The rubber-soled flip-flops from Havaianas have been around for 50 years — a huge feat for any fashion brand — and an especially big one for a single-product one like Havaianas (for reference, the Louboutin is only 21 years old). The "original" Havaianas flip-flop was first patented on June 14, 1962 in São Paulo, but didn't reach U.S. shores until fairly recently. According to WWD, the brand is more popular than even Coca Cola in Brazil: Says president of Alpargatas USA, Inc., Afonso Sugiyama, "The brand awareness is 100%, so literally everyone in Brazil knows about [them]." To celebrate, Havaianas is releasing a 50th anniversary flip-flop for $28 in the "original" model featuring two colored soles and baby-blue straps. All proceeds from the sale will go to benefit UNICEF. (WWD)
Photo: via Havaianas/WWD
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