THE UMBRELLAS OF NEW YORK

LES PARAPLUIES DE... NEW YORK

It was raining last night on this part of the country and I could not help but notice that every second umbrella here in New York is a black umbrella. New Yorkers do love their black don't they? In fact black umbrella are safe, quiet, serious and dependable. They go with everything. And, they are sold on every corner for nothing on rainy days. You know, the cheap ones that last at most the time of one storm and are left like old broken carcasses on the sidewalks of New York City.

Surely there must be black umbrellas out there that are a little more " adventurous" than just old safe boring black. 

There are. If you add a little quelque chose, that is.

the geometric golf umbrella

Barney's black-is-sexy umbrella

London Fog's prim and  proper 

Marimekko's very Nordic almost childish simplicity

The top of the line umbrellas of Paris

La Parasolerie Heurtault. 

This French high end umbrella maker, in the 12th arondissement of Paris, is one of a handful of umbrella makers in Europe who still make umbrellas the old way, one at a time; Michel Heurtault not only designs umbrella in collaboration with the likes of Jean-Paul Gaultier- his iconic stripe below- but the company is also known for the exceptional quality of their restoration of antique umbrellas from the18th, 19th and 20th centuries, which they rent out for historical movies or events.

Jean-Paul Gaultier's marinière

Moiré playful stripes

Dysney-esque peekaboo

Sophisticated black lingerie-like 

Now, that's better, right?

Stay dry...

au revoir.