The history of the illustrious London luxury goods maker known today as Swaine Adeney Brigg goes back over 250 years. They've been supplying various items to Britain's Royal Family for 200 of them, and as those monarchs tend to be a traditional lot, the firm has basically remained unchanged in all that time. However, even this storied, not to say stodgy, company has decided it's time to freshen things up a bit. They recently brought in Alexander McQueen's former accessories chief Dominic Laurelli as design director to give SAB a much needed facelift.

Laurelli's first creation is the new St. James luggage collection. Laurelli tells us he drew on the understated elegance of 1920s luxury travel and the great Coco Chanel for inspiration, and says the St. James line is intended to be "synonymous with both traditional English leather goods and contemporary, modern style" (two words seldom heard around SAB). The collection is made from a durable anthracite tweed-like fabric with a water resistant backing and bridle leather detailing.

The summer sun is one of the best parts of the season, but unfortunately also one of the greatest hazards. Staying in the shade isn't always easy, but having a Tuuci Razor Shade Platform might make a difference. Some of the inspiration behind this design from Dougan Clarke came from the idea that sitting under an umbrella can sometimes be frustrating as the sun moves throughout the day and your area of shade gets smaller and smaller. But this tilted assymetrical canopy spins 360 degrees so you can easily keep comfortable all morning and afternoon, and it's built of sturdy materials intended to last through the weather. $1500.

April showers bring... the need for a new umbrella. How can you worry about May flowers when your hair is getting wet? Umbrellas are a useful tool that we don't give much thought to until caught in a down-pour and I have never had good luck from the $10 variety peddled by street vendors, no matter that they promise it's a real (insert designer name here). This time, I'm planning in advance. I love this Brick Rain Dot Umbrella from the Seattle company Pare Umbrella. It is 3-feet in diameter when opened and has a gorgeous natural rattan hooked handle. Price: $56.