It is a neighbourhood in Rio de Janeiro, with one of the most famous beaches in Brazil. It is an inspiration for musicians of the Bossa Nova style, such as Tom Jobim and Vinicius de Moraes. It is a brand of quality sandals and flip-flops. It is Ipanema.
It was 2500km away, more precisely in Ceará, that Ipanema was born. Grendene, one of the largest Brazilian footwear manufacturing companies, launched the beach brand to the market 30 years after its foundation. With competitive prices, in order to make the footwear accessible to all, Ipanema appeared in 2001 with a cosmopolitan style, just like the area of Rio de Janeiro that lends it its name. Icon of South American lifestyle and Brazilian beauty, both natural and feminine, the Ipanema area refers to tropicality, the beach and the city. All of which the sandals brand also seeks to represent.
With Havaianas as a strong competitor, Ipanema quickly found its place in the market. The brand chose the model Gisele Bundchen as the face of its 2002 collection, and the partnership was fundamental for the brand's growth. Initially aimed at the female public, Ipanema began to invest in differentiated technology, innovation and comfort. The next step was the children's line, where they created sandals with references to characters that the little ones love, such as Looney Tunes, Paw Patrol and Justice League.
With a 100% female creative team, the designers are constantly looking for new materials, new manufacturing techniques and inspiration, both in fashion trends and in direct conversations with the women who wear Ipanema. This year's collection, full of details, features the Class sandals range and slippers in slide and flip-flop versions.
In the market for 20 years, Ipanema has been betting on campaigns that appeal to diversity. In 2017, with 'Project Summer', the brand changed the focus of the so-famous project that many women and men have every year. Instead of focusing on the perfect body, Ipanema invited to learn something new, fulfil an old dream or take a desired trip, changing the focus to a different kind of project.In 2018, with singer Anitta as ambassador, Ipanema launched the 'Free Movement from Feet to Head', a platform to express female plurality.
In addition, the Brazilian brand is betting on sustainability. With a material that can be reused in its entirety, each model is manufactured with at least 30% recycled materials. By producing less waste, the brand believes it generates more possibilities for everyone, and since 2013 Grendene has already reduced its waste production by 57%.Regarding energy consumption, the factories use a solar energy system and operate entirely with LED lamps. Aware of its roots, Ipanema has reduced its water consumption by 31%, the equivalent of 160 Olympic swimming pools.
Following the ideology that quality and responsibility go hand in hand, the brand does not use chemical products harmful to health or the environment. Recognized by the Vegan Society, Ipanema's footwear does not test materials on animals and is totally vegan. Furthermore, with over four thousand trees planted around the factories, Ipanema aims to improve the climate of the region where it works in terms of temperature, humidity, water and air quality.
Ipanema is light, sensual and tropical. They are suitable for the various styles of women, from the more urban and relaxed to the more classic and romantic. See here all the models we have available.
And in the form of an ode to the girls from Ipanema, "look what a beautiful thing, full of grace, ..."
