Summer is around the corner, and after months of being squashed into sneakers and clunky boots, your toes must be eager to get out into the sunshine.
Yours aren’t the only feet that enjoy a bit of fresh air, judging from the 240+ million flip-flops Havaianas sell worldwide each year. The Brazilian footwear brand has been providing slip-on solutions in all colors and prints imaginable for over 50 years, and they aren’t slowing down now. If anything, they’re taking new leaps, with 2023 marking their first-ever celebrity partnership— and if you haven’t heard of her, then it looks like your toes weren’t the only ones hibernating.
How many of you watched Euphoria? How many of you said Kat was your favorite character?
Barbie Ferreira blew up after starring as Kat in the hit HBO show—a body-conscious teen turned sassy and fearless online dominatrix. But she had already created a buzz before as a proud and outspoken curvy model. On top of being multi-talented (and someone you’d definitely want to be mates with), Ferreira has an appeal that mainly comes down to her self-assured, positive energy. She is comfortable in her own skin and not afraid to celebrate it, which is a refreshing quality in a space that’s often filled with constructed personalities.
Ferreira’s go-with-the-flow attitude was love at first sight for Havaianas. Beyond selling flip-flops, the Brazilian brand also promotes the lifestyle that goes with the shoes: laid back, relaxed, and backed by a culture of diversity, acceptance, and freedom. They couldn’t have found a better match for their own values. Not only does Ferreira come from a TV show known for winning at fashion, but she also represents a generational mindset of openness toward creativity and dialogue between people and cultures.
Ferreira’s collection is an invitation to connect and experiment with our surroundings. She wanted to celebrate her Brazilian heritage and she couldn’t have chosen a better brand than Havaianas, which is pretty much Brazil's national treasure. Like most Brazilians, Havaianas were a staple in her household. "Havaianas is an iconic brand that I’ve been wearing since I was in diapers,” says Ferreira. “Getting the chance to design for a company that represents my family, and me, in a nostalgic way is incredibly exciting.”
Ferreira modeled the collection in a gorgeously retro villa dotted with vintage details and overflowing with tropical greenery. “Being Brazilian-American has shaped my heart, my art, and my fashion endlessly,” she said, as the shoot took her on a journey down memory lane as she revisited cultural influences that made her the star she is today.
Havaianas may have established itself on our international radar thanks to collaborations with brands like Missoni and Valentino, but in Brazil, the local legend had already conquered people’s hearts as their unrivaled choice of footwear. Their flip-flops are must-have items for pretty much the entire population and real hardcore flip-floppers keep a different pair for every occasion, even wearing them at formal events.
The summer collection is Barbie’s unique interpretation of Brazil’s rich culture of art and lush, natural textures. Talking us through her process of co-designing, she explains, “I thought of murals and tiles that reminded me of Brazil,” drawn from the Rio de Janeiro of the ‘60s and ‘70s. The collection reflects Barbie’s playful and versatile fashion sense, giving us nine styles of flip-flops and slides in green, yellow, and brown colorways. The prints are a mix of delicate details and chic color blocking, perfect for those of you that appreciate the simpler things in life.
If you want to chill through the summer the Brazilian way, cop at least one pair of these babies at havaianas.com.
