Francesco Maglia

Via Ripamonti, 194, Milano (Milano)

Francesco Maglia

A beautiful surprise. It’s hard to think that inside what looks like a garage in via Ripamonti, in Milan, there’s a story of a family devotedto the creation of unique items: umbrellas. There will be Francesco Maglia himself, sixth generation of a timeless craftsmanship, to guide you on a journey among chestnut wood sticks, broom or roots of distant plants. The structures made of arches and rods are "dressed" on the planks, witnesses of the origins of the Umbrella factory (1876). Then, the hand stitching and attention to the smallest detail create the perfect umbrella.

Francesco Maglia Milano - ombrelli dal 1854

Via Ripamonti, 194, Milano (Milano)

Born in a family of charcoal burners and woodcutters from the Valganna area, Francesco Maglia left his home in search of work at the early age of 14. In 1850 he began his career as an umbrella apprentice in an umbrella factory in Montechiari, in the province of Brescia.

In 1854 Francesco Maglia entered as partner in a small umbrella factory in Verolanuova and later moved to Pavia where he started up his own business.

In 1876 the firm moved to Corso Genova 7 in Milan and remained there until 2003, the year it moved to via Ripamonti 194. In August 1943 the business was moved to Como for about two years, as the company was rebuilt after being bombarded along with a large part of the city centre. The Maglia family has always manufactured umbrellas, parasols and straw hats (hat production ended in 1923).

By tradition, there has always been a son named Francesco, and the current owners are in fact Giorgio Maglia and his son Francesco who together represent the fifth and sixth generations active in the company.