Passion for hand fans sizzles in burning Spanish heat
'Everyone uses a fan here in Spain -- children, the elderly, young people, men,' said Arturo Llerandi, owner of the 'Casa de Diego' fan boutique in Madrid. 'Why? Because it's hot... It's hotter across Europe and you see fans everywhere.' Llerandi's bustling shop, which has been located in the center of the Spanish capital for more than two centuries, boasts 10,000 different models of fans.
Bone and lace versions are aimed at women and smaller versions cater to men, all diminutive enough to slip into a jacket pocket, with the most luxurious costing up to 6,000 euros ($7,000). With temperatures close to 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) regularly assailing Madrid in July, the idea of buying a fan as a gift was a no-brainer for customer Carmen Pulido.
'It's something to have forever... Lately, it's become essential,' said the 62-year-old legal assistant. For pensioner Rosa Nunez, 69, the 'good old fan' has remained her best friend after the batteries of her electronic alternative died. 'With handheld fans, the battery runs for a lifetime,' she said with a smile.
French luxury hand fan designer Olivier Bernoux poses with one of his fan creation in his store.
French luxury hand fan designer Olivier Bernoux poses with one of his fan creation.
French luxury hand fan designer Olivier Bernoux works on one of his fan creation in his store.
French luxury hand fan designer Olivier Bernoux poses with one of his fan creation.
French luxury hand fan designer Olivier Bernoux works on one of his fan creation.
A woman looks at the window of Casa de Diego hand fan store in Madrid.
Pedestrians walk past the window of Casa de Diego hand fan store in Madrid.
A woman looks at the window of Casa de Diego hand fan store in Madrid.
A woman walks past the window of Casa de Diego hand fan store in Madrid.
A woman looks at the window of Casa de Diego hand fan store in Madrid.
Clients buy a hand fan at Casa de Diego hand fan store in Madrid.
Arturo Llerandi, owner of Casa de Diego, poses outside his hand fan store in Madrid.
'Very elegant'
Olivier Bernoux, a designer who heads a luxury fan store in Madrid, acknowledged the accessory has 'a heavy legacy... perceived as an old object, for the elderly'. But they are 'not kitsch, nor for old women', insisted the man whose celebrity clients include pop idol Madonna and US actor Eva Longoria. 'Even in New York you find fans due to climate change because you have to find a way to cool down,' said Bernoux.
His global customer base brings different expectations. 'Men are more classic', while Spanish women 'are more sensitive to the noise' made when fans are unfurled, he said. 'For the 'Miami' American woman customer, large fans are a must-have, while the French are particularly attracted to all our linen creations,' Bernoux continued. At Madrid's Pride festival in July, some dancers snapped their fans to the rhythm of the music.
'The fan has always been fundamental for us and the community,' said Pedro Pontes, a 31-year-old waiter. Ecuadoran journalist Erika von Berliner, who lives in Madrid, sees her fan as a 'very elegant' accessory. 'You hold something very beautiful that goes with your clothes and if you know how to use it well, with elegance, so much the better,' the 49-year-old enthused.
Bernoux agreed, emphasizing what he identified as the object's 'sensuality'. 'The very opening and closing of a fan is a marvelous gesture that will attract attention,' he said, advising users to sprinkle perfume on theirs. 'On public transport, you take out your fan and it makes a tough moment an easier one,' he concluded.--AFP
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