Best of British

Jamie Milestone’s handcrafted umbrellas will stand out in April showers

A brolly good fellow

JAMIE MILESTONE’S fascination with umbrellas began when he was 17, when he was given one at school with his house colours on it, which he says felt ‘symbolic of becoming more mature’.

He went on to study graphic design at Leeds University, before working as a freelance designer, but couldn’t shake his interest in umbrellas. ‘I’d doodle them in the back of my sketchbook,’ he recalls. ‘Eventually, I saved enough money to start a business making them.’

In 2008, Milestone launched London Undercover, making umbrellas with unique designs. One of his early creations had red-and-white gingham on the outside of the canopy and a picture of a full English breakfast on the inside, complete with a fried egg, tomato and baked beans. Later, he collaborated with Transport for London to create The Commuter, which had pinstripes on the outside and the fabric pattern of an underground train seat on the inside. Since then he has worked with fashion labels including Fred Perry and Vans, and sells an estimated 15,000 umbrellas each year.

One of Milestone’s favourite designs is the City Lux, a bright yellow model that costs £145 and measures 42 inches when open, and has a shaft (the pole in the centre) carved from English beechwood. ‘We always drill two slots in the top and bottom of the shaft and nail in two copper springs, so that the handmade frame [which holds the canopy] can open and close,’ he explains. The eight ribs are then threaded on to a runner and attached to a notch, which is drilled and nailed in place.

The canopy of the umbrella, made of waterproof polycotton, is cut into eight panels by hand using a large knife. ‘These are stitched together on a sewing machine until it looks a bit like a parachute and it is stretched and sewn on to the frame. Finally, Milestone and his team turn their attention to the handle. Also made in England, it arrives ready-carved, so it can be simply attached to the shaft with hot glue.

The finishing touch is to secure the canopy with a leather fastener and brass clasp, which can be foil-stamped with the buyer’s initials.

It is a complex process, but Milestone’s favourite part remains the design – and coming up with even more unusual patterns. ‘I just want to cheer people up on a rainy day,’ he says, with a smile. londonundercover.co.uk

Clockwise from main Milestone modelling the City Lux umbrella – his favourite design; new ideas underway; the craftmanship of the finished umbrella Interview by Jessica Carpani. Photographs by Christopher Bethell