Havaianas from Brazil!

The Zori (a Japanese style sandal) was the inspiration for the creation of the Havaianas sandal in 1962. The name Havaianas (pronounced ah-vai-YAH-nas), Portuguese for Hawaiians, was a tribute to America’s glamorous holiday destination. The addictive nature of these flip flops is largely due to a 42-year old secret rubber formula, which makes them butter-soft, bouncy, flexible and durable.

The idea for the new sandal was so simple that its success spread like wild-fire. In less than a year, São Paulo Alpargatas was making five pairs of Havaianas every second; which adds up to 125 million pairs per year. Since their launch, 2.2 billion pairs of Havaianas sandals have been produced and sold throughout the world. If the sandals were laid end to end, they would go around the world 50 times.

In Brazil, Havaianas are beloved and worn by all personalities from the average citizen to dignataries and celebrities. Since being introduced to the United States three years ago, Havaianas have created an unprecedented cult following. Now referred to as the “best rubber sandal in the world,” Havaianas can be seen gracing the pages of the hottest fashion and sport magazines, strutting down the runways at New York Fashion Week and featured at red carpet events. Stylish Americans, including top athletes, rock stars and celebrities demanded the butter-soft comfort of these inexpensive flip flops, making Havaianas available at the most chic retailers and surf boutiques nationwide.

posted by nscafuro @ 7:08 AM