Brazilian brand Havaianas presents six Mediterranean themed flip-flops with three designers

Warm summer months conjure up images of loose casual dressing and airy footwear.  Nothing is more summer than slipping on a pair of flip-flops and enjoying time in the sun.

Among my favourite pass-times is lazying around the pool or kicking up sand along beaches in a pair of Havainans, the go-to Brazilian brand for stylish flip-flops.  They are always packed in my holiday bag for destinations around the world.

Now I hear Havaianas have launched a special project called Local Soul whereby local artists in 3 Mediterranean destinations, notably Ibiza, Tel Aviv and Mykonos, are given the opportunity to use Havaianas as a canvas to showcase their design and inspiration.

The brand will also be taking over a beach venue in each place for the whole summer to bring a touch of Brazil to the Mediterranean, with a special music session each week, and one very special headline event in each location over the summer.

All 3 locations have been chosen because of their vibrant landscapes and atmosphere, their beach location and their cool vibes.

Each of the artists brings a different art form and take on the project to showcase the three destinations.

Rafi Perez from Tel Aviv, a native of this city and is known for his colourful artworks focusing on the city itself and the lively LGBTQ community who live and visit the city, present landscapes of the city in vibrant colours.  His designs are shown above and here on the left.

Athenian Marina Vernicos, however, takes her photographic inspiration from the beauty of Mykonos whose seascapes, architecture and landscape all serve as muses for her work. Her works are shown here on the right and below.

Finally, fashion and textile designers of the World Family Ibiza who focus on embroidery play on the warmth of the island and the iconic xyz rock as seen from the beach where Alok and Merel first met over 30 years ago.   Their designs are shown on the right and below.

The 6 pairs of Havaianas  flip-flops (2 per location - all shown here) are only available to buy from selected retailers in either Ibiza, Tel Aviv or Mykonos – so if you are lucky enough to be visiting these special places over the summer one of these could be an exclusive souvenir of your trip!

Havaianas has been producing flip-flops in Brazil since 1962.

Brits to spend a third of their household income during the summer, new research reveals

The Summer Barometer 2016™ from Ferratum Group has revealed that UK households are set to spend 33% of their disposable income during the summer this year.

Storksak Travel is a clever new five-piece collection of lightweight travel bags designed for short-haul, weekend family travel or as the perfect hospital bag launching mid-August 2016 at both M&S and online at Storksak.

Surprisingly, the annual research revealed that consumers in the UK are actually some of the lowest summer spenders across Europe, with Germany (71%) and France (60%) spending at least double that of the UK over the hotter months.

Retailers and hospitality businesses need to be fully prepared for this increase in customer demand in order to prevent customers spending this money with their competitors.

Summer spending in the UK is on the rise, however, with 1 in 3 households (35%) planning to spend more than last year, and a further 44% likely to spend a similar amount.

Over a fifth (22.5%) of the UK spend will go on travelling this summer, with only Sweden and Norway intending to spend more cash on travel. British consumers also prioritise buying new clothes and engaging in social activities during this period, with households spending 20.7% of their disposable income on these.

Tony Gundersen, UK Country Manager for Ferratum Group comments:“This year’s Summer Barometer™ clearly demonstrates how much the UK prioritises travel, spending more in this area than other countries in the survey. By contrast, given the number of sporting events and summer festivals occurring over the summer period, it is surprising that only 10% of household expenditure across Europe and Canada goes towards these activities.
The fact that a third of our household income is being spent during this relatively short period means that retailers and travel services providers have a strong opportunity to boost their revenues over the summer months.  However, retailers and hospitality businesses need to be fully prepared for this increase in customer demand in order to prevent customers spending this money with their competitors.”

Ferratum Group’s annual Summer Barometer™ was conducted using a standardised online questionnaire of 17,631 anonymous respondents across Ferratum Group’s 19 country locations in Europe and Canada. Respondents were asked about disposable monthly net income, how much they spent on their summer holiday, which activities they spend their money on and their preferred payment methods.

Pre-paid card expert provides guide in time for the Summer Holidays! And travel in style with Stow London.

Topaz blue see-view pouch from Stow London now available at Harrods
and on line.

Now that school is out and many of us Brits are preparing for a holiday away, we are deciding on what form of travel money should we be purchasing.

One of the latest form of travel money currently on the market is prepaid travellers card, but how to pick the right one?

The International Currency Exchange has warned travellers to check the terms and conditions of Fx cards although experts say prepaid cards provide a safe, secure and convenient way to take your money abroad and travellers may benefit from the best exchange rate available. As with any financial product, it is still a case of considering how you will use the card and reading the small print.

In a bid to aid this process, prepaid card expert Helen Child has released a guide just in time.  If you interested in this, you can view and download Helen's guide.

Please note: The information in this guide does not constitute financial advice, always do your own research  on top to ensure it’s right for your specific circumstances.

Travel-size leather goods for ladies from Stow London.

Meanwhile if travel in luxury is your plan, Harrods is now exclusively carrying the full Stow wander-luxe collection in the Knightsbridge store. 

According to Stow London's Founder and Creative Director Carol Lovell, their wander-luxe designs are conceived in England and handcrafted by master craftsmen and artisans in Europe: butter-soft Spanish leathers in jewel tone hues, united with deep luscious Italian suedes in contrasting colours. 

Men's leather travel accessories from Stow London. 

With unique signatures and an attention to detail, each design incorporates a trademark leather zip pull in Stow orange, and includes a small separate "stowaway" envelope for secret keepsakes and mementoes.

Win a trip to the Cotswold and Holiday like Hardy!

London’s Savile Row tailoring establishment Hardy Amies are running a travel campaign this month and have partnered with luxury boutique travel agent, Black Tomato (which specialise in tailor-made holidays and luxurious travel itineraries for Japan, California, New York and the UK) so that we can all #holidaylikehardy.

The prize?

They are offering the chance to win a luxury mini break to Thyme at Southrop Manor in the Cotswold, courtesy of Black Tomato, with a £1,000 Hardy Amies travel wardrobe of clothes to take with you, a personal shopping experience in Harvey Nichols and a £500 Case Luggage voucher for luxury luggage.

To enter, go to Hardy Amies website or click HERE for full details.  

Bags "Made of Carpet " set my imagination flying.

On seeing this bag from the British brand “Made of Carpet” immediately conjures up images from one of my favourite childhood films – Mary Poppins.  The  recent release of the Disney movie - Saving Mr Banks - set me on a nostalgic journey filled with fantasized thoughts of flying.  

Designer Irina Bragin's selection of bags are designed for modern day travelers, she said, those who appreciate Victorian English Heritage that had inspired her.  Bragin describes her target audience as bohemian students and those who have an appreciation for classic luxury designs.

Bragin’s British handbag company began in September of 2010, and as the name suggests, “Made of Carpet” handbags are” made from pieces of carpet to bring a fresh new look to the classic styles of weekend bags and purses. “ 

The Made of Carpet bags come in a variety of sizes and colours, including the Weekend Bag, the Gladstone models, sport/unisex models as shown above, and also purses.