Get into an Island Groove with the Havaianas x Mara Hoffman Collection
There’s always been an easiness to fashion designer Mara Hoffman’s clothes, a carefree Bohemian attitude made modern via psychedelic prints and exuberant colors. Seeing as so many of her collections have been inspired by lush locales like Hawaii and Polynesia, it’s only fitting that Hoffman collaborate with Havaianas, arguably the most beloved brand of flip-flops and island-ready footwear. Released just as the temperatures are beginning to rise, the Havaianas x Mara Hoffman collection stays true to the beach-y vibe of the Brazilian footwear brand while perfectly capturing Hoffman’s aesthetic via the motifs printed on each sandal’s footbed.
The limited-edition collection consists of four thong-style flip-flop sandals, each retailing for $44 at US.Havaianas.com. One sandal’s footbed, for instance, features arched bands of color, each with a whimsical pattern, along the outer areas and concentric diamond shapes along the center, with an evil eye nestled within the innermost diamond, presumably meant to ward off negative energy. Navy blue straps adorned with a crescent moon pin complete the mystical design. Another sandal, meanwhile, channels a more folkloric energy via charming songbird illustrations over a coral red backdrop. Flower petals in bright red, turquoise, white, black, and acid green appear along the heel, their edges further embellished with geometric motifs or thick strokes of color. Diagonal or curved bands of white color, each featuring a black leafy brand at its center, appear throughout the footbed, as do sunburst-like yellow rays. The combination of the birds and the flowers, along with the color pattern, conjures up images of Madrid. A red star-shaped pin adorns the sandal’s slim black straps, adding to the rustic charm of the overall design.
One sandal even includes Hoffman’s Ananda print (seen earlier this year in the kids’ swimwear line Hoffman designed for J.Crew), which features tropical birds mean to represent freedom and bliss. The bird’s feathers are a punchy turquoise color, with lime green and purple accents along its beak, crest, and tail. Behind the bird, meanwhile, we again encounter wide white stripes — below, the bird, we see two horizontal lines and a V-shaped band facing downward, pointing toward the heel; and above the bird, we find four even wider bands of white color, each in an upward-facing V shape. And, as before, each stripe features black markings at its center that create the illusion of a leafy vine.
And, of course, those who prefer Hoffman’s more abstract, kaleidoscopic, geometric prints will adore the sandal with the bright pink straps, which has a groovy multi-color pattern consisting of multiple stripes of jovial color and gradient rays of light.
Sure, $44 is quite a bit to spend on rubber flip-flops, but these prints might just make the splurge feel like a worthy investment!
