As 2022 comes to a close, Havaianas, the Brazilian Lifestyle brand that is part of the Alpargatas S.A. Group celebrates the Asia Pacific (APAC) regional headquarters’ fifth year of growing and strengthening the brand’s presence across the APAC region. This milestone anniversary also coincides with the Havaianas brand’s 60th anniversary, following its creation in 1962. For 60 years, the brand has lived its vision that free feet are the key to a free body, and a free body is the path to a free soul and an open mind – back then, and now, Havaianas exists to set everybody free.
Havaianas Celebrates Five Years of Regional Headquarters in Asia Pacific
Havaianas first opened its APAC regional headquarters in Hong Kong in 2017. With over 90% of the brand’s operations held in Brazil, the much-loved flip flop brand has only a few outposts around the world, including Hong Kong, Shanghai, as well as locations in the USA and Europe. Over the past five years, Havaianas’ physical presence has expanded in step with the brand’s growing popularity, now reaching 18 APAC markets with over 290 brick and mortar stores, whilst the APAC digital business has grown 10 fold over the same period. The company currently employs over 40 people between its Hong Kong headquarters and dedicated China office in Shanghai.
Since its arrival in the APAC region, Havaianas has created several memorable and coveted collections aiming to enhance its connection and affinity with local consumers.
- Havaianas produced for the first time in 2021 an exclusive Lunar New Year range, featuring traditional colours and reflections of the lunar zodiac.
- In 2021 and 2022, Havaianas designed The Sakura collection, inspired by Japanese culture and the cherry blossom season. This has been very successful across markets and is now a staple of the APAC range.
- Special market collections were designed for specific locations like Bali, Sydney and Tokyo.
- Brand collaborations with iconic brands such as Bathing Ape and Mastermind have been popular in APAC, and partnerships with local influencers in China, The Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Japan, Taiwan, Singapore and Australia, have helped drive awareness for such collections.
“Asian Consumers are very brand conscious and are looking for authentic, high quality and fashionable products, which Havaianas strives to provide this important market with. Through designing products and campaigns inspired by local culture, we hope to help improve identification between Havaianas and our audiences in APAC.” said Danielle Panissa, Havaianas APAC Brand and Product Director.
Looking ahead to the next five years and beyond, Havaianas APAC has very ambitious goals, planning to grow double digits in the region every year by understanding its core consumers, expanding its product offering, growing findability, and offering strong brand experiences.
Havaianas has recently pledged to collect 10 percent of total sold flip flops from its APAC Havaianas stores via their ReCycle stations across the region. The pledge, which the brand aims to meet by 2030, supports Havaianas’ strategic ambition to create a more colourful and freer tomorrow through taking steps that contribute to a more sustainable future. In addition to the collection goal, Havaianas will ensure 100 percent of its monobrand stores in APAC feature collection points by 2030, making recycling of flip flops easier for all.
Havaianas: 60 Years of Designing for a Free Life
The Havaianas brand began back in 1962, with its first flip flop inspired by the Japanese Zori – a sandal made of rice straw and cloth straps. Since inception, the brand has gone on to open more than 500 stores worldwide, with a presence in 116 countries. Even today, six decades later, Havaianas products are still 100% manufactured in Brazil. Now considered a global fashion icon, the brand launches more than 400 styles each year, produces 10 pairs every second, and has sold over 4 Billion pairs to date.
Staying true to its values is at the core of the Brazilian lifestyle brand, which exists to “set you and everybody free”. For Havaianas, nothing is more liberating than a colourful and comfortable environment where everyone can express their unique way of life. Through its collections and initiatives, Havaianas helps people identify themselves, feel represented and have access to a diverse portfolio, so they can always be inspired to express themselves freely. This movement is part of a continuous evolution towards an increasingly sustainable development because Havaianas believe that the footprints we leave behind are as important as the steps we take. Furthermore, the brand aims to help people make conscientious choices in their daily lives and so that they can live in the most harmonious way possible, with the lightest impact, always thinking about tomorrow. Therefore, Havaianas is fully immersed in its processes and products, seeking innovative solutions and rethinking traditional logics, from raw materials, production, transport, to the possibilities of final disposal and new life cycles.
“I believe that this is just the beginning for Havaianas – we are always innovating at both the global level and from our APAC hub. We have a lot of exciting initiatives, launches and collaborations in the pipeline for next year and beyond, and we look forward to creating more milestones with our audiences” shares Robert Esser, President of Alpargatas, S.A. for APAC and China.
