BEAUTIFUL SHADE, BY DESIGN
It started on a beach. Bondi, to be specific. Mike was hunting for a wedding gift, something genuinely beautiful and of quality that would last. Nothing existed. So, as all good origin stories go, he made one. That instinct, to design what doesn't exist rather than settle for what does, is what still drives Basil Bangs today. While our studio now lives on the Sydney's Northern Beaches, our approach hasn't changed: design from the ground up, make it beautiful, build it to last.
The name? He's a character we dreamt up - part James Bond, part 70s free surfer, a dash of Serge Gainsbourg. He has sophistication without pretence, is a thoughtful character with a lust for life, and in it for both a good time and a long time. He is still who we design for.
The real reason Basil Bangs exists goes beyond the umbrella. We believe the best moments in life happen outside, with the people you love. We make products that invite people to slow down, linger longer and be present with the people that matter.
That's what we mean by Beautiful Shade. Not just how it looks, but what it makes possible.
- Krista and Mike, Co-founders Basil Bangs
We make outdoor products that enhance outdoor experiences. But the thing we're really designing for is connection - to nature, to the people you love, to the simple pleasure of being outside. Umbrellas, rugs, cushions, deck chairs, tote bags. Each one made to the same exacting standard, with the same belief underneath it: that the spaces where people gather are worth getting right.
The real reason Basil Bangs exists goes beyond the umbrella. We believe the best moments in life happen outside, with the people you love. We make products that invite people to slow down, linger longer and be present with the people that matter.
- Krista
From the very first collection, we made a deliberate choice: colour, pattern, and design would not be an afterthought. At a time when outdoor umbrellas came in boring prints and cheap fabrics, we launched six designs built around bold prints, vibrant colour, and a conviction that being outside should look as good as it feels. Le Pixel, our best-selling print from day one, is still seen on the beach today - 16 years on. Some things just age well.
We were among the first to bring colour and design thinking to commercial outdoor spaces in Australia. For over 16 years now, Basil Bangs has been the shade solution of choice for some of Australia's most recognised venues: hotels, restaurants, resorts, and hospitality spaces that care as much about how a terrace looks as how it functions. Pictured here is iconic Watson's Bay Hotel, our very first commercial client. We are proud to still have them as a client today.
As a design-led business with a genuine love of art, we've collaborated with some of Australia's most respected artists and creatives — Ken Done, Louise Jones, Leah Bartholomew, and Jonathan Zawada among them — on designs that treat our umbrellas as the fantastic canvas they are.
Driven by Design
A unique perspective
We are designers who live for creative collaborations and are committed to creating products that are not only beautiful to look at, but also perform well over time.
Whether you are looking for your own backyard, a designer specifying for a hotel or you're opening a new restaurant, we would love to collaborate and bring your dream to life.
We are grateful to be based on the lands of the Gayemagal. We acknowledge the enduring custodianship of all First Nations peoples of this Country - their connection to land, water and sky long predates us, and will outlast us too. At Basil Bangs, we believe the best moments in life happen outside. That belief comes with a responsibility to the natural world we all share, and a commitment to working together to protect and nurture it. We pay our respects to Elders past and present, and acknowledge that the clan histories of this region are rich, layered, and still being told.
$0.00
