Sure, April showers claim to bring May flowers...and (as the phrase so gracefully doesn’t mention) lots of wet city streets and curbside puddle pools. To beat the gray days of April—and to stay elegantly dry in the process—nothing beats a raincoat. Luckily, when it comes to rainwear New York City has the best of the best, whether your preference is a tried-and-true trench or an avant-garde plastic concoction that will stop every last drip in its tracks. We highly recommend scooping up one now and avoiding the trauma of a drugstore parka that will only dampen your mood even more. These raincoats are the best of designer looks and a surefire way to ensure no clouds rain on your NYC day.
Designer Rain Gear NYC: Stutterheim
1.) A classic, stoplight-yellow raincoat is impossible to resist. This handmade version by Stockholm-based Stutterheim is cheery, efficient, and adorable to boot. Grab this rubberized cotton style that comes with a cozy, knit-lined hood and bold silver snaps. Steven Alan, 230 Elizabeth St., stevenalan.com
Designer Rain Gear NYC: Opening Ceremony
2.) The mod era’s iconic clear raincoat gets a 2016 update in Opening Ceremony’s purple vinyl rendition. It features clever mesh lining on the sleeves to protect your undergarments and utterly useful front pockets. Barneys New York, 660 Madison Ave., barneys.com
Designer Rain Gear NYC: Dolce & Gabbana
3.) Polka dots are guaranteed to put a little pep in your step (even if your step involves heavy rain boots). Dolce & Gabbana’s jacket has an easy-to-wear silhouette with a rounded collar, tab cuff sleeves, and streamlined buttons down the front. Dolce & Gabbana, 717 Fifth Ave., dolcegabbana.com
Designer Rain Gear NYC: Burberry
4.) Nothing quite beats the charm and tradition that exudes from a Burberry double-breasted trench coat. We’re partial to the Balmoral ultra-lightweight style that is replete with a signature plaid lining and a detachable hood, perfect for packing and perfect for wearing. Burberry, 367 Bleecker St., burberry.com
Designer Rain Gear NYC: Simone Rocha
5.) Simone Rocha is known for her feminine ready-to-wear with ruffles, cut-outs, and voluminous shapes. Her trench coat is definitely a beauty, with its cotton-blend jacquard fabric and lovely scalloped trim. Saks Fifth Avenue, 611 Fifth Ave., saks.com
Designer Rain Gear NYC: Moncler's
6.) Sporty and strewn with stars, Moncler’s nylon jacket is just the thing to scoot around town in. Easy to pop on for stray showers, and just as easy to stash away when the sun peeks out. Moncler, 90 Prince St., moncler.com
Designer Rain Gear NYC: Marimekko
7.) Textile-famed design house Marimekko delved into their archives to find the graphic popcorn print that decks out this polyamide raincoat. The silhouette features raglan cut long sleeves and useful drawstrings at the hood and waist. Marimekko, 200 Fifth Ave., marimekko.com
Designer Rain Gear NYC: Opening Ceremony
8.) Go big and bright with innovative brand MPMP’s reflective printed raincoat. This piece is (of course) rain-resistant and darkness-resistant (read: glow-in-the-dark). To lighten things up even more, it's also trimmed in reflective silver nylon. Opening Ceremony, 35 Howard St., openingceremony.us
Designer Rain Gear NYC: Jil Sander
9.) Exquisite minimalist designer Jil Sander has somehow managed to make an anorak one of the coolest things we’ve seen all season. The Italian-made coat is crafted from tech taffeta and has a slouchy, comfy fit with a hooded collar. Bergdorf Goodman, 754 Fifth Ave., bergdorfgoodman.com
Designer Rain Gear NYC: Gucci
10.) Fashionistas cannot get enough of Gucci, recently revitalized under new creative director Alessandro Michele. The signature GG print looks quite dashing on this hooded nylon coat, equipped with a bright gold zipper and star. Gucci, 840 Madison Ave., gucci.com
