El abanico: Passion for hand fans sizzles in burning Spanish heat

As passengers wilted in a packed Madrid metro, one traveller defied the summer heat by snapping open her handheld fan -- a quintessential Spanish accessory enjoying undimmed popularity.

The burst of coolness drew envious eyes to a must-have item that has retained its relevance thanks to designer creativity and increasingly oppressive summer temperatures, stoked by climate change.

"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 centre 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 ($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 Núñez, 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.

'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 before spectators waving rainbow-coloured equivalents, illustrating how the humble object can also be used to convey messages.

"The fan has always been fundamental for us and the community. It has always been a gay icon," 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, emphasising what he identified as the object's "sensuality".

"The very opening and closing of a fan is a marvellous 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.