Since 1745
The House’s former brochure tells more than a sequence of addresses. It places Antoine within the history of Paris and of an object that has been a symbol of power, a fashion accessory and an everyday companion.
01
Mr and Mrs Antoine settle on the Pont-Neuf, then one of Paris’s main thoroughfares.
On rainy and sunny days, they rent umbrellas for the crossing. A singular business begins among open-air stalls, entertainers and promenaders.
02
Antoine leaves the Pont-Neuf for the Palais-Royal, a favourite Paris promenade and a stage for major political and cultural changes.
The House develops the making and sale of canes and umbrellas, building its reputation there for almost 125 years.
03
In Haussmann’s Paris, Antoine opens at number 10 of the new avenue de l’Opéra, near the Palais-Royal, the Comédie-Française and the Tuileries.
The prestigious address becomes the lasting setting for canes, umbrellas, parasols, gloves, hats, caps and fans.
04
Uses change, but the standard remains: meeting uncertain weather with useful, elegant and lasting objects.
The shop remains a place for advice and discovery, where everyday life meets history.
The object and its era
The brochure traces the parasol through China, Japan and Rome, its arrival in France with Catherine de’ Medici, and its place in fashion, art and social life. That wider history gives the House a distinctive visual language: rain, sunshine and gesture.
