Advertising Supplement/Fine Fashion/Designers/Catherine Deneuve

Catherine Deneuve

With its unceasing rain, umbrellas are always a consideration among the people of Mort. While cheap, utilitarian umbrellas can be had from almost any shop in the city, those looking to stand out will travel to Mort Central to shop at Catherine Deneuve's

Catherine Deneuve was born on New Paris, the only child of Lorraine and Charles Deneuve. Her parents are the owners of LCD Textiles, an extremely lucrative company dealing in exotic fabrics. Catherine grew up in wealth and style, always exposed to the family business that, it was assumed, she would eventually take over. However, a business trip to Mort with her parents changed everything.

“I remember walking out of the spaceport and into the rain of the city. It made me so sad. People either hid beneath drab black umbrellas or simply hunched over and walked through the rain unprotected. I thought what a shame it was that no thought had gone into the aesthetics of an accessory that most people on this world, by necessity, must own.”

- Catherine Deneuve, at age 15, on her first trip to Mort

Thus began Catherine Deneuve's fascination with umbrellas. With her parents blessings, she enrolled at the Baroque School of Aesthetics at New Paris majoring in Aesthetics and Design. Three years later she returned to Mort to study Business at Meny. At the age of twenty, she graduated with honors and threw herself into the fashion world of Mort.

Working from her small Uptown flat, Deneuve began sketching ideas for umbrellas. She would not be content with the ubiquitous round, black nylon design. No shape, material or concept would be off-limits. It was one of her first designs that gave Deneuve her big break. The “Porcine” design would have a canopy of cured sewer pig skin. The shaft and handle would be carved from a single piece of tusk. The hardware would be brushed aluminum. She had cajoled her parents into letting her show her designs to one of their regular clients. On seeing the “Porcine” design, Siobhan Lambert was sold.

“ The 'Porcine' design? Sheer genius. To combine two of the most detestable, yet iconic facets of life on Mort [rain and sewer pigs] and synergize them? To call 'Porcine' an umbrella is a gross injustice. It is a testimony to the indomitable nature of humanity to reign in and master primal forces. It is a celebration of Progress. I offered her a contract and an order of 15,000 units on the spot.”

- Siobhan Lambert 900SD

With that order, Deneuve's future was secured. The “Porcine” design would feature largely in Lambert's Fall 901 line and still sells well to this day. In fact, the design did so well that Deneuve would eventually work with Department of Streets and Sanitation and finance a series of Blue BPNs to procure a steady supply of pigs for raw materials.

Today, Deneuve has flagship boutiques in Mort Central and on New Paris. Her lines are carried in most upscale retailers across the World of Progress. Deneuve has also started working with Karma on a line of biogenetic umbrellas. Look for umbrellas that repair themselves, emit custom fragrances and emit bio-luminescence in upcoming lines.