The Le Parapluie de Cherbourg Factory is a traditional establishment where the umbrella is considered a unique object, a true work of art. Our artisans perpetuate time-honored skills and design original creations every day, blending robustness, refinement, and elegance. From design to production in our workshops, each of our exceptional umbrellas undergoes numerous stages of manufacturing. Discover what each of these stages looks like and delve into the secrets of the Le Parapluie de CherbourgFactory.
The Le Parapluie de Cherbourg Factory is much more than just an umbrella manufacturer. Truly passionate about this accessory, we are committed to showcasing its prestige and demonstrating to our customers just how much this splendid accessory can become a precious everyday companion. Before reaching your hands, here are some of the different stages each of our creations goes through.
The very first step in making an umbrella is, of course, selecting an exceptional fabric. Our experts carefully choose rolls of textiles, particularly taffeta, with outstanding properties. These fabrics must be impeccable, being both water-repellent and incredibly robust, all in elegant colors.
Once the rolls are received, the first step in making an umbrella is quilting the fabric, in other words, folding it into several layers. The fabric is cut using a custom-designed die, according to the specific requirements of each umbrella model: golf, walking stick, dome, among others.
Our umbrella factory produces models with eight ribs. One of these ribs is reserved for the embroidery of our logo, always in a tone-on-tone color. Here again, absolutely nothing is left to chance. Our policy does not tolerate any approximations, and that is why this step is carried out with the utmost care. Indeed, each of our umbrellas has a perfectly centered logo.
That's not all, because once the logo is embroidered, our manufacturers ensure that no threads are sticking out. If there are any, they are cut by hand to perfect this step.
Note: The Manufacture offers you the option of personalizing your umbrella by embroidering your initials. This way, your umbrella can become a unique and personal item that you will enjoy using for years to come.
The strap is an essential part of an umbrella. It's the piece that allows you to close it when it's time to put it away. Each strap is cut and then sewn in our umbrella manufacturing workshop.
A second type of strap is also made to the same high standards. These are the straps used to make the carrying bags that allow you to carry your umbrella over your shoulder or across your body.
The canopy construction stage is of particular importance and is what guarantees the extraordinary robustness of our umbrellas. Indeed, each of the eight ribs of our umbrellas, as well as the brand's logo, is assembled using an overlock machine. The use of this specific type of machine allows us to achieve very high-quality finishes and seams.
Furthermore, this step ensures a strong and, above all, waterproof seam. This guarantees you'll stay dry, even in torrential rain.
It's interesting to note that the previously made strap is sewn on at this stage opposite the previously embroidered logo. The canvas is then finished with a perimeter hem. Finally, needle points are sewn to the canvas to provide the finishing touch. Once again, our skilled craftspeople use a specialized machine that allows us to produce an extremely strong seam for each needle point.
During this stage, the pre-assembled canopy is sewn to the ribs of the future umbrella. We use a specialized machine here, allowing us to achieve impeccable finishes. The expertise of our seamstresses is fully showcased in this task. They sew a precise number of stitches on each rib, depending on the different umbrella models in our collection.
Each of our umbrellas boasts a unique finish. One of our areas of expertise is particularly evident in the hardware. This refers to the metal parts of Cherbourg umbrellas. It includes the cup, the tines, the plate, and the Maison's iconic ring.
The aesthetics of the fittings are particularly important to us, and that is why we offer a range of several materials: chrome, gold, ruthenium and palladium.
Finally, our umbrella factory adds the finishing touch with the handle. For this component, we select fine woods such as hornbeam, maple, chestnut, rush, or beech. The wood is not a random choice. It offers a pleasant, soft, and warm grip, even in cold weather. These elements are then assembled on the frame last, completing the assembly of a Cherbourg umbrella. However, there are still a few steps before our umbrellas reach your hands.
Before an umbrella can be installed in one of our 90 stores, it must undergo a steaming process. This process steam-irons the fabric, giving it a perfect finish. The umbrella then needs to dry completely overnight.
A meticulous and demanding quality control check of the umbrella is then carefully carried out. When we deem everything perfect, we can proceed to the final step: folding the umbrella.
At the Le Parapluie de Cherbourgumbrella factory, a total of 47 individual steps are required to create an exceptional piece. Each step is perfectly mastered and controlled by passionate craftsmen with a dedication to quality workmanship.
It's worth noting that when we create a new model to expand our collection or as part of a collaboration, it can take anywhere from one month to two years. This is the time required to produce a fully developed, high-quality umbrella.
Furthermore, the expertise held by the Cherbourg-based factory is unique. Indeed, we train our artisans ourselves within our workshops. It is worth noting that there is currently no national training program for umbrella making. We are thus the guardians of a unique skill that we are committed to diligently passing on to the next generation of master umbrella makers.
If you would like to learn more about our history and discover the umbrella factory through self-guided and guided tours, please visit us in our workshops in the heart of Cherbourg.
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