Umpie is the creation of three cousins Ruth, Alison and Joanna.

Umpie is a derivative of our unusual family surname of Umpleby, so it became a natural choice when choosing the business name.

We all have different attributes and interests from running a B&B, gardening, fundraising, music and acting and with a background in handbag design, soft furnishings and upholstery we wanted to create something unique but also value for money. With the help of family members and friends in particular our models Sara, Victoria, and Edd, Tom with the website and Glyn with the photography we have been able to start to develop our business.

The brand first started with Umpie Bags all made in Yorkshire at our homes. These bags are still made and named in honour of our various female ancestors, ladies of character and proportion which are identified by the bags! For example our new range of The weekender is called Gertie – in honour of a mutual grandmother – a larger than life character known for her enthusiasm to always be on her way somewhere. The brand has developed and now the bag range includes a variety of different styles for all occasions together with well chosen seasonal accessories such as scarves, ponchos, shawls and aprons.

Our aim is to continue to develop and provide an imaginative array of products that we are proud of.