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Winter’s finally over and spring is here, which, for a lot of us, means things are about to get wet. The rainy season brings green grass and blooming flowers, but it can also unfortunately entail bringing back the same boring old waterproof gear you’ve had packed up since last year. What could be a better way of preparing for the wet weather while embracing springtime’s sense of renewal than refreshing your rainwear wardrobe?
Credit: Rains
Rains
Staying dry often means sacrificing fashion for functionality, but Danish brand Rains is flipping the script by combining next-generation materials and construction with boundary-pushing “neo-Scandinavian” style.
The most notable thing about the brand is its range. Since launching with a contemporary update on a classic raincoat, Rains has expanded to include a wide range of outerwear, innerwear, and accessories for women and men, covering all kinds of conditions, from summer showers to winter storms. For springtime, Rains is offering a range of raincoats (including its flagship original Jacket, $110), waterproof vests ($170) and coats ($125), and rain pants ($95) that don’t make you look like an old-timey fisherman.
The brand’s line of bags includes everything from totes to backpacks to a travel-ready wheelie bag (because who hasn’t been caught in a downpour while in transit). The accessories front includes wallets (from $34), a classic bucket hat ($34) and waterproof laptop sleeves ($70) that will soothe the anxiety of anyone who’s ever accidentally thrown their computer into a bag with an untrustworthy water bottle. With its forward-looking minimalist design, silhouettes that are far more flattering than typical rainwear, and a chic neutral palette, it’s easy to imagine yourself taking on wet weather wearing Rains head to toe.
Credit: Stutterheim
Stutterheim
Stockholm-based Stutterheim is as Swedish as it gets, from its tongue-in-cheek slogan—“Swedish melancholy at its driest”—to its core product, a rubberized cotton raincoat inspired by label founder Alexander Stutterheim’s discovery of the one his grandfather wore as a fisherman in the early Sixties. Today, the brand includes unisex raincoats in a range of weights and lengths to fit your preferences and local weather conditions, plus coats for kids and even dogs. For a splash of classic Swedish style, check out the Stockholm raincoat ($295), available in mossy green along rich burgundy, plus more traditional colors, and a 100-percent natural rubber Chelsea Rainwalker boot ($165) that adds some much-needed style to the classic galoshes you grew up in. Feeling a little edgier? The brand’s fashion-forward Opal Series offers shiny finishes and bold branding that will turn heads.
Credit: Miles Raymer
Reykjavik Raincoats
Nobody knows staying dry better than the residents of Iceland, where it rains more than 200 days a year. Inspired by a soggy morning when its founders were caught in a storm after a night of clubbing, Reykjavik Raincoats keeps it simple but splashy with a core collection based on the timeless rubberized raincoat in a spectrum of colors: not just black and navy, but tangerine, turquoise, and bright, buttery yellow, for those who do feel like looking like an old-timey fisherman. Made by hand, and designed to hold up to years of Iceland-style heavy use, they’re available in a straight-through Classic cut or a retro-mod Flare (both $248)—making it one raincoat that you won’t mind wearing on a night out.
Credit: Miles Raymer
On
It’s a challenge to find footwear that can keep your feet dry in a downpour but that you’ll still want to wear when the skies clear up. Luckily, Swiss sneaker brand On offers several waterproof options, including a wet-weather version of its signature Cloud running shoe (the fashion world’s favorite shoe for casual days, $149) and a sturdy but chic Cloudrock Waterproof hiking boot ($229). The breathable membrane uppers mean you can step in puddles while also keeping your feet from becoming a sweaty mess, while On’s ultra-comfy CloudTec soles keep a spring in your step even in bad weather. The brand’s design sense also extends to its collection of weatherproof performance outerwear, like a waterproof anorak that looks as high-tech and sci-fi-worthy as the sustainable next-generation materials it’s made from.
Credit: Miles Raymer
BLUNT Umbrellas
Cheap, flimsy umbrellas have become the default for most of us, but we deserve better than something that we can’t trust to hold up to anything more than a gentle shower—and the planet deserves better than trash cans full of blown-out umbrellas after every storm. BLUNT’s umbrellas—including the compact Metro model ($89)—are tested to hold up to hurricane-strength winds, with high-quality materials and a rounded-edge design that will keep you from worrying about poking your fellow pedestrians on a crowded sidewalk. And if yours does break down, the brand also offers repair services. With its signature shape and range of eye-catching colors—as well as a rotation of artist collaborations—BLUNT will help you stand out from the crowd and say goodbye to single-use umbrellas.
Credit: Yamazaki
Yamazaki Home
Of course, if you invest in an umbrella that’s not going to wind up in the trash right away, you’re going to need somewhere to put it. Japanese home brand Yamazaki has an entire collection of umbrella stands, in a range of sizes and shapes—including a minimalist stand ($60) that stylishly handles umbrellas of all sizes—keep your entryway organized and rainwater off your floors. Like all good Japanese design products, they’re intuitively ergonomic and elegantly thought out, with steel construction that’ll stand up to years of use.
Shop the edit to stay dry – and sustainable – this spring:
- Rains’ flagship original Jacket
- Stutterheim’s Stockholm raincoat and Chelsea Rainwalker boot
- Reykjavik Raincoats’ Classic cut or a retro-mod Flare raincoats
- On’s sturdy but chic Cloudrock Waterproof hiking boot
- BLUNT Umbrellas’ compact Metro model
- Yamakazi Home’s minimalist stand
