Brazil became an export product. And when I refer to Brazil in such a broad way, I am not referring to commodities or regional products, but to Brazil as a concept.
The massive presence of Brazilians on social media, the rise in tourism in Brazilian lands, the Brazilian rise in cinema and major international agreements and events, such as the recent COP30, formed a combination of factors that made Brazil a trend in fashion as well.
Proof of this is the “Brazil Core”, a trend that celebrates Brazilian identity and has gained strength since the last World Cup, capable of flooding feeds and department stores around the world with the colors green and yellow.
The renowned French brand Moncler designed Brazil’s uniforms for the Winter Olympics | Photo: publicity
As the market always anticipates trends, we saw a movement never before recorded on a large scale like it is now in the world of fashion: the internationalization of Brazilian brands.
A Havaianas filled shopping malls with people looking for a copy of the model made in collaboration with the Italian brand Dolce&Gabbana. Months later, it appointed model Gigi Hadid as its first global ambassador, a crucial strategy to establish a presence in the American market. A set of actions that yielded results: in the second quarter of 2025, Alpargatas, owner of the brand, reported a net profit of R$87 million, that is, 270% compared to the same period of the previous year.
Partnership between Havaianas and Dolce&Gabbana sold out collection with pairs sold for R$349 | Photo: publicity
A carioca Farm ended 2025 with almost 150 stores in seven different countries. The company’s international division already accounts for 60% of sales results. With more than 150 years of history, internationalization is the main focus of Granado perfumery, which already has stores in Paris, London, Lisbon and New York. The same objective guides the expansion of PatBO, present in 26 countries and two own stores: one in New York and another in Miami.
It is no coincidence that the first Brazilian brands to start international operations are those with the “face of Brazil”. Havaianas, Farm, Granado… all of these refer to the Brazilian imagination which is in the minds of foreigners – who, usually, reduce Brazil to Rio de Janeiro.
Farm Rio store in New York brings together premium products | Photo: publicity
After the moment of celebration has passed – yes, it is very important to celebrate the recognition of fashion made here in other countries – it is time to question: what is the image of Brazil that we want to sell? A country with such diversity, talented designers and rare raw materials has much more to offer than packed Rio de Janeiro.
Nothing against Rio de Janeiro, mind you. But how about taking advantage of the enthusiasm for Brazil to also present pirarucu leather, the work of lacemakers from Ceará, references to brutalism in São Paulo or the purest silk produced in the South? The international fashion world deserves to know Brazil in its entirety and we deserve to show it.
