Carioca Charm — Introducing the Farm Rio x Adidas Originals Capsule Collection

Brazilian fashion brand Farm Rio made its New York Fashion Week debut on February 13th, showcasing a collection that harnessed the energy of Rio de Janeiro’s beach lifestyle, nodded to the colorful foliage and wildlife of the Amazon rainforest, conveyed the celebratory energy we associate with bossa nova music, and featured vibrant colors reminiscent of the wooden doors of the Parati district’s colonial houses and the exteriors of many of the dwellings in the Santa Marta favela. With a collection poised to hit Anthropologie stores later this month, Farm Rio is quickly making Brazil’s Carioca girl as much of a pop culture and fashion mainstay as Japan’s Harajuku Girls.  Needless to say, there’s a bit of a playful Carmen Miranda energy to the brand’s designs, but it’s updated in a truly contemporary manner and informed by the overarching a beach-meets-street aesthetic.

Farm Rio has even forayed into the athleisure realm through a collaboration with Adidas that features some of the latter’s classic apparel offerings and sneaker designs but reinterpreted with flashy and fun-loving prints. The Farm Rio for Adidas Originals collection, then, features two prints: “Florido,” which features oversize white lace floral motifs against a black backdrop, and “Fugiprabali,” an enchanting print portraying lush plants endemic to the Brazilian rainforest (among them passion flowers, bromeliads, and heliconias), exotic toucans, and juicy tropical fruits like ripe guavas, mangos, and cajú. 

The Farm Rio for Adidas Originals Florido Superstar Track Jacket ($70 at Adidas.com), pictured above at top, features the piece’s signature design details — the three stripes running down the sleeves, the zippered front, and the ribbed baseball collar — but the lace-like floral “Florido” pattern adorns the upper half of the jacket’s shell, extending from the shoulder area down to the midriff section on both the front and back. Similarly, the Farm Rio for Adidas Originals Fugiprabali Firebird Jacket ($70 at Adidas.com), pictured fourth above, features the stand-up collar, zippered side pockets, ribbed cuffs, and three-stripe sleeve accents that are associated with the classic garment, but the design is given a spunky attitude thanks to the unique print and shiny tricot material.

If you’re looking to update your fitness wardrobe, you may also consider the Farm Rio for Adidas Florido 3-Stripes Leggings ($35 at Adidas.com), shown next to last above, which are made of a stretchy jersey material and feature a medium-rise waist, or the Farm Rio for Adidas Fugiprabali Trefoil Boyfriend Tee ($45 at Adidas.com), shown sixth above.

The jackets are particularly great for those who love garments that can easily transition from gym to street — whether it’s the Florido Superstar Track Jacket and Fugiprabali Firebird Jacket previously mentioned or the Farm Rio for Adidas Originals Florido Cape Track Jacket ($90 at Adidas.com). Shown third above, the Florido Cape Track Jacket marries the baseball collar, ribbed waist, and central zipper of a classic track jacket with the draped sleeves and roomy fit of a cape. The all-over lacy floral print, meanwhile, adds drama to the sporty design.

I personally love the sneakers in the Farm Rio for Adidas Originals collection since you can literally wear them with anything from cut-off shorts to leggings, tank dresses, crop tops and denim skirts, and more. In particular, I’m obsessed with the Farm Rio for Adidas Stan Smith Sneakers pictured second from top ($85 at Adidas.com) since the vibrant print instantly catches the eye and literally adds some pep to your step.

Above all, the Farm Rio for Adidas collection revolves around the prints — and that’s precisely why it shines. While relatively subdued, the Florido print manages to take the classic floral lace motif and add a modernity to it through the intricate detailing: the way different sections of larger floral patterns are connected by plaits or bars, thereby resembling classic Guipure lace; or how the leaves emulate Chantilly lace through the usage of half and whole stitches that create the illusion of lights and shadows. The Fugiprabali print, meanwhile, feels like the loveliest picture in an adult coloring book, partly thanks to the tiny dots that adorn each element — from the toucan’s beak to the fleshy pulp of a guava fruit. This technique was inspired by Balinese dot paintings and then applied to a flora and fauna motif rooted in Brazil’s ecosystem. The end result is striking and an exciting glimpse at what we can expect to see from Farm Rio’s upcoming collections.