Parasols and umbrellas, chic essentials, were once among fashion‘s most innovative accessories — for sunny or rainy days. In 1917, Women’s Wear took note of the National Umbrella Service’s first-of-its-kind “Umbrella Stand,” a $2 membership service that allowed users to pick up and drop off an umbrella across participating stores in Manhattan, Brooklyn and the Bronx, N.Y. By the 1920s, WWD was documenting the accessory’s evolution in its “Umbrellas” column, from reptile skins with gold handles to two-toned silk taffeta parasols with Bakelite and carved wood handles. Through the years, designers from couture to ready-to-wear have kept the umbrella in the luxury conversation far beyond necessity.
The Umbrella’s Fashion Evolution, From Need to Novelty
