in creating this work. I wanted the design to be watery and dreamy but also quite graphic with eye-popping colour so it would really be noticed when coming down the street.”
Autumn 2019
“When traveling, I’ve always loved scenes of people playing chess at the seaside in Europe and under the trees in Central Park and wish we had more of that in my hometown…Perhaps we have a little more rain than they do around the Med or the Black Sea but why should a spot of rain get in the way of an afternoon at the chessboard? Enter our latest Karen Walker + BLUNT Umbrella and the problem’s solved. Talk about a great defence”
- Karen Walker
Spring 2017
Flox’s trademark native birds, ferns and flowers, all in a celebration of Aotearoa’s environmental taonga, transform a rainy day into a vibrant depiction of the natural world.
Spring 2017
Dick Frizzell is one of New Zealand’s most-loved artists. Inspired by weather catch-crys, Frizzell created this classic sign-style print celebrating slogans, popular sayings, famous weather reports and song lyrics, such as ‘always take the weather with you’, ‘the sun will come out tomorrow’, ‘I’m singing in the rain’,‘blame it on the rain’, and ‘there’s a weather bomb out in the Tasman’.