Behold the sunbrella, fashion’s stealth accessory for a heatwave

Umbrellas are increasingly being used as sun shields on high streets and at events. At the Austrian Grand Prix Lewis Hamilton was pictured holding a Ferrari-red umbrella that matched his race suit, and at the Dior show in Paris guests including James Marsden and Mike Faist were handed large cream umbrellas as temperatures hit 38C.

Runways are showing the trend too: models at Thom Browne held grey-and-white-striped golf-style umbrellas and the front row favoured black brollies. Luxury labels such as Burberry and Hermès, which champion three-figure umbrellas for rain, are seeing the accessory shift into a summer staple.

Morgan Cros of Original Duckhead says umbrellas have become “much more of a year-round product,” and James Smith & Sons’ Phil Naisbitt reports a spike in demand for frilly sun umbrellas at weddings. Anti-UV options are multiplying.

sunbrella, umbrellas, sun umbrellas, brollies, anti-uv, heatwave, dior, lewis hamilton, burberry, hermès