Weave your style magic with summer's raffia hats

Left to right, Straw hat by Celine by Hedi Slimane. Straw hat by Vilebrequin, Panama hat by Hermés, Raffia hat by Dior

Left to right, Straw hat, £640, by Celine by Hedi Slimane; Straw hat, £180, by Vilebrequin; Panama hat, £485, by Hermés; Raffia hat, £1,150, by Dior. Photography: Adam Barclay. Fashion: Marianne Kakko

(Image credit: Adam Barclay)

This summer’s single most significant material trend came courtesy of the humble raffia plant, which was transformed into weaved tote bags and full-on frocks for the runway. At Jil Sander, streams of raffia adorned vests, at Simone Rocha, raffia was knotted over jacquard overcoats and festooned with pearls and at Dolce and Gabbana, raffia was weaved into elegant skirt suits, with chunky buttons.

For us, it's the classic straw chapeau that makes for the most wearable iteration for the season. We’re looking to Hermès for a classic Panama hat with a pinched crown and weaved pattern, topped with a feminine bow. Dior delved into classic cloches with deconstructed edges, and Celine and Vilebrequin are keeping it simple with wide brims and minimal detailing.

Fashion's fascination with raffia taps into a wider penchant for artisanal details and hand-honed finishes. Whatever your preference, be something sun shielding or statement making, this summer you’ve got the pick of the crop.