Umbrellas, Parasols and other thoughts

Rhythm Savannah Pumpkinbrella DEBUT!

2012-01-19T23:32:00.000-08:00

If you're wild at heart and looking for an umbrella to show it, the Rhythm Savannah Pumpkinbrella is for you! This new item is fabulous and comes in two patterns. Zebra and Leopard. The Zebra comes with a Silver handle and the Leopard with a gold one.

A must have for the wildly stylish.

Season's Greetings

2011-12-24T17:37:00.000-08:00

This cosmic-themed photo was shot by my friend, photographer Minaco. "Wish Upon a Star" and wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from DiCesare Designs. All the best to you and yours!

Vogue Japan October 2011

2011-11-23T19:08:00.001-08:00

Last month's Vogue Japan featured a DiCesare Designs Pumpkin Brella in a very elegant photo shoot for Bally's 160th anniversary! In this wonderful recreation of an Bally poster from 1956, the model is shown holding a yellow DiCesare Designs Rhythm Ladies' Pumpkin umbrella. Congratulations go to Bally for such a prestigious legacy!

Tokyo Designers Week 2011

2011-10-27T19:23:00.000-07:00

DiCesare Designs will again be displaying a selection of our designs at Tokyo Designers Week on Wednesday, November 2nd in the Environmental Design Tent at the Kanada Karada booth from 6 to 9 pm. If you are in the area Wednesday evening, please come by and say hello to designer John DiCesare who will be at this very special event.

Craftsmanship

2011-10-14T23:08:00.000-07:00

I don't write about them much but I'd like to thank them now. The craftsmen we work with in Kyoto have been making DiCesare Designs items for almost 8 years now. Their techniques have been crucial in developing new items and producing a limited edition series of high quality umbrellas and parasols. Without their combination of experience, pride and creativity, this series would not have been possible. Thank you! Wait till you see the new items they have come up with to be released in the near future!

Rhythm Pumpkin Umbrella in Old Montréal

2011-09-03T16:26:00.000-07:00

Once again I was able to visit my favorite city. Montréal. Every time I go, I find something new to love about this wonderful city. This time was no different. The food was wonderful and the people friendly. While there, Hurricane Irene rolled into town. It was quite the storm. Seeing this as an opportunity, we went out into the streets of old Montréal to do a photo shoot with the Rhythm Pumpkin Umbrellas! The weather conditions were extreme but we got some beautiful shots. The Rhythm Pumpkin Umbella withstood the Hurricane force winds beautifully as well. Elegance under pressure.

Pumpkin Parasol and Parashell Parasols on the Marilyn Denis Show!

2011-07-25T06:51:00.000-07:00

The Pumpkin Parasol and Parashell parasol made an appearance on the Marilyn Denis show! The show was about staying toxic free in the outdoors this summer. Donna Bishop enjoyed posing with the Pumpkin Parasol while Marilyn called it the "next big thing"!

The Rhythm Pumpkin Umbrella on the streets of Ginza.

2011-07-25T03:12:00.000-07:00

I would like to thank all my customers for their patronage this year. It was a tough year in so many ways but I met so many nice people at all the events! I was lucky enough to see a customer of mine on the streets of Ginza this summer carrying the Rhythm 2 tone Pumpkinbrella in Lavender and Dark Purple. Stylish and cute to say the least!

Pumpkin Parasol at European F1 Grand Prix in Valencia!

2011-07-09T08:01:00.000-07:00

My good friend Monica from Fans of Spain sent me this shot of a Pumpkin Parasol at this year's European F1 Grand Prix in Valencia! I'm an F1 fan of sorts so I was really happy to see it. Fans of Spain makes the most beautiful handmade Spanish fans. Not only that but if you are in Spain and looking to buy a DiCesare Designs item, there is no better place to look than Fans of Spain. Mucho gracias Monica!

Shiseido the Ginza Parasol & Umbrella Display

2011-06-30T02:00:00.000-07:00

All this month, if you drop by Shiseido the Ginza, you can see a special installation using a series of Parasols and Umbrellas on the main floor of the building. I love it when umbrellas are installed somewhere in this way. I was really glad to see this one. Especially at such a special shop like Shiseido the Ginza!

Pumpkin Umbrella Bouquet!

