Havaianas "The summer must-have"

The brand

In the 1960s, the flip-flop was a practical shoe worn by the working-class and was only made in a blue-and-white design. Travelling merchants sold them from the back of their vans. Variations in colour and design are claimed to have all started serendipitously in 1969 when one batch of flip-flops came out to be green and suddenly gained popularity.

In the '80s, Havaianas became everyday wear and the Ministry of Finance included the sandals in the list of products that are necessary to Brazilian life.

The '90s was a turning point for the brand. The trend of turning the Havaianas white side downwards and leaving the colourful part up created the sandals that have only one colour. It was the inspiration of the Havaianas Top style and now its available in 15 different colours. Later, Havaianas launched its new style with the highly coveted printed patterns, the hibiscus flowers.

For the 98 World Cup, Havaianas launched a new style with the Brazil flag on the strap. It became desired worldwide and today, it's one of the bestsellers. In 1999, Havaianas crossed boundaries and nowadays it can be found in more than 60 countries.

The name

The name Havaianas is derived from the feminine form of the Portuguese word for "Hawaiians", and the pattern on the soles of the sandals is designed to resemble the straw soles of zōri. Originally, all Havaianas featured white insoles with coloured outsoles and straps. Because of their simplicity and low price, the sandals became popular with Brazil's lowest social classes.

Collaborations

The last few years, Havainanas started partnership with IPE, Conversation International and UNICEF and donated a part of the sales to these organisations.

Havaianas designed more Special Collections featuring exclusive details such as crystals and metal meshes which are hand-sewn by artisans in Brazil. In 2015, inspired by the Brazilian spirit, Havaianas launched its first clothing line featuring summer products.

Havaianas had many collaborations with artist and designers including Valentino, Liberty, Disney, Farm Rio, Candy Bar and more.

The future

Building a strong and highly recognizable image by opening more mono-brand stores and launching new product categories while reorganizing its management structure are some of the aims that guide Brazilian sandal brand Havaianas’ worldwide expansion.