Compositions: Steel - Wood - Polyester Color: Shown Brand: Pasotti Umbrellas Handmade in Italy EP 245 Unique umbrellas with a huge collection of designs, styles, handles. Single masterpieces entirely manufactured in Italy, in a unique sector, and distributed in the best boutiques worldwide. In the countryside of Mantova there is still someone who continues to produce handmade luxury umbrellas and export them in every corner of the world, using a brand name that will shortly celebrate its 65th anniversary: Pasotti. The company stands out for its creativity and consistent material search, all exclusively Italian: enameled brass handles, Swarovski® crystals, precious silk fabrics and marvellous decorations. "The company was started in 1956" – explains the owner, Mrs Eva Giacomini – "and was founded by my mother, Ernesta Pasotti, who began producing one-of-a-kind umbrellas that she sold directly, sometimes riding her bicycle. Then, with my father Vittorio, who mainly took care of sales, the company grew from a small artisan company to a large one with over one hundred employees. Today there is no room for such an industrial production so we have downsized and we mostly concentrate on limited edition umbrellas. We produce 40 thousand handmade umbrellas a year: they are very high quality products that are sold in the most prestigious boutiques in 75 countries. 93% of our turnover is done abroad, mainly Europe, North America, Russia and China. Besides the Pasotti collection, we are proud for a series of private-label cooperations with the most worldwide fashion brands". And the overseas market is truly continuing to grow, thanks to Nicola and Andrea Begotti, the next generation, taking part to the most important fashion weeks and investing a lot on the Web, thus increasing the brand recognition. Italian luxury umbrella manufacturing lives on from generation to generation. "It's a big enough Umbrella, but it's always me that ends up getting wet." Sting