2011-06-28T01:11:00.000-07:00

I would like to say thank you to all of the wonderful people I met at Matsuya Ginza for coming out this past month and picking up my items. Thank you also to those who just came by to chat for a while too! It was a long, wonderful show. This is how to properly display a bunch of Rhythm-Pumpkin Umbrellas. Here's a little slide show I made about the DiCesare Designs Pumpkin Umbrella set to a song I love by Chaka Khan.

Pumpkin Umbrellas at Matsuya Ginza 2011

2011-06-01T08:33:00.000-07:00

Today was the first day of the the Matsuya 100 Umbrella Exhibition show. The weather was not so nice making it a good day to pick up a nice umbrella! Like the Kabocha Marina (Navy Dots & Stripes) or a Rhythm Cocca Palette. They both have UV and Waterproof coating making them great for a Rainy or Sunny day. Heck, these handmade Pumpkin Umbrellas are good ANY day!

Estnation Trunk Show 2011

2011-05-17T01:20:00.000-07:00

Estnation is without question the select shop of choice in Tokyo. I am once again excited to have my latest collection on sale with such a great select shop. This time we will be having a Trunk Show at two locations! The shows run from May 17th to May 29th at the Roppongi shop and from May 18th to May 29th at the Ginza Shop. Rainy season so now is the time to buy an umbrella!

Shiseido The Ginza

2011-05-15T18:58:00.000-07:00

On May 14th Shiseido opened their new flagship Ginza store, SHISEIDO THE GINZA. To honour the grand opening of this incredible store, we produced a collaboration series of items which are available in the Beauty Marche on the 1st floor. Taking the concept of beauty to a new level in Ginza!

Rhythm Palette

2011-05-14T18:01:00.000-07:00

I've always wanted to make a 10 colour Rhythm. Well, here it is! Yet another wonderful limited edition collaboration with Cocca! It's called the Rhythm Palette. It's waterproof and has a UV coating as well. A rainbow-colured pumpkin umbrella that is a show stopper!

It's available at Cocca's shop at their Rainy Day Fair from May 17th! You can get it soon through DiCesare Designs site and at the upcoming shows DiCesare Designs will be having this season. Truly an umbrella like no other.

The Vagrie Show

2011-05-11T18:14:00.000-07:00

Vagrie is a gallery that specializes in a variety of select merchandise for customers seeking something special and original. A special selection of DiCesare Designs items are now on sale at this one of a kind Osaka Gallery.

Joyful Rain Fair

2011-05-10T08:52:00.000-07:00

We made a special series of Limited Edition Men's GRANDE' umbrellas for Seibu/Sogo. They are really colorful and quite stylish! They are available at Ikebukuro Seibu, Shibuya Seibu, Chiba Sogo and Omiya Sogo in the Men's section! Look for the Joyful Rain display!

A Parasol for Mickey

2011-05-08T01:39:00.000-07:00

Cocca has a shop in the newly opened Isetan Mitsukoshi at JR Osaka Station. We recently made a collaboration Kabocha Parasol especially for this shop using a limited edition series of Mickey mouse print fabrics. Wonderful items regardless of whether you're a fan of Mickey Mouse or not!

Shibuya Seibu

2011-04-29T00:12:00.000-07:00

We had a very special show at Shibuya Seibu in a very exclusive salon for some of their very special customers. We brought in a special selection of items especially for this show. I got a chance to talk for a long time to all the people who came out too!

Namba Takashimaya

2011-04-24T18:08:00.000-07:00

Osaka. What more can I say about this city? The great food and the city layout itself really gets me. One thing is for sure, I always meet really interesting and usually warm people when I come here. Especially in the Namba area!

Hankyu Umeda

2011-03-23T22:56:00.000-07:00

This is my first show of the season here in Kansai. I really like Osaka. There's something about coming here that makes me happy. Maybe it's taking the Shinkansen. It might be the food. Everybody is quite friendly too. This is my 2nd time to have an event at Hankyu Umeda if you're in the area, please come by to say hello and check out this year's collection!

Hope for Japan

2011-03-21T17:23:00.000-07:00

It's been 10 days since the massive earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disaster occurred. The aftermath of these events has changed the lives of millions. The earthquake itself was a scary experience for me. I want to thank everyone for their concern. I am glad to still be here in Japan and in one piece. Since the earthquake, I have observed a patience and resilience in the Japanese people that is truly humbling. It's going to take a lot to rebuild from this tragedy. I hope I can somehow be a part of this effort. My thoughts and prayers go out to those who were so greatly affected by this tragedy. If you'd like to donate to support those affected, please give at globalgiving.org

R&B Night!

