HAVAIANAS’ ORIGINAL 1962 ERA TRADI FLIP-FLOP IS BACK!

words by ANOUK WOUDT

Nostalgia seems to have caught up with everyone, even Havaianas! They’re going back to basics with the classic TRADI style flip-flop that defined the brand’s identity for decades. Originating as the only silhouette offered, the style quickly grew to be a staple of Brazilian everyday wear, eventually becoming the whole world’s go-to beach shoe. Now it’s back — the OG, just tweaked to fit today’s push for individuality.

The TRADI model is revisited in homage to its brand heritage, as it journeyed from a local Brazilian street style to a full-blown international flip-flop empire. No longer exclusively for relaxed beach strolls, nowadays you can spot them strutting down metropolitan streets and even runways (as seen in OpéraSPORT’s SS26 collection and Pedro Andrade’s recent Havaianas show)! This return to its roots feels like an authentic homecoming, honouring the original model that started it all.

At the same time, it serves as a slight pushback against the Europeanisation of the brand — amplified by its presence at Copenhagen Fashion Week and across social media, with users wearing the footwear “in a Copenhagen way". In that shift, its Brazilianness feels somewhat pushed aside. Recentring the TRADI pivots towards a quiet reminder that its roots, and the cultural identity tied to them, are always the essence of the brand.

This relaunch is all about celebrating Brazilian culture and its everyday people! The rice-grain patterned sole, textured footbed, and especially, the iconic straps separate it from other models. They immediately stand out as a symbol of Brazil’s carioca culture, but now, they are featured in new colourways: pink, brown, black and the classic Tradi Blue.