Francesco Maglia

The founder of Ombrelli Maglia, Francesco Maglia, started the business at the age of 14 as an umbrella apprentice in 1850, in an umbrella factory in Montechiari near Brescia. The Maglia family were originally from Valganna, and were a family of coal miners and woodcutters.

In 1854, at the age of 18, Francesco Maglia became a partner of a small umbrella factory in Verolanuova and later moved to Pavia, where he started his own business. In 1876, the company relocated to Milan in Corso Genova 7, where it stayed until 2003, before moving to via Ripamonti 194. The Maglia family have always manufactured and umbrellas straw hats (although their hat manufacturing ended in 1923).

Traditionally, one son has always been called Francesco; one of the current owners is the fifth Francisco who runs the family company with his brother Giorgio. Giorgio, in turn, called his eldest son Francesco.

The current owner, Francesco Maglia, is not only lovingly dedicated to his work, but he also passionately researches and collects umbrella-related prints, postcards and gadgets. This collection, which he has meticulously built up over the years during his business trips, has more than three thousand pieces and has also been shown in exhibitions.