2011-03-08T20:55:00.000-08:00

On March 31, 2011, Soul Smooth Cafe in Shibuya will host an R&B show held by friend Thomas Zinnen with his band TnT. There will even be a prize for one lucky person at the event! Someone will be the winner of an umbrella by DiCesare Designs!

Est Nation 2011

2011-02-18T22:25:00.000-08:00

One of the best places to check out the new colours and styles of Rhythm Umbrellas is Est Nation. So if you aren't sure which colour suits you best, head over and see one in the store for yourself!

TV Commercial

2011-01-20T08:33:00.000-08:00

Besides being in a recent Toto commercial here in Japan, the Parashell appeared last year in a cellphone TV commercial that was aired in the United States. The video was directed by Dave Meyers. It appears shortly at the end of the video a nice scene with the item being shot in a cute Paris shop window.

Girl with Parashell

2011-01-15T17:45:00.000-08:00

My friend Ayumi Sumita is an illustrator who draws for a lot of children's books. She recently drew this image of a girl holding a parashell. For some it might be confusing so for your information, this is the proper way to hold a parashell.

Hanky New Year 2011!

2011-01-10T23:03:00.000-08:00

It hasn't been that long but it feels like it's been a while since we made a handkerchief. Well, I'm happy to announce the arrival of our latest one for 2011. It's made of fine quality satin cotton and features the motifs of the DiCesare Designs umbrella and parasol series. Look for it on our website where it can be purchased online in the very near future!

Joyeuses fêtes!

2010-12-27T01:10:00.000-08:00

Just wanted to apologize if I haven't gotten into the Christmas spirit with my site this year. I've been really busy updating the site in other ways. I'm really proud and excited to announce the addition of French Language pages to the website! I'd like to wish all our French -speaking customers a very warm Joyeuses Fêtes with this very Canadian photo that captures the festivities of this winter season.

Dreamy Designs

2010-11-22T00:07:00.000-08:00

This design book was just recently released here in Japan. The title in Japanese is 夢みるデザインプロダクト. Which is kind of difficult to express in English. I guess it means "dreamy" designs or perhaps "surreal" designs. The Kabocha parasols that we made in collaboration with Cocca are included in this wonderful little book. It's on the bookshelves all across Japan now!

Rhythm in the Geodesic Dome

2010-11-01T19:26:00.000-07:00

Tokyo Designers Week 2010 is here again! A typhoon rolled through and cancelled Saturday's festivities unfortunately. Yesterday was a really nice night though with Canada Night in the Geodesic Dome at Meiji Jingu. It was a lot of fun with an impressive projection in the dome about the Hayabusa Satellite! I love this photo because umbrellas structurally share so much in common with Geodesic Domes. The Pumpkin Umbrella hurtles through the cosmos with ease!

Ginza Story

2010-09-08T19:17:00.000-07:00

Ginza Story has begun! This is a special event on only until the 14th in the central exhibition space of Matsuya Ginza. The selection of Rhythm umbrellas at this show is quite extensive! The "Real Print" Rhythms made especially for Matsuya are something you've just got to see. Please come by to take a look at the items and for a chat if you are in Ginza!

Ginza Shobikai

2010-09-07T06:37:00.000-07:00

Matsuya Ginza VIP customer sale today. We made these special "Real print" items using a special inkjet system to create a series of Rhythm umbrellas with photo-realistic images on them. Fur, lace and wool themes. The detail on the print is incredibly detailed. A very special limited edition series. Well worth taking a look at! Come by and take a look! We'll be on sale at Matsuya Ginza in the central area near the escalators. Same space as the 100 umbrella exhibition

Tomoe's New Parashell!

2010-09-01T22:48:00.000-07:00

Well, my lecture at Gallery Wa2 was pretty good. I am thankful to all those who attended for their patience with my sometimes strange Japanese. It was great to have a chance to discuss the creative elements behind the designs. I even had a visit from a special customer. Shinohara Tomoe! She came in and picked up a Parashell Classico White. It suited her really well. She has a very unique character so this item is perfect for her.

