The Bay Area has been getting a good drenching of rain over the past two weeks; it’s an occurrence that has become so rare that it feels like a big event anytime the clouds move in. I am a staunch advocate of walking everywhere (whether it’s raining or not) so this was a good time to put some mileage on my Lost Monarch solid-stick umbrellas. And as luck would have it, I just did a small restock on the site so they’re available for everyone now.
If you’ve never experienced a solid-stick umbrella, I can assure you that there’s nothing quite like it. It’s sort of a small luxury – a routine object that becomes something magnificent when made to these standards. These umbrellas are made by an Italian family that has been in this business for several generations. Every solid stick of wood is shaped using steam, a process that can take up to six months. After this, the pieces are sanded to a satin finish and connected by hand to the polyester canopy. Think of it as an excellent cane that also happens to be an umbrella if you need it to be.
One small – but important to me – detail that I think sets these apart from mid-range umbrellas at a similar pricepoint are the steel tips. The tip of your umbrella will take a beating, as it will make contact with the ground if you use it like a cane (which you’ll definitely want to) or any other time you’re setting it down. Other umbrellas will often have plastic tips, which break down in the way you would expect. These will hold up and give the umbrella a smart look as well. It’s the little things, you know?
Currently, the umbrellas are available in both black and navy canopies (the two best colors by a long shot, in my opinion) and with chestnut (top) or scorched maple (bottom) sticks. Both are very handsome – the maple perhaps a bit more refined, and the chestnut more rustic. We are doing one last pre-Christmas-delivery shipment on Monday 12/19, so if you’d like an umbrella (or a sweater) before then make sure to get an order in shortly. Orders placed after 12/20 will ship in the first week of January.
It’s been great fun dusting this project off and getting it running again, and it’s also been a pleasure to hear from some of you as well – both old customers, new ones, or just folks checking in to ask questions or say hi. Don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or thoughts that you’d like to share. Happy holidays!
