Twenty years ago, a frustrated New Zealander stood on a rain-soaked London street watching yet another umbrella turn inside out, and decided there had to be a better way.
That man was Greig Brebner, and that moment became BLUNT.
Two decades, multiple international markets and awards, and a B Corp certification later, BLUNT has just made its boldest move yet: purchasing and transforming a landmark Auckland building in Epsom into a world-class global headquarters, complete with the brand’s first-ever public showroom.
“A move as deliberate and considered as the products themselves”
Designed by Auckland studio Wonder Group and built by Bufton Construction, the space honours the building’s storied past, having been home to Cordy’s, New Zealand’s longest-standing fine art and antiques auction house, for over 35 years. There is something quietly poetic about a brand built around longevity and craftsmanship taking the reins from an institution that spent decades preserving beautiful things.
The new headquarters houses more than 20 head office staff and serves as the operational hub for BLUNT’s growing footprint across New Zealand, Australia, the UK, US, Europe and Asia. But it is the store and showroom, open Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm, that feels like the real statement. Visitors can browse the full BLUNT range and, in a world of throwaway retail, have their umbrella repaired on the spot. Engineering joy, in the most literal sense.
As BLUNT marks 20 years, this is a brand that has always known exactly what it stands for: precision, durability, and the radical idea that an everyday object can be genuinely, lastingly brilliant and beloved the world over.
Visit, browse the full range, and have your umbrella restored on the spot at 180 Great South Road, Epsom.
