Everyone is snapping up that pair of flip flops this summer. We explain why and where to find them.
Are you also scouring the sites to get your hands on Havaianas Square without success? You are not alone. This month of July, the square toe flip flop has become the most unobtainable piece of the moment. I’m speaking to you with full knowledge of the facts: four days before leaving on vacation, my 17-year-old discovered that he was missing a pair of suitable flip-flops for the beach. His, slumped and completely dated, had no place in a suitcase. Easy, I told myself. Serious error. I spent two evenings refreshing product pages, clicking on “alert me when available”, comparing ghost sizes. All broken. That’s when I understood that I had just fallen into a much bigger phenomenon than my simple pre-departure chore.
The observation is easy to do yourself, with the help of a screen. The Slim Square model is regularly displayed “Out of stock” in the flagship sizes, those from 37 to 40, both on the brand’s official e-shop and at major retailers such as Intersport, Sarenza or Zalando. This is no coincidence. The square toe, this famous “square toe”, is THE big shoe trend of 2026, this very 90s silhouette that we find everywhere, from pumps to flat sandals. By applying