Our history

Born into a family of leather manufacturers from father to son since 1800 in Cherbourg, Jean-Pierre Yvon created and registered the "Le Véritable Cherbourg" brand in 1986. Today, it has been taken over by his son Charles and has become "Le Parapluie de Cherbourg" since March 2020.

Cherbourg - quai Alexandre III - central part - sailboats - b&w photo - circa 1870
1800

Leather manufactures

Manufactures de cuir Yvon sets up in Cherbourg. From father to son, the family tanneries collect prizes and medals in national competitions and supply the biggest brands.

1800
1963

The Umbrellas of Cherbourg

Shooting of Jacques Demy's film "Les Parapluies de Cherbourg". This is the first film to be entirely sung and filmed in the streets of Cherbourg. This love story, starring Catherine Deneuve, won the Palme d'Or at the 1964 Cannes Film Festival. The people of Cherbourg, who were enthusiastic during the filming, became a little morose following the publicity the film generated for their town. The town became famous for its bad weather.

The film of Les parapluies de Cherbourg
1963
portrait-monsieur-yvon-fondateur-parapluiesdecherbourg
1986

The Real Cherbourg

Twenty-three years after this work, Jean-Pierre Yvon, a photographer in Paris and around the world, returns to his "land of secret gardens", the Cotentin, and restores the city's coat of arms. In 1986, he created and registered the trademark "Le Vrai Cherbourg". Handcrafted with French know-how, the Vrai Cherbourg is tested in the wind tunnel to validate its resistance while preserving its beauty.

1986
1994

Japan

Le Véritable Cherbourg goes abroad and meets Japan's Crown Prince Hiro Nomya Sama. He honored French fashion designers and manufacturers at the international Trade Fair (Art de vivre) in Tokyo. The brand rolls out its designs internationally, winning over a broad public with its elegant products.

Prince-heritier-du-japon-rencontre-le-veritable-cherbourg
1994
The ParaPactum, a self-defense umbrella for close guards
2011

The ParaPactum

Creation of the ParaPactum brand. To ensure the protection of VIPs and VIPs, the ParaPactum is without equal in the world. Patented, it is designed as a high-performance sailboat. While the materials and architecture of the ParaPactum are built to withstand the test of time, its strength lies in the elegance of its lines. In fact, extreme tests are carried out: in wind tunnels by the CNAM's Institut Aérotechnique de Saint-Cyr-L'Ecole, with dogs (25 kg thrown at 35 km/h) and various blunt objects thrown at full power...

2011
2012

Our trophies

Le Véritable Cherbourg was awarded a number of trophies, including : Trophée INPI, awarded to congratulate the skills, knowledge and universe of an innovation; Made in France, awarded to a product made in France Stars et Métiers, awarded for excellence in craft innovation. Le Véritable Cherbourg receives the Qualité Tourisme label. It is awarded by the French government to validate the quality of services offered by a professional in the tourism sector. These honorable awards are proof of the brand's excellence and unique know-how. What's more, the French customs authorities validate the brand's French manufacturing: it receives an approved exporter number.

logo-trophees
2012
Charles-Yvon-dirigeant-le-veritable-cherbourg
2018

Brand expansion

Charles Yvon, son of Jean-Pierre Yvon, has been immersed in the family business for as long as he can remember. He first became involved as an innovative developer before taking over as CEO in July 2018. With a scientific background, Charles Yvon went on to train in Management at E2SE in Caen, before joining the prestigious business school EM Grenoble. No sooner had he taken over the reins of Le Véritable Cherbourg than Charles Yvon began developing the brand in France and abroad. From 35 retailers, he aims to grow to 100 by the end of 2019. Always full of ideas, Charles continues to boost the brand's image through new collaborations with prestigious houses. For a Made in France that makes sense, but also to support the local economy, the young entrepreneur is determined to get closer to his suppliers. Latest example: umbrella stands made in Bricquebec...

2018

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