A Brief History of the Umbrella

Strictly speaking, the history of the umbrella begins with the history of the parasol. The first parasols were discovered in ancient depictions from China, some of which are up to 4,000 years old. For several millennia, they were considered a symbol of power, and a servant typically carried the parasol for the ruler to protect him. Back then, umbrellas were made of bamboo, and the canopy was usually made of oiled paper and very fine.

With the advent of trade, umbrellas gradually spread from east to west, first via Greece and Italy, and then eventually throughout Europe. The first actual mention of umbrellas in Europe dates back to around 800 AD. However, they failed to gain widespread acceptance and were not fashionable until the late Middle Ages. This was probably primarily due to their heavy weight of approximately 5 kilograms.

In the 18th century, umbrellas were first discovered in France. Inspired by the Asian parasol, which was used to maintain a noble pallor, which was highly valued at the time among the most distinguished social classes, the first collapsible umbrella with water-repellent properties was designed in Paris. A French princess purchased this model in 1712, and from then on, the umbrella's reputation spread rapidly throughout France, becoming a prized accessory for women.

In England, the island of rain, umbrellas were still taboo in the 18th century, especially for men. Umbrellas represented weakness, femininity, and France – three aspects that were not particularly open to discussion in Britain at the time.

In 1934, the umbrella was revolutionized. A certain Mr. Haupt patented a model of a folding umbrella and named it the Knirps. Thus, the first umbrella with a telescopic frame was born. A company from Solingen took over series production, and the increasing demand for the product led to great success.

This is a summarized history of the umbrella and its development over many centuries.

Nowadays, umbrellas are technically sophisticated and do not require any special innovations in terms of their functionality.

The differences really lie in the details. For example, the use of high-quality materials that are lightweight, flexible, yet extremely robust. The individual components must fit together and create a coherent overall appearance.

Innovation can happen through design. This is precisely the vision we at Sapor Design are committed to. Today's umbrellas are sophisticated products that function exceptionally well.

Our goal is to further develop the product and bring it into the modern age. We achieve this by using particularly high-quality materials and reducing it to the absolute essentials.

The combination of umbrella and parasol means that you only need one umbrella that you can use all year round.

The striking design and our elaborately designed column handles symbolize the connection between tradition and modernity.

Umbrellas as high-quality design accessories where quality, functionality and aesthetics go hand in hand.

True to the motto:

The only umbrella you'll ever need.