Flo's Favorite Footware
What rubber flip flops retail for $12 to $20 in Beverly Hills, while the same sandals, once decorated by local artists, sell for anywhere from $80. to $160?

Actors Julia Roberts, Nicole Kidman, Sandra Bullock, singer Sting, supermodels Naomi Campbell, Kate Moss and Gisele Bundchen all wear them and Floribbean Flo does too, they’re called Havaianas ( pronounced ah-vai-YAH-nas ). Saks recently put Havaianas rubber thongs in three of its famous Fifth Ave store windows. Vogue, Cosmopolitan, Elle and Wallpaper have all featured the sandals on their pages. Chosen to be handed out to stars at the Cannes Film Festival, the fashion industry also presented them to Oscar runner-ups the day after the Oscar awards ceremony. Both the New York Times and Wall Street Journal have published major articles –about them.

The reason Floribbean Flo’s sells Havaianas in her store is they’re cheap, comfortable, and fashionable—they’re fantastic

Their popularity is international. Introduced to Australia in 1999, 1000 pairs were sold. Last year sales topped 350,000 pair and this year’s projection is for 500,00. In Brazil, where Havaianas were created in 1962, they are an everyman’s classic. Beginning as a surf sandal, these colorful thongs are worn by Brazilians of all walks of life from the country’s president to domestic help. Alpargatas, the manufacturer, is as secretive as Coca-Cola about the formula that makes Havaianas so successful. The combination of rubber materials that makes them flexibly comfortable, yet also durable has never changed in 40 years.

“They are a natural for our beachy, sophisticated buyers, both women and men.” Flo declares, “that’s why I had to have them for our store.” And like the fashion editor at Vogue’s Portuguese edition said “Havaianas are cheap, comfortable, they’re the originals and with a couple of Swarovski crystals sewn into them, They are simply fantastic.”

Flo’s Favorite Tee Shirts
“Hurricanes, Shmaricanes” says Flo. We don’t have mud slides, blizzards or ice storms, hardly any forest fires and a few wild fires so those of us who love this paradise take the hurricanes in stride. We prepare for them when warned, are thankful when most of the warnings turn out to be unnecessary and we help each other when they hit. I had these tee shirts printed up to display our attitude for everyone to see. Call the Store toll free (888 496-9888) to buy one for yourself. They’re only $9.50 each.