The Sculptor's Umbrella at Wa2

2010-08-28T14:30:00.000-07:00

From August 30th to September 4th, an exhibition called "The Sculptor's Umbrella" will be held at a lovely space in Omotessando called Gallery Wa2. I will be meeting customers and giving a short lecture for this show on August 30th from 6pm. Come on out and check out the show and listen to my lecture in my best Japanese!

Benesse Art Site Naoshima

2010-08-20T22:03:00.000-07:00

Naoshima is an island located in the Seto Inland Sea. It was selected by Conde Nast Traveler, an American sightseeing magazine, as one of the "seven places in the world you should see next." There are many contemporary art museums on the island along with many outdoor works and installations. I am particularly fond of Kusama Yayoi's wonderful Kabocha. I like it because I am also fond of pumpkin shaped objects.
Check out a special selection of DiCesare Designs items at the Benesse House Spa. You can now see the Kabocha parasol there too!

A Holiday on Wheels

2010-08-15T19:13:00.000-07:00

During this Summer holiday I got around to riding along the Arakawa river a lot. It's been so hot lately. Riding along the river is my favourite way to just relax. It's also nice because the air is cooled down from the water which makes riding in the summer a little more bearable. Can't wait to get out and about for some more cycling adventures again soon!

The GRANDE Umbrella

2010-07-21T07:00:00.000-07:00

I looked back and realized I've never written about the GRANDE before... I can't believe I overlooked the one item I use most often! The GRANDE has a unique profile when compared to other Men's umbrellas. This men's pumpkin umbrella has a sturdy oak shaft and has a flexible strong frame. It's wide enough two people and very well balanced. But the main thing about it is that it looks great. Particularly with a nice suit! Here's Jay busting a GRANDE, looking good on a rainy night not long ago.

Now on sale at Idee!

2010-07-01T23:52:00.000-07:00

I'm happy to say that a selection of items including the Rhythm, GRANDE, Kabocha and Parashell are now on sale at Idee! These shops offers a unique Japanese take on their selection of design goods. If you are looking for something unique and modern to fit your lifestyle, then Idee is just the place for you. Even if you aren't in a shopping mood, some of their shops have nice cafe's to just chill out in. P.S. Happy Canada Day everyone!

Matsuya Ginza, Kyoto Style.

2010-06-17T08:11:00.000-07:00

The Kyoto Sakura and The Kyoto Kabocha are difficult for me to describe in a way that does them justice. We made them in collaboration with Kuriyama Kobo. A traditional Kyoto fabric studio that created a special pattern for both the Sakura and the Kabocha. The fabric is a delicate linen dyed in a style combining "Bingata" and "Kyo Yuzen" techniques. You just have to see them to understand how well this fabric compliments the Kabocha and Sakura shapes. A jaw-dropping limited edition series that reminds me why I started designing umbrellas and parasols in the first place. Available till the end of this month at Matsuya Ginza.

Mitsukoshi Nihonbashi

2010-05-30T23:00:00.000-07:00

I particularly like being at Mitsukoshi because of the masterpiece "Statue of a Celestial Nymph" by Gengen Sato. While I was looking at the sculpture, a man on a deep pipe organ played "It's a small world". The music made viewing the sculpture almost meditative but also like a performance art piece.

Estnation

2010-05-29T09:52:00.000-07:00

If there's anywhere that my items feel really at home, it's at Estnation. This shop is one of the best in the business for customer service and merchandising. Needless to say, I really enjoyed meeting the customers at this show.

Isetan Shinjuku

2010-04-29T20:18:00.000-07:00

We made a special edition of Sakura's and Kabocha's for Isetan Shinjuku that debuted at this show. On sale there in the Parasol/Umbrella department for the rest of the season!

DiCesare x Lasarte

2010-04-21T01:53:00.000-07:00

My good friend Matias Lasarte recently took a series of my parasols out for a photo shoot in Uruguay. I can't express how happy I am with the results. The pictures bring out the beauty in the items far beyond what I expected. Thanks Matias. The pictures speak for themselves.I'll be putting them on the gallery soon too!

Nagoya Takashimaya

2010-04-10T17:04:00.000-07:00

Nagoya has great Miso Katsu. I'll definitely be having that again when I get a chance to go back. The customers in Nagoya that I met at JR Takashimaya were different than typical Tokyo customers. I'm not sure exactly how though.

