A Bit of a Landmark: How OFISHAL Beachclub’s Umbrellas Became Part of the Brand
When your shade solution becomes your signature. Sharon Delaney on why Retro Umbrella was a no-brainer for OFISHAL.
The Decision
When Sharon Delaney was building OFISHAL Beachclub, the umbrella wasn’t a line item. It was a character casting.
Every element of a venue tells a story, and Sharon knew exactly what story she wanted to tell: nostalgic beachside energy. The kind of place that feels like it could have existed for decades — relaxed, full of personality, and unmistakably itself. The umbrellas needed to carry that same energy.
The Retro Umbrella was, in her words, a “no-brainer.” Not because of a spec sheet or a price comparison. Because the double-tiered silhouette, the scalloped edges, and the quality of the Ivory Mist canvas aligned perfectly with the personality OFISHAL was built on. They weren’t just functional. They were full of character.
When Shade Becomes Identity
Here’s the line that tells the entire story: Sharon says the umbrellas have become “a bit of a landmark in themselves.”
That’s not a product review. That’s a branding statement. When your outdoor umbrella becomes part of how people recognise and remember your venue, it’s no longer shade equipment. It’s brand identity.
This is what separates a design purchase from a commodity purchase. A generic umbrella from a café supply catalogue does the job. A Retro Umbrella does the job and becomes the thing people photograph, tag, and associate with the experience of being at your place.
For OFISHAL, the nostalgic beachside vibe of the umbrella matches the nostalgic beachside vibe of the menu, the fit-out, and the culture. Everything tells the same story. That’s how good venues are built.
Get the Look: Beachclub Energy at Home
OFISHAL’s energy isn’t exclusive to commercial venues. If your outdoor space has a personality — or you want to give it one — here’s how to channel the same approach:
Start with character, not colour charts: Sharon didn’t pick the umbrella that matched her paint swatch. She picked the one that matched her venue’s soul. Ask yourself what your outdoor space feels like, not what colour the cushions are.
Lean into nostalgia: Vintage-style furniture, natural materials, imperfect textures. The beachclub look thrives on pieces that feel collected over time rather than ordered as a set.
Let the umbrella lead: If your umbrella has personality (and a Retro Umbrella does), let it be the loudest piece in the space. Simplify everything around it. Clean table, simple chairs, minimal clutter.
Create the arrival moment: Position the umbrella where it’s the first thing people see when they walk outside. That initial visual impression sets the mood for everything that follows.
Built for Daily Use
OFISHAL is a working beachclub. Their umbrellas go up every morning, come down every night, face coastal wind, strong UV, and thousands of guests across a season. That’s the kind of environment that exposes bad product quality within weeks.
The Ivory Mist canvas is solution-dyed acrylic — colour fused into the fibre during manufacturing. It won’t fade, won’t streak, and won’t deteriorate the way polyester or printed fabrics do under sustained Australian sun. It’s the same material spec used across commercial awning and marine applications.
The V3 frame brings thicker aluminium construction and an upgraded aluminium runner, replacing the earlier plastic component. The quad pulley system allows fast, single-person setup, which matters when you’re opening a venue at 7am. And the double-tiered design isn’t ornamental — the gap between tiers vents rising hot air, creating measurable airflow that makes the shade underneath noticeably cooler.
It’s this combination of retro character and commercial durability that makes the Retro Umbrella work in spaces like OFISHAL. The look gets people through the door. The build quality keeps the umbrella standing after they leave.
As featured on The Block Season 21, the Retro Umbrella has earned its place in both residential showpieces and Australia’s most recognised hospitality venues.
Free shipping Australia wide. Commercial-grade quality. As featured on The Block Season 21.
