by Kirin Rinehart


Walking or cycling in the rain hardly conjures images of chic sophistication, but Terra New York is one company that’s out to tackle precipitation with style. Its waterproof trench coats, parkas, and capes, available in semi-sheer nude or smoky gray, boast heat-sealed seams to keep bodies bone dry in a downpour. They’re also made from solvent-free and biodegradable TPU (that’s thermoplastic polyurethane, for the acronym-challenged), which breaks down in a landfill after 15 years of nonuse.


HIGH AND DRY
Yurika Nakazono and Marie Saeki founded the label after a search for sleek, commuter-friendly rain gear proved fruitless. Facing Gotham’s less-than-predictable weather, the former marketing professionals (and avid cyclists) decided to design something that telegraphed “bike-savvy urbanite,” rather than “glorified garbage bag.”
Off-the-cuff elements like an cocoon-shaped hood, designed to slide over a helmet, add form to function.
“Terra” doesn’t denote any kind of kumbaya Mother Earthiness, but rather “ter,” the latin number for three (two founders, one vision), and “ra,” the world’s most popular format for transmitting meteorological data. The first collection features crisp, tailored lines, along with mesh panels for breathability and freedom of movement and storm flaps for added coverage. Off-the-cuff elements like an cocoon-shaped hood, designed to slide over a bicycle helmet, add form to function.
No more excuses for looking waterlogged as you slush into work, no matter how foul the weather outside.
(Source: www.ecouterre.com )