Osaka Debut at Hankyuu!

2010-04-08T17:04:00.000-07:00

I've been in Osaka selling this season's collection at Hankyuu's umbrella and parasol department. It's been a great experience so far. Osaka customersare quite boisterous and friendly so I'm really enjoying the experience. Last but not least, the food. I love eating out in Osaka!

Somei Yoshino

2010-04-01T22:58:00.000-07:00

Somei Yoshino is a variety of Japanese Sakura tree that has nearly pure white blossoms that are tinged in a soft pink.

This limited edition parasol was created in collaboration with the wonderful artist, Aya Kato. Aya Kato often works with fairytales and traditional motifs, turning them into bold, psychedelic, contemporary art pieces in a style sometimes recalling Manga and Art Nouveau.

The intention of this collaboration was to provide Aya Kato with a canvas for her motifs in the form of the iconic Sakura Parasol.

This project is special to me and the Somei Yoshino is one of the nicest parasols I've ever made.

Debuting today on Jwave radio and available online at Tokyo Premiere!

Cocca Collaboration '10

2010-03-01T18:38:00.000-08:00

For our third collaboration with Cocca we made a series of Kabocha Pumpkin parasols and a Parashell parasol too! The fabric we used was created by a designer named 2e san. The items are really eccentric and stylish. Look for the items at one of the many department store events across Japan I will be at this season!

Two New Rhythm Umbrella Colours!

2010-02-08T00:52:00.000-08:00

I've been wanting to inject some bright new colours into the Rhythm Pumpkin Umbrella series for a while now. I'm glad to say I have just received the first shipment of the New Two Tone Blue and Two Tone Orange Rhythm Pumpkin Umbrellas! These vivid beauties are now available. They can be now purchased through the website. Also, look for them now at Isetan Shinjuku and soon in a wider range of select shops and department stores across Japan.

Happy Holidays everyone!

2009-12-23T21:41:00.000-08:00

2009 is almost over so I want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Let's hope 2010 is a good one! All the best.

Spanish Food Christmas Fiesta!

2009-12-21T09:06:00.000-08:00

I went to a Christmas party with my friend Murata san this week. The party was held at a nice little restaurant called Girasol in Kanagawa. The food was very nice and there was some live music played by this 7 year old prodigy! I can't remember his name now but he was great. Keep it up kid!

Halloween Mayhem in Shibuya

2009-11-05T06:51:00.000-08:00

I finally got a chance to get out in my costume in Tokyo for the night. Scott and I worked together and made a hippie van out of cardboard for his hippie guy costume. We met a lot of crazy people and turned a lot of heads. I was in costume until Halloween Carnival dawn. It was a memorable night. I just wish I could recall more of it.

Happy Halloween!

2009-10-25T22:02:00.001-07:00

Yesterday I got together with my good friend Murata san at Maison de HALUCA. A cozy, little cafe near Sengoku Station. I made a special Halloween Kabocha for this Halloween. It has cute Halloween motifs embroidered on it. There were plenty of kids there and their reaction to the Kabocha was great. The kind people at Maison de HALUCA served some delicious Kabocha flavored sweets and soup. I really love cooking so I made Tiramisu which everyone seemed to enjoy. I also finally got a chance to put on my Venetian costume made by Tanja Schulz-Hess! I'll be out in this costume for Halloween as well so you'll know who is trick or treating behind the mask.

Bronze Age.

2009-10-02T07:13:00.000-07:00

I scanned some old slides and negatives I had since I used to be a bronze technician at an art foundry. Images of a few projects I was working on at the time. They brought back a lot of good memories. In particular, I can still remember the smell of bronze at MST, the foundry I used to work at.

VERY x Isetan x DiCesare Designs

2009-09-09T21:47:00.000-07:00

Isetan Shinjuku just opened a new select shop on the 2nd floor called "Elegant Trad & Modern Feminine" We worked with Isetan and VERY to make the Black&White Rhythm "Pumpkin Umbrella". UV coated and waterproofed for use in any season as an umbrella or parasol. Simple and bold in black & white.

Vintage Wines.

