Brazilian Slum Pulls Itself Up By Flip-Flop Strap
Edited by Jessica Lapidos
While we’ve been busy handing out Model Citizen Awards, we found a real live model citizen in the rough slums of Brazil. One tough bid, Silvinha Oliveira found her way out, worked her way through fashion school, turned away her nose up at the frivolity of high fashion’s industry and, instead, brought it back to the favelas to flourish. Upon imparting her sartorial knowledge to a few women in the community, she was able to start her own company: Retalhos Cariocas. She takes scraps of factories’ leftover fabrics and uses them to transform the country’s ubiquitous Havaianas into gladiators, booties, wrap shoes and more. All at once, Silvinha is giving fabric andher neighbors a second chance at life.
