Where to buy Havianas weird and wonderful kitten heel

WORDS Cassandra Dimitroff PHOTOGRAPHY courtesy Havaianas PUBLISHED Thu, 6 Aug 2026 - 11:45 am

If there was ever a sign that fashion has completely surrendered to the weird little shoe, it's this: Havaianas has put its humble rubber flip-flop on a kitten heel. And it's very important that we get our hands on a pair.

Unveiled this week at Copenhagen Fashion Week (fitting given they're practically the unofficial footwear of the event), the Havaianas have taken the world's most recognisable beach shoe and elevated it both literally and figuratively.

The silhouette keeps the brand's signature rubber footbed and toe-post construction but swaps flat practicality for a low, sculptural heel and an unexpectedly elegant shape. There's even a distinctive toe cap that covers only the big toe – partial toe coverage is where we're at in 2026, just look at the mass appeal of Margiela Tabis and Dries Van Noten's heels. The shoe is available in black, off-white and a summery chartreuse – perfect for beach kiosks and Scandinavian fashion shows all at once.

“The Kitten Heel represents a new design perspective for Havaianas, while remaining true to the ease, authenticity, and Brazilian spirit that have always defined the brand,” Maria Fernanda Albuquerque, global vice president of marketing at Havaianas, said in a statement.

Can you buy the Havaianas Kitten Heels? And where?

Sadly, as of now, the brand has not announced when the shoes will be available for purchase. We'll keep you updated, though.

Where were they unveiled?

The shoe was created in collaboration with Copenhagen label Studio Constance, and appeared throughout the brand's Spring 2027 runway presentation before making their inevitable migration onto the feet of street style regulars. Livia Nunes even rode through Copenhagen on a custom Havaianas bicycle fitted with Kitten Heel pedals. That's called committing to the bit.

Why are heeled thong sandals so popular?

Flip-flops (or thongs, depending on your geography) have been clawing their way back into high fashion over the past two years – the heeled thong sandal has officially become this year's most unexpected It-shoe. Once reserved for noughties club nights and your older cousin's "good sandals", they're now appearing everywhere from luxury runways to our Instagram saved folders (or at least, they are in ours).

Of course, Havaianas isn't the only brand leaning into the delightfully strange. From jelly sandals and split-toe silhouettes to sculptural thongs and barely-there heels, fashion is embracing footwear that feels just a little bit off. Which is exactly why we're into it.

Below, we've rounded up the best weird, wonderful and surprisingly wearable thong shoes to shop now.