Adele can’t do without hers. Victoria Beckham and Meghan Markle have been pictured out and about with them, while Jessica Alba has shown off her baby-blue version on social media.
If you think the must-have item in question is a Hermes Birkin or the latest Chanel crossbody, I’m afraid you’re a decade behind.
For the latest craze among celebrities and on social media is not a designer bag. It’s a supersized, insulated water tumbler. These almost comically gigantic ‘adult sippy cups’ have become ubiquitous at boutique gyms – a signifier for anyone who identifies as a oh-so healthy, Lululemon wearing, salad-eating Pilates fan.
While the colossal cups come from various makers, such as brands like Yeti (Victoria Beckham’s preferred model) or Simple Modern (Meghan’s favorite), the current king of water bottles is the Stanley ‘Quencher’ – a ginormous, £42, 40oz (850ml) mug with a straw.
The hashtag #Stanleycup now has over seven billion views on TikTok and a cult-like following online with celebrities including actress Shay Mitchell and Love Islander Molly Mae Hague evangelising about it. They come in dozens of different colours, each selling out within minutes of release.
Just last week, Stanley sent social media into overdrive with a much-anticipated, limited-edition collaboration with Starbucks for Valentine’s Day.
Videos emerged of shoppers in America queuing overnight to get their hands on the bright, £35 pink and red cups. Viral footage even showed one man attempting to grab a box of them before getting tackled and beaten up by other customers who had queued for hours. The cups are now reselling for as much as £150 each on eBay.
So how did an insulated cup – which, let’s face it, was once the preserve of construction workers and mountaineering dads – become the ultimate fashion statement?
Ever since William Stanley Jr – not of the Stanley knife – invented the steel vacuum-sealed bottle in 1913, the Seattle company has sold various tumblers – from 14oz (400ml) to 64oz (1.8l), catering for long-distance drivers, outdoor workers, picnickers, hikers and more.
