Exhibitor’s Stories

Mr. Leung, Sing Gor (4th generation owner)

Huang Feihong Umbrella | Leung So Kee Umbrella Factory

Leung So Kee umbrella factory was founded in 1885 in Guangzhou. Mr. Leung So, the founder, was born in the 1940s. Guangzhou and Macau; Kowloon; and Hong Kong Island shops were handed over to his fourth, fifth and sixth sons respectively. Until the mid-1980s, only the Kowloon shop remained. Sing Gor is the fourth generation of Leung So Kee.

In the 1970s, Sing Gor returned to Hong Kong after studying abroad. His father did not want him to idle so he asked him to help in the factory. Although he was the boss’ son, he started from the bottom. He swept on the first day of work. The master wanted him to pick up parts that fell on the floor and learn not to waste. Then Sing Gor learned to repair, cut and sew umbrellas. The master would punish him if he did not do well.

Sing Gor did not like to work in the factory when he started, but he became interested in designing umbrellas later on. So he decided to keep the factory running with the tradition of “Made in Hong Kong”. He also honoured the promise of “life-time repairing service” over a decade.

His favourite “Huang Feihong Umbrella” was Jet Li’s weapon in the film “Once Upon a Time In China”. It was a traditional British umbrella. Sing Gor improved this traditional umbrella to make it wider but lighter, this then became the masterpiece of Leung So Kee.