It’s music to our ears, and our favorite sentence in the world: “Is that a Lily-Lark you’re carrying?” When we hear it, it makes our hearts flutter and smile. In our minds, we hear Scarlett O’Hara in her Southern accent responding “Whah yes, it is a Lily-Lahk!”
Naturally, we think every woman should carry a UV parasol in the sun, especially one that’s UPF 50+. But we acknowledge that not everyone is there.
Yet.
When we first started our company, we sold at trade shows with buyers who ooo’d and aah’d as they’d walked past us while tossing out a quick “We don’t sell those at our store”. Of course they didn’t sell what we offered. NOBODY sold what we offered because we’re the first to make UV sun parasols with fine-art-covered fabric canopies that have a proprietary attachment to the bamboo ribs. Our fabric is soft to touch and it’s digitally printed with contemporary art that we designed or had designed for us. There’s nothing like us out there.
Today there was an article talking about how younger women in a number of other countries are starting to use sun parasols. Not typically the demographic, women in their 20’s are now finding themselves enjoying both the comfort of a parasol in the sun as well as appreciating its beauty as an accessory.
It’s been so hot lately that Japan has been attempting to find ways to get men to carry parasols during their brutal summers.
One part of their efforts was targeted to children, to buy their fathers a parasol for Father’s Day. Perhaps giving Dad ties is just as passé over there as it is here! For the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, the government is working hard to protect both locals and visitors with a hands-free parasol, worn on the head, like a hat. We’re not sure how that would play in Kansas…or quite frankly, even in Japan.
In many parts of the world outside of Asia, whole populations are carrying parasols or umbrellas to protect themselves from the sun’s harmful rays. As the world becomes smaller and temperatures warmer, we'll be adopting each other’s styles and trends, particularly in regard to sun protection. Parasol use will become a whole new ballgame.
While other parasols exist today, we’ve been told that none are as elegant, well-designed, and protective as Lily-Lark. It’s been almost 4 years since we launched and women (and even some men) who see our parasols for the first time are excited to have ‘discovered’ it. Somehow the confusion over what they are and how they work has ceased to be an issue. Now the only question is which print goes with that blue sundress you love. (The answer is Denim Vine. Or Blue Squares. Or Ink Wash Flowers. Or Taco, or….)
Photographer of first image: Alberto Urcia of Colleen Darnell / @vintage_egyptologist carrying the SCROLL print parasol
Second image: Gettyimages
