This age-old accessory that defies heatwaves

An essential ally against summer heatwaves, the fan traces its origins back to ancient Chinese, Egyptian, Greek, and Indian civilizations—eras when it took the rigid form of a fixed, non-folding screen.

While the oldest known specimen dates back to the 7th century BCE in China, it was Japanese artisans who revolutionized the accessory in the 7th century CE by inventing the folding model—known as *sensu*—inspired directly by the opening mechanism of bat wings; later, the Middle Kingdom would in turn develop the « brisé » fan, made of slats held together by a ribbon.

Meanwhile, medieval Europe used the *esmouchoir*—a handled fly-whisk made of horsehair—to cool off. However, the modern Oriental fan was introduced starting in 1540 by Portuguese sailors returning from Japan; passing through the Lisbon market, it went on to conquer Italy and subsequently the French court, championed by Catherine de’ Medici and her master perfumers.

Once an essential emblem of luxury and gallantry—reigning supreme until the dawn of the 20th century, an era defined by spectacular feathers and painted fabrics shaped by Art Nouveau and Art Deco—the accessory subsequently declined due to the economic upheavals of the two World Wars.

Today, while Spain and Asia handle low-cost mass production, the artisanal craft of fan-making survives thanks to the performing arts and major haute couture houses that have brought it back into vogue—such as the designer Karl Lagerfeld, who made it his visual signature—while in France, the historic Atelier Anne Hoguet preserves and restores this exceptional heritage.