Umbrellas have emerged as a stealth accessory for heatwaves, with people wielding them to shield from the sun becoming a common sight on high streets. At the Austrian Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton was spotted holding a Ferrari red umbrella, while at Paris fashion week, Dior handed large cream umbrellas to guests as temperatures hit 38C. Earlier, at the Thom Browne show in Milan, models carried grey-and-white-striped golf-style umbrellas on the alfresco runway.
From Rain to Sun: The Umbrella's Shift
Brands like Burberry and Hermès have long championed three-figure brollies for downpours, but the accessory is now shifting from a winter to summer must-have. Morgan Cros, founder of Original Duckhead, notes that umbrellas are becoming “much more of a year-round product,” with sales steadier through summer due to sun rather than rain. Phil Naisbitt, store manager at James Smith & Sons, reports a spike in demand for frilly sun umbrellas, particularly for weddings, after a resurgence driven by heatwaves.
UV Protection and Performance
Anti-UV umbrellas are becoming more common. Blunt's “UV Metro” brolly blocks at least 99% of harmful ultraviolet rays for £85, while Solbari's £49 “sunscreen umbrella” features an ultra-reflective silver canopy. Uniqlo released a compact UV version for £19.90. However, Brian Diffey of the University of Newcastle, a dermatological sciences expert, says a specialist umbrella isn't necessary: “On a sunny day about 50% of the ultraviolet reaching our skin is coming from the sun and the other 50% is coming from the sky.” He adds that a brand might claim UV protection of 50, but you're actually getting equivalent to sunscreen with factor 3.
Choosing the Right Sunbrella
Diffey advises looking for a tight weave to reduce UV radiation transmission, noting that a £10 umbrella and a £100 one with similar weaves perform the same. For heat protection, a light colour or reflective surface is best. He suggests holding an umbrella close to your head to shield from direct sunlight, but reminds that UV still hits skin from other directions. “The main advantage is that it keeps you a little bit cooler,” he says.
