# Upside Down Umbrellas The Unbrella by H-Concepts Boasts a Much More Practical Design By Meghan Young | Published 2013-11-06 | Art & Design Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/unbrella-by-hconcepts References: [neatorama](http://www.neatorama.com/2013/11/04/The-Unbrella-May-Be-the-Next-Generation-in-Umbrella-Design/) & [h-concept.jp](http://h-concept.jp/productshop/index.html) Umbrellas may be a completely practical invention, but they are not always reliable; the Unbrella by H-Concepts, a company hailing from Japan, hopes to change that by turning it on its head--quite literally. The designers have essentially turned in upside down and inside out to create more stability when used in [unpredictable weather](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/weatherman-trek-umbrella). Although a rather revolutionary concept, with the stretchers on the top rather than on the bottom, the Unbrella by H-Concepts simply rearranges assets it already has. With this difference, the [untraditional umbrella](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/ori-umbrella) now folds upwards rather than downwards. As such, the wet surface of the Unbrella is contained inside the fabric, which offers yet another benefit to such a design tweak. Not to mention that the Unbrella by H-Concepts can stand up on its own, so there is [no need for a prop](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/the-grid). ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 4.0/10 - Popularity: 47% | Activity: 66% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: Asia ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Art & Design](https://www.trendhunter.com/artdesign) > [Design](https://www.trendhunter.com/design) ## Key Themes ### Key Themes Behind This Trend - **Inverted Umbrellas:** Opportunity for creating innovative designs that offer more stability in unpredictable weather. - **Foldable Upwards:** Chance to create a new category of umbrella that folds upwards rather than downwards, containing the wet surface inside the fabric. - **Self-standing Umbrellas:** Potential for developing new umbrella designs that can stand up on their own, eliminating the need for a prop. ### Where This Applies - **Fashion:** Opportunity for fashion designers to create stylish versions of the inverted or self-standing umbrella. - **Outdoor Gear:** Innovation opportunity for outdoor gear companies to develop more durable and reliable umbrella designs for unpredictable weather. - **Travel Accessories:** Chance for travel accessory companies to develop portable and compact versions of the inverted or self-standing umbrella for easy packing and transportation. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Wall-Mounted Umbrella Stands](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/umbrella-1.md) - [Space-Inspired Folding Umbrellas](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/bloombrella.md) - [Connected Dual Functioning Umbrellas](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/hulasol.md) - [Transforming Umbrella Stands](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/split-1.md) - [Umbrella Standpoint Accessories](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/standpoint.md) - [Disappearing Umbrella Stands](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/coilo.md) - [Branch-Like Umbrella Stands](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/aghsan.md) - [Artful Sculptural Umbrella Stands](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/inbetween-umbrella.md) - [Umbrella-Affixed Tracker Cases](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/apple-airtag-accessory.md)