A workshop for umbrellas manufactured in France

A historic brand from Poitiers

Before the 1920s all the seams were entirely made by hand.

Even if the third generation with Emile François was not really disposed to modernize our workshop

our first Durkopp and Pfaff electrical sewing machines and our Pegasus serger would arrive in the 1950s.

Thanks to these machines our yield has speeded up and it makes it possible to meet a strong demand.

From the 1920s to the 1980s there was more and more production and the François Umbrella Factory has employed up to 13 staff members during the prosperous times.

But at the end of the 1980s the Chinese importation started. As a consequence, cheap and unreliable umbrellas conquered the French crafts.

In France a lot of umbrella factories closed down. Despite this bad time and thanks to our insight our François Frères Factory has survived.

In 2000s the way of buying began to change in France. The consumers wanted to get Made in France. He now prefers to buy a product which, while more expensive than a Chinese product, is of course more solid and repairable. This has enabled us to get back to a normal manufacturing rhythm and to develop our business, with new means of communication and sales thanks to the Internet.

A know-how acclaimed by major brands, celebrities, the public…

We have manufactured umbrellas for major brands like Vuitton or Hermès.

Some celebrities have also worn a François Umbrella, such as Bernard Loiseau, Frédérick Gersal, Édouard Baer and Stéphane Bern.

Faithful to our 140 years of know-how, to our boutique and to our workshop for umbrellas made in France, we continue to work in an artisanal way, with the constant concern for new creations, in order to offer high quality, top-of-the-range products to our customers all over the world.

Take your turn to discover la Fabrique de parapluies François

It is now time for you too to come and discover the period window of our François Umbrella Factory in Poitiers, to enter our store and visit our workshop.

If unfortunately you are too far away, we have made our Online Store which will immerse you in the heart of our most beautiful umbrellas.

In any case, welcome to the François Umbrella Factory!