2009-09-01T18:03:00.000-07:00

I recently had the pleasure of attending a wine party with Abe san and some friends at Ristorante Della Collina in Ebisu. The food was great. The wine, excellent! I've been a wine-lover for a long time but I don't have that much experience attending wine parties. I'm glad I took pictures of some of the 10 bottles we drank that night because frankly, I enjoyed the wide selection a little too much.

Sakura Photoshoot

2009-07-01T16:29:00.000-07:00

This is a good friend of mine, a model and a customer as well. Abe san recently picked up a Sakura Semplice at the Matsuya show and went out with a photographer friend and took some great photos. Look for the shots in the gallery soon!

Matsuya 百傘会

2009-06-25T07:23:00.000-07:00

The Matsuya Ginza 100 Umbrella Show is basically the biggest umbrella show in Japan. An annual event at Matsuya Department Store in Ginza. This year's event has been a great experience. I met a lot of interesting people. It was a lot of fun to see them holding the Sakura for the first time. Some unforgettable reactions, that's for sure. If you dropped by, thanks for coming out!

Collboration Kabochas for EST NATION

2009-05-29T01:15:00.000-07:00

For this collaboration we worked with Est Nation and Rita Takahashi. I just love these Pumpkin Parasols. The pattern of the fabric and the little frill around the edge are perfect for this form. They are only available at Est Nation and they won't last long. Look for them in the June issues of In Red and Oggi.

Cocca Collaboration '09

2009-05-28T17:52:00.000-07:00

I'm happy to announce that for the second time we've teamed up with Cocca to make collaboration items. This season we've made a limited edition series of Rhythm Umbrellas and Kabocha Parasols. This series of Pumpkinbrellas comes with UV coating and waterproofing. With dual coating these models are great for any season.

Mitsukoshi Nihonbashi

2009-05-27T17:33:00.000-07:00

This is my first time to have a show at Mitsukoshi Nihonbashi. It's a beautiful store in terms of architectural ornamentation. There is also a beautiful giant sculpture "Statue of a Celestial Nymph" in the Central Hall. That alone is a good enough reason to come to this location in the heart of Tokyo.

Hakata Show

2009-05-25T13:03:00.000-07:00

I just got back from Hakata this weekend. I was there for a show at Daimaru Department Store. It's much more common to see a woman using a parasol here than in Kanto.

Destination Tokyo

2009-05-01T17:35:00.000-07:00

At Shinjuku Station in Lumine Est on the B2 floor is Destination Tokyo. A stylish and eclectic fashion shop in the heart of one of Tokyo's busiest stations.

The National Art Center, Tokyo

2009-04-30T13:22:00.000-07:00

We're back again this spring at Souvenir From Tokyo in The National Art Center, Tokyo! Showing now at the museum is a collection of art dealing with the subject of children from the Louvre.

Sakuras in bloom at HANWAY

2009-04-23T00:55:00.000-07:00

The Sakura series made it's debut at HANWAY in Roppongi Hills last week! It's a wonderful shop with a wide variety of umbrellas to suit anyone's style. If you are in Tokyo and you want to see the Sakura parasols in person head down to Roppongi Hills 4f Walk and check out this exclusive series.

Rainy night in Tokyo

2009-04-13T09:16:00.000-07:00

This is a photo a good friend of mine Matias took on a train platform in Tokyo. Sharing a Pumpkinbrella while waiting for a train on a rainy night tends to bring out the romantic in all of us.

J Wave Kabocha Promotion

2009-03-12T22:59:00.000-07:00

I went down to J Wave to do a promotion for a special Tokyo Premiere online Kabocha campaign. I always enjoy working with J Wave because they are kind and a lot of fun to work with.

Salon de Mardeu

2009-02-19T20:12:00.000-08:00

Mardeu is a wonderful online shop that I can't say enough good things about. The site is so cute and the selection of items carried is so original. I finally have a chance to meet the people at Mardeu and the customers this past weekend at a show in Tokyo! Salon de Mardeu is on from Feb 20th to the 22nd!

Asobi at Omotessando Hills

2009-02-19T00:05:00.000-08:00

This is a photo from a little show we participated in from Feb 17th to Feb 19th at Omotessando Hills called "Asobi". It was a show featuring a lot of up and coming brands. Omotessando Hills is a great place for just such a show. There was even a live painting performance on the opening evening. Great night.

