Hand-made umbrellas from Milan.

Lombardy has a long umbrella-making tradition. The family firm of “Fabrica Ombrelli Maglia” has been making them since 1854 and has managed so far to hold its own against the wave of cheap imports from the Far East – although the umbrella-makers’ trade has been so badly affected that there are only a handful of craftsmen left in Europe, and no one wants to learn the trade in Germany. The quality of Maglia umbrellas is ‘miles’ away from the cheap imitations, in every sense! The 12 craftsmen they employ make the umbrellas – uniquely in Europe – entirely by hand from tip to handle using a total of 70 separate work procedures. The result is what you’d expect: out of this world. We’d like to mention just 2 features: first, the carefully-planed construction means it’s practically impossible for the umbrella to blow inside out. Second, the fabric: this comes from a workshop in Como that normally specializes in tie fabrics, and is specially woven for Francesco Maglia. The beautiful patterns are, needless to say, woven in – not artificially printed on later.

Care Note:

It is not correct to dry out a wet umbrella by leaving it up. This only stresses the fabric! It should be hung up basically closed, but with the fabric lightly pulled out to form little funnels. An umbrella should of course only be rolled up when dry.