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 typically a servant carried the parasol for the ruler to protect him from it. Back then, the umbrellas were made of bamboo and the umbrella roof was usually made of oiled paper and was very fine.

As trade began, the umbrella gradually moved from east to west, first via Greece and Italy and then finally to all of Europe. The first actual mention of an umbrella occurred in Europe around the year 800. However, they did not catch on and were not fashionable until the late Middle Ages. This was probably mainly due to the high weight of around 5 kilograms.

In the 18th century, the umbrella was first discovered in France. Inspired by the Asian parasol to preserve the noble pallor that was of great value to the most prestigious classes of society at the time, the first folding 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 and became a valued accessory for women.

In England, the island of rain, umbrellas were still a taboo subject in the 18th century, especially for men. Umbrellas represented weakness, femininity and France. Three aspects that people in Britain at the time were not too open about.

In 1934 the umbrella was revolutionized. A certain Mr. Haupt patented a model of a folding umbrella and called it 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 story about the umbrella and its development over many centuries.

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

The differences actually lie in the details. For example, in the use of high-quality materials that are light, flexible and yet very robust. The individual components must fit together and create a harmonious overall picture.

Innovation can happen through design. It is precisely this vision that we at Sapor Design are committed to. Today's umbrellas are sophisticated products that work brilliantly.

Our aim is to rethink the product and bring it into the modern age. This is achieved through the use of particularly high-quality materials and reduction to the absolute essentials.

The combination of umbrella and parasol means that you only need a single umbrella that can be used 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.