Our story

Some of the best ideas are born in the heat.

I grew up in Massachusetts, where four seasons meant you appreciated every inch of summer, but nobody thought twice about sun protection beyond a bottle of SPF at the beach. The sun was something to enjoy, not something to think about.

That changed when I moved to Bangkok.

Teaching English in Thailand introduced me to a different relationship with the sun entirely. In one of the hottest cities on earth, I watched women move through intense heat with complete grace — parasols open, skin protected, looking effortlessly elegant. Nobody was suffering. Nobody was sweaty and red-faced. They had simply adapted, and in doing so, made sun protection into something beautiful.

I bought my first parasol in Bangkok. And everything changed.

Over the next several years, living and travelling across Asia — China, South Korea, Japan, Singapore — I saw the same philosophy everywhere. UV protective clothing. Portable fans. Elegant parasols. A whole culture built around staying cool, staying protected, and never compromising on style. These weren't just practical tools. They were a way of life.

I carried that knowledge with me everywhere I went after.

When I moved to Belgrade, Serbia in 2022 and experienced my first European summer, something clicked. The heat was intense — reminiscent of Bangkok, but with a European elegance. And yet, the tools to manage it gracefully simply didn't exist here. No elegant parasols. No UV protective clothing designed for style. Just sunscreen, and suffering.

But people were curious.

Walking through Belgrade, Paris, Lisbon and Zurich with my Japanese parasol, I was stopped constantly. Where did you get that? I would love one of those. Do you sell these? Over and over, the same response. The market was speaking clearly — and nobody was listening.

In 2025 I began testing. I sourced Japanese style umbrellas and sold them quietly. The response was immediate. More inquiries than I had inventory. More demand than I was ready for.

So in 2026 I took the leap.

Solara by Blair Core Beliefs

☀️ Elegant protection exists.

A parasol is not just a rain umbrella. A UV jacket is not just sportswear. When designed with intention, sun protection becomes the most elegant accessory you own.

🌿 Your skin remembers everything.

Sun damage is permanent. It builds quietly, season after season, until one day you see it in the mirror. The best time to protect your skin was yesterday. The second best time is today.

❄️ Staying cool is staying powerful.

When you are comfortable in the heat, you are present. You are confident. You are yourself. Solara by Blair gives you the tools to own every outdoor moment — a golf tournament, a garden wedding, a morning walk, a summer afternoon in the city.