Emperor Designs · Walking Sticks & Umbrellas
Emperor Designs · Handcrafted in Italy · Beechwood & Gilded Ornaments

Walking Sticks & Umbrellas
Symbols of power and elegance

In Rome, a consul did not carry a stick out of weakness — he carried a sceptre as proof of his absolute authority. And a lady of standing never walked in the sun herself. We make objects for people who understand that.

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The history of the walking stick

A symbol of power, not weakness

In the modern West, we often associate a walking stick with old age or physical limitation. In Rome, the opposite was true. For the elite, the walking stick was not an aid, but an active symbol of authority and rank. Whoever carried a staff showed who he was.

There were two famous types of staff in the Roman Empire, each with its own deep meaning — and each the inspiration for a line by Emperor Designs.

I
Scipio Eburneus
The Sceptre of the Consul
The highest elected officials of Rome — the consuls — carried a fully ivory staff with a sculpted eagle at the top. The Scipio Eburneus was the ultimate symbol of absolute authority, carried during triumphal processions and state ceremonies. The emperors adopted this symbol to legitimise their own power. A consul did not carry a stick. He carried a statement.
"For the modern leader who sets his steps with purpose and authority."
II
Vitis
The Staff of the Centurion
The centurion was the backbone of the Roman army — the experienced officer who commanded 80 to 100 legionaries. His unique badge of rank was not a sword, but a staff of vine wood: the Vitis. He used it as a pointer and as a symbol of his right to command. The entire army swore loyalty to the emperor — the Vitis was thus a direct symbol of the discipline that held the immense Empire together.
"A symbol of discipline, experience and the strength to lead."
The history of the parasol

The Umbraculum — decadent luxury as a public statement

The parasol already existed in the Roman Empire — but the symbolism was very different from today. The Latin name was Umbraculum, from umbra: shadow. And that shadow said everything about who you were.

"Luxury is not the object, but the experience."
The philosophy behind the Umbraculum · Rome, 1st century AD

The Umbraculum was an exclusive accessory for the wealthiest women of Rome — the matronae. It was considered extremely unmanly for a man to use one. A 'true' Roman man was expected to be able to endure the sun.

But the real luxury lay not in the parasol itself. The true luxury was the bearer. A lady of standing never carried her Umbraculum herself. She always had a specially trained slave who walked behind her and held the parasol above her head. Owning a parasol was thus a direct and public statement: "I am so wealthy that I have staff for my personal comfort."

And on an imperial scale? The Colosseum had its own gigantic Umbraculum. An enormous canvas sail — the Velarium — was stretched across the amphitheatre by hundreds of sailors to protect the tens of thousands of spectators and the emperor in his box from the blazing sun. The emperor even had his own sky.

"A personal Velarium for the modern patrician."
Emperor Designs · Holland
Historical overview

Two objects, one philosophy

Walking stick and parasol — in Rome they were not everyday objects. They were language. They told who you were, what rank you held, how much power you possessed. Emperor Designs carries that language forward.

Object Latin name Roman meaning Emperor Designs
Walking stick Scipio Eburneus Sceptre of consul and emperor — absolute authority Beechwood with gilded eagle ornament
Walking stick Vitis Badge of rank of the centurion — discipline and leadership Robust beechwood with classic ornament
Parasol Umbraculum Symbol of extreme luxury and status for the matrona Elegant umbrella with gilded shaft and ornaments
Walking sticks and umbrellas — beechwood with gilded ornaments
Emperor Designs · Italy

Walking Sticks & Umbrellas

Each piece from our walking stick and parasol collection is handcrafted in Italy by European artisans. Beechwood — strong, durable and warm in colour — finished with hand-gilded ornaments. No mass production. Each piece unique.

  • Handcrafted in Italy — European craftsmanship
  • High-quality beechwood
  • Hand-gilded ornaments
  • Multiple models available
  • Walking sticks and umbrellas
  • Timeless design — no seasonal collection
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Frequently asked questions

Everything about walking sticks & umbrellas

What is the Scipio Eburneus?+
The Scipio Eburneus (Latin for 'ivory staff') was the ceremonial sceptre of the Roman consuls and emperors — a fully ivory staff with a sculpted eagle at the top, carried during triumphal processions and state ceremonies. The ultimate symbol of absolute authority.
What was the Vitis of the Centurion?+
The Vitis was a staff of vine wood, the unique badge of rank of the Roman centurion — the backbone of the Roman army. It was not a walking stick but a symbol of his right to command and maintain discipline over 80 to 100 legionaries.
What is the Umbraculum?+
The Umbraculum (from umbra = shadow) was the Roman parasol, an exclusive accessory for the wealthiest women. The ultimate luxury was not the parasol itself, but the fact that a specially trained slave held it above her head. A public statement of extreme wealth and status.
Where are Emperor Designs walking sticks made?+
All walking sticks and umbrellas by Emperor Designs are handcrafted in Italy by European artisans. The beechwood is worked and finished by hand with gilded ornaments.
What material are the walking sticks made from?+
The walking sticks are crafted from beechwood — a strong, durable European timber — and finished with hand-gilded ornaments. Each piece is unique and hand-finished in Italy.
What makes an Emperor Designs walking stick special?+
An Emperor Designs walking stick is not an aid but a statement — just as the Scipio Eburneus was for the Roman consul. Each piece is handmade in Italy from beechwood with gilded ornaments, inspired by 2000 years of European tradition of power and elegance.
What was the Velarium in the Colosseum?+
The Velarium was an enormous canvas sail stretched across the Colosseum by hundreds of sailors to protect the tens of thousands of spectators — and in particular the emperor in his box — from the sun. It was the imperial variant of the Umbraculum: the emperor had his own gigantic, personal sky.
“In Rome, a staff told who you were. We make objects for people who still understand that.”
Emperor Designs · Holland
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