Umbrellina

2009-02-07T04:56:00.000-08:00

At this year's Carnival in Venice, award-winning costume designer Tanja Shultz-Hess used the Parashell Frill as a headpiece for a jaw-dropping costume called "Umbrellina". A Kabocha Parasol was also used in the costume. It was wonderful to see the items in Venice with such a fantastical costume.

A Fresh Start

2009-01-26T03:37:00.000-08:00

This year I've resolved to post more often. We'll see how long that one lasts... The Sakura made another appearance recently! Here's a little photo of it at a show I recently had at the Canadian Embassy in Toyko. Look out for it this Spring!

Repubblica Delle Donne Article

2008-09-13T07:03:00.000-07:00

Being that most of my business is based in Japan, it's exciting to be covered in another language besides Japanese once in a while. This month a series of Parashells were coveres in Repubblica Delle Donne's D Casa magazine.

Sakura Sneak Peek at Rooms!

2008-09-10T17:54:00.000-07:00

Our booth at Rooms has the Sakura on display! We are also showing our SS08 collection here at Japan's Premiere fashion trade show. September 9-11,2008

National Art Center, Tokyo

2008-07-10T12:06:00.000-07:00

If you're looking for culture in the Tokyo area, you must see the new National Art Center in Tokyo. It's also a great place if you're looking for the ultimate gift to bring home after visiting Japan. "Souvenir from Tokyo" in the basement of the the National Art Center in Tokyo is a souvenir shop with a difference. Wonderful selection of items from top designers and craftsmen from Japan and around the world. This couple of culture aficionados dropped by and checked out the collection! DiCesare Designs items are available at SFT all year round.

The Matsuya Ginza 100 Umbrella Show

2008-06-05T21:37:00.000-07:00

Every year Ginza Department store Matsuya has Japan's biggest umbrella show. It's called the The "100 Umbrella Show" 松屋銀座百傘会. There's nothing like it outside of Japan. The department store even hands hundreds of umbrellas in the air over the exhibition space in a special installation. A must see umbrella event.

Collaboration with Cocca

2008-06-02T13:10:00.000-07:00

Cocca is a really charming shop in Daikanyama that makes their own fabric for use in clothing, accessories, interior good and numerous other items. The uniqueness of the designs and the quality of the fabric makes for really great items. That's what excited me about working with the poeple at Cocca on a series of Rhythm umbrellas. Here's a shot of the items in the Cocca showroom.

Parashell at Cibone

2008-05-28T22:01:00.000-07:00

Cibone is one of Japan's top Design and Interior goods shops. A fascinating place to check out the latest and greatest in interior design and related items. A special selection of Parashells are available now at Cibone.

TEMPS magazine

2008-05-05T13:38:00.000-07:00

When I first started the company, we only had one parasol design (the Parashell). Then I made another (the Kabocha) Pumpkin Parasol and from that a Women's umbrella was made (the Rhythm) Pumpkin Umbrella. Recently, we have come out with a Men's umbrella called the GRANDE Pumpkin Umbrella. It is similar to the Rhythm in style but larger and stronger with a more robust handle. Recently TEMPS magazine did a story on it and interviewed me about the design.

Creator's Room

2008-04-16T21:02:00.000-07:00

We just finished having a show at Matsuya Ginza called Creator's Room. It was a lot of fun! I got to meet some really interesting customers. This girl was very interested in the Parashell Classico in White. I thought it suited her quite well though it'll be a while until she grows into it..!

Parashell Frill

2008-03-09T15:05:00.000-07:00

This is one of my favourite Parashells. I wasn't too sure about it when it was first released, but it grew on me. I thought it was a bit formal but after taking pictures of it with Sandra, I realized it goes well with a casual outfit too.

Fukuoka City Visit

2008-03-01T02:00:00.000-08:00

I just got back to Tokyo from a trip to Fukuoka city for a show at Iwataya Department store. I had never been to Fukuoka before. It was a lot of fun. The food was so good! I particularly enjoyed visiting the food stands (Yatai) along the Naka River. Wonderful atmosphere and delicious food.

Kabocha in Florence

2008-02-15T19:03:00.000-08:00

This is a painting by Miyu Ebe. She has a fascination with unique parasol and umbrella forms as I do but she likes to paint them. This is a painting she did of a yound woman with a Kabocha parasol in Florence near Ponte Vecchio.

