HAVAIANAS forever

Ever since we discovered Havaianas slippers 4 years ago (yup we’re kind of late-bloomers), our number 1 choice for flipflops is always Havaianas. Ipanema, Dupe, Crocs…I would still go for Havaianas.

In the Philippines, I believe the authorized dealers are All about Flip Flops and Rustan’s. A pair costs around P795-P1200 depending on the style.  Duty Free Philippines also sells these flip flops at limited designs and theirs are cheaper. A pair (2006)  was $15. In the US, of course it’s more expensive. I found a Brazilian site which sells the slippers cheaper than other US stores (http://www.brazilexplore.com/shop).

Just yesterday, I accompanied my sister to All About Flipflops because she wanted to buy a pair. In the store I tried a plain gray slim edition and was surprised to find the strap really soft. The 1st pair I bought in this same store about 4 years ago,  I remembered the thong (not slim yet) being kind of stiff. The pair I bought in Duty Free (not slim too), the thong was more rigid and the straps were sort of big on my feet. The slim edition pairs I bought in the brazilian online store, the straps all felt stiff. I actually don’t like walking in them for a long time.

This made me wonder: which is the authentic Havaianas? Is the authenticity in question or is the quality? The problem is with the straps. The rubber soles are all the same – durable and rubber-hard. If I’m going to choose, I would go for the ones being sold in the All FlipFlops store. I love how the straps feel because it doesn’t “bite” on the skin. But my sister also claimed that the slippers she bought there were all torn at the straps (maybe because the straps were really soft?)

With the popularity of Havaianas in the Philippines, it was a surprise that finally China has imitated it. A fake Havis pair cost around P50 from the street vendors. It mimics the style and design of an authentic havis but of course quality is poor – the colors fade, the rubber is soft and non-cushioning.

So what type of a Havaianas fan are you?