Umbrella Man - Parasolerie Heurtault

THE WALL STREET JOURNAL.
Friday - Sunday, March 8 - 10, 2013 | W9
STYLE & FASHION
THE SOUVENIR
Umbrella Man
UP UNTIL the late 19th century in France,
umbrellas and parasols were costly accessories, handed down through generations.
Today, the place to splash out on a weatherproof family heirloom is Michel Heurtault’s boutique and workshop near the Bastille in Paris.
Applying techniques he learned as a designer of historic costumes and corsets, Mr.
Heurtault is now an umbrella maker par excellence. His creations in lace, silk, taffeta, organza, linen and precious woods are handmade from start to finish.
An avid fashion historian, Mr. Heurtault draws
on ancient artisanal know-how, even employing
an 18th-century cutting tool once used to finish
dresses for Napoleon III’s wife, Empress Eugénie.
Collections include an ostrich-feather parasol with a silver Art Nouveau handle for
brides, and a gray silk and varnished oak umbrella with a deep canopy for the taller man.
As well as sourcing luxurious materials, such
as shagreen, amber and mother-of-pearl, he
scours flea markets and antique shops for
vintage shafts and handles.
Haute-couture commissions take up to 200
hours to complete. Mr. Heurtault’s first bespoke
order was a parasol in silk and gold for Yves
Saint Laurent in 2005. More recently, he designed an umbrella in honor of French writer
Colette, made from black and white silk taffeta
and ebony. The handle bears a medallion portrait of Colette, in black diamonds and silver.
Women’s collection from €250; men’s from
€450. Bespoke from €1,200. Exceptional pieces
with precious materials from €3,000.
85 avenue Daumesnil, +33 (0)1 4473 4571,
parasolerieheurtault.com
—Lennox Morrison
RAIN DAYS ‘Montesquiou’
men’s umbrella, from
€3,500; ‘Longchamps’
bridal parasol, €8,500
Nick Howe (portrait); Parasolerie Heurtault (umbrellas)
Suntiore stotat laborrum fuga
em voloritatae que coratib