"Kabocha" Pumpkin Parasol

2008-02-05T20:16:00.000-08:00

The idea of a pumpkin umbrella or parasol is so cute and playful. The Pumpkin Parasol is a parasol that draws inspiration from the shape of a pumpkin. The Japanese word for pumpkin is Kabocha, and I think that name really captures the original concept of the design.

The Lobby OSAKA

2007-11-08T18:25:00.000-08:00

The GRANDE Men's pumpkin umbrella recently hit the shelves at The Lobby in Osaka. A bookstore and cafe for those who appreciate fashion, art, design and music.

Dot Parashell

2007-08-10T22:47:00.000-07:00

I've been designing umbrellas and parasols in Japan for more than a few years now. Sometimes I'm not sure why or how this happened but I know that I really enjoy it.

This is a picture I took in Montreal at the wonderfully colourful Palais de congres.

Gesture Drawings

2007-07-28T16:29:00.000-07:00

These are some gesture drawings I made for the Parashell. These don't serve any technical purpose but help in fleshing out the shape of future prototype concepts.

Matsuya Ginza Show Debut

2007-06-20T07:13:00.000-07:00

Every year in June at Matsuya Department Store the biggest umbrella show in Japan takes place. This year we displayed our latest collection at our booth beneath a great display of several hundred hanging umbrellas in Matsuya's main hall. I got a chance to meet a lot of interesting people and see their reaction to my designs. It was also interesting to see their reaction to my at times incomprehensible Japanese language skills. An annual event not to be missed by any umbrella connaisseur.

Hiroko Takahashi and I

2007-05-28T22:08:00.000-07:00

Takahashi san is a wonderful designer. She's the creative force behind Hirocoledge. We did a great collaboration with them on the Polka Dot Parashell. She has a great sense particularly with patterns.

J-wave Interview

2007-05-23T01:50:00.000-07:00

I went down to J-Wave for an interview with Andy Pompilio this week. It was the first time that I've been interviewed so I have to admit, I was a little nervous. Andy did his best to make me feel relaxed enough to get through the interview smoothly. He is so laid back and that rubbed off on me.

Parashell for Bushoan

2007-04-10T01:49:00.000-07:00

I recently had the pleasure of making a series of collaboration items with Kimono maker Bushoan. The resulting items were wonderful.

Still Sculpting

2007-01-11T22:09:00.000-08:00

Sculpting is my passion. It has been since I was a child. For me, designing umbrellas and parasols lies somewhere between sculpture and architecture. Sometimes I even have to do some woodcarving for my prototypes. Reductive sculpting may not be my forte but it brings me a lot of pleasure.

Ambiance Show

2006-09-20T08:36:00.000-07:00

During Japan Fashion Week, an event called Ambiance is held at Aoyama Bell Commons. We had the pleasure of introducing our items to the visitors at this years show.

The "Rhythm" Pumpkin Umbrella

2006-09-12T07:00:00.000-07:00

The Parashell parasol was the item that led me into this area of design. That being umbrella & parasol design. From the Parashell, a lot of my other items were conceived. This new umbrella series featuring an undulating canopy is called the "Rhythm" Pumpkin Umbrella. The design is unique and stylish but takes nothing away from the functionality of keeping one dry on the rainiest of days.

Tokyo Umbrella Shop

2006-05-26T16:20:00.000-07:00

The parashell first made it's debut at Hanway in Roppongi Hills. This is the place to go if you are looking for a one of a kind umbrella or parasol in the Tokyo area. Great staff and a wide selection for all tastes. Umbrella fanatics shouldn't miss it.

Specifications

2006-02-01T06:25:00.000-08:00

The prototyping process is a long and arduous one. Some are more successful than others but I try to take something away from each one I make. Placed beside each other, you can see an evolution of the form and function from prototype to prototype.

Maquette

2005-11-03T12:24:00.000-08:00

I've being working on this project for more than 12 years now. It all started with a sketch I made as a student in art school. I never let go of the idea, and continued sketching. I then started making maquettes. The 3 dimensional maquettes informed he next series of drawings which then led to the initial prototyping stage.

Start

2005-08-29T09:57:00.000-07:00

This is a picture of the Parashell that my brother and I took at Cherry Beach. I love this shot. I particularly like the way Trina is holding it tilted to the left in a playful way.