The origin of the umbrella dates back to at least the 1st century in China, where the founding emperor of the Xin dynasty is said to have designed an articulated and removable device, which served as both an umbrella and a parasol, installed on a cart during a religious ceremony (it should be noted that the origin of the ombrelle , intended to protect from the sun only, goes back much further than that of the umbrella: traces of it can be found as early as 4000 BC, in Mesopotamia!).
But when was the umbrella as we know it invented?
Several mentions of umbrella-type protective devices then appear in writings from the medieval period in Europe, with oilcloth used instead of the silk of ombrelle: the fate of the two devices then gradually separates.
Finally, it was a Parisian French merchant named Jean Marius who invented the “broken umbrella” in 1705, which is very similar to the umbrella as we know it today: foldable into three segments and equipped with metal branches that fold thanks to a hinge connected to the central pole, it can be taken anywhere in case a downpour occurs during a walk.
The umbrella was born in 1705 in France, and although it has undergone some developments and remarkable innovations since then, it is clear that the 1705 version already contained all the elements that still constitute the essence of an umbrella today!
Once we have established when the umbrella was invented in its current form, we now need to understand how the invention was subsequently popularized, until it became a common accessory, used all over the world.
To understand the popularization of this accessory in the form we know today, it is important to look back at the invention of the umbrella by Jean Marius in 1705. Five years after this invention, in 1710, the Parisian merchant obtained a royal privilege, which allowed him a monopoly on the manufacture of this object, for a period of five years. From this time, Jean Marius's “broken parasol-umbrella” became a popular accessory among the court nobility, who thus completed their range of accessories ensuring that they remained chic in all circumstances. At the end of the five-year privilege, other artisans began to manufacture umbrellas, without really straying far from the model invented by Jean Marius.
Although we know from the Court's archival documents Marius-style umbrella was invented , it can be established that the umbrella was originally adopted by women, mostly from the nobility, as an accessory intended to protect them from the rain. But in the 18th century, English gentlemen took it up in turn, until the men's umbrella became popular again... in France, where it even became a fashion accessory during the Revolution.
Do you know when the telescopic umbrella was invented ? And did you know that in the 19th century, umbrellas were equipped with a wide range of accessories of all kinds, intended to increase their personalization? Watch, tobacco pouch, light, but also padlocks or alarms intended to prevent their theft: the umbrella then became an integral part of ordinary city equipment, as much as a fashion accessory that reveals something of the personality of the person wearing it.
Finally, the 20th century saw the emergence of the most recent technical innovations: nylon replaced oilcloth, telescopic handles appeared, and ribs became foldable. Since 1986, Maison Le Parapluie de Cherbourg has been proud to continue writing the history of the umbrella made in France, and intends to continue doing so for many years to come!
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