Functional and stylish parasols offer skin protection to Shanghai fashionistas. Photos: IC and CFP

Shanghai's post-rainy season summertime can be a delight as well as a dislike - for one thing, local women are once more frowning upon the intensity of the sun's rays and including parasols among their everyday essentials to keep cool and, hopefully, protected.

Not all umbrellas can guarantee this. Parasols that offer effective sun protection are ultraviolet (UV) protective umbrellas with specially treated fabrics, and their performance is rated by the Ultraviolet Protection Factor (UPF) system. All UV umbrellas boast a UPF over 30, and UPF 50+ products are considered the best. This vital information is usually given on the labels and sometimes on price tags as well.

The Global Times looked around town for parasols that are not just functional, but stylish. After all, what's more exciting than a practical skin protector that complements your outfit?

Functional and stylish parasols offer skin protection to Shanghai fashionistas. Photos: IC and CFP

Paradise

Originally from Hangzhou, Paradise is synonymous with designed-and-made-in-China umbrellas. Paradise's largest outlet in Shanghai is the Jing'an district location, which currently stocks about 30 new UV umbrellas.

Paradise's brollies offer excellent value for money. Expect to pay between 98 yuan ($15.97) to 238 yuan for one of their UV umbrellas. With friendly prices, the parasols nevertheless all have a UPF of at least 40, and many of them are over 50. This is thanks to a special ultralight yet high-density fabric that far outperforms conventional UV umbrella fabrics, like polyester, when it comes to sunlight protection.

Appearance-wise, Paradise has something for everyone. The Rainbow Princess (98 yuan) features dotted prints that come in the seven colors of the rainbow and has been extremely popular with students. Other prints feature bunnies, as well as, interestingly, tiny umbrellas. More mature designs include gold-sequined plum blossoms.

Also rainbow-themed are the luminous UV umbrellas (140 yuan). Once a button is pushed, the entire umbrella stick glows in one of the seven colors. When the button is pushed for the eighth time, a color gradation appears.  While they are definitely eye-catching, the graphic designs are kept simple and classic with stripes in black.

Business hours: 9 am to 7 pm

Add: 406 Yuyao Road 余姚路406号

Tel: 6230-0001

Shanghai Story

Shanghai Story is a homegrown fashion accessory brand specializing in silk scarves, handbags and umbrellas for women. It sets out to embody the taste and class of old Shanghai.

The store offers 24 types of UV umbrella this season. The priciest (599 yuan) boasts a UPF over 40. A newly invented fabric imported from Taiwan, which reportedly reduces the temperature underneath by 3 C to 5 C, is combined with a UV reflective layer to offer extremely effective shade. Understated patterns hem the surface to complete an exquisite look.

One signature of the store is the femininity of its designs, exemplified by this season's best-selling range of UV umbrellas decorated with handmade embroideries (299 yuan).  They dot the surface with large flowers that come in four colors, including azure blue and look gorgeous in the company of transparent lace and fluorescent sequins.

While it is widely believed that a darker color fabric comes with more promising UV absorption, the shop offers a wide range of umbrellas in fairly light tones of beige and pink. But there is an exception - a leopard print UV umbrella (199 yuan) in chocolate brown makes a bold but ladylike statement.   

Business hours: 10 am to 10 pm

Add: 82 Tianlin Road 田林路82号

Tel: 6475-4775

Relax

Located in Grand Gateway 66, Relax is a Taipei brand established in 1985 that sells everything from sunscreen and stockings to award-winning UV parasols.

While Relax's UV umbrellas from last year looked decidedly minimalist and chic, this summer's 40 new products are either bold or cute. Some come in plain, bright colors of purple, red, and orange that would add spunk to all-dark outfits. More girlish items feature polka dots or hearts. Abstract prints in cool tones can be found, too.

The store's umbrellas are impressively sturdy. The 369 yuan UV umbrellas, for example, were designed to remain steady against horizontal winds, and serve as a safer choice when a typhoon threatens the city.

The most expensive UV parasols (469 yuan) come with auto-open and auto-close functions. They were made with a German patent called Safety Closure System that minimizes the impact at the handle when the umbrella is closed and have proved to be a hit in Japan.

Business hours: 10 am to 10 pm

Add: 1 Hongqiao Road

虹桥路1号

Tel: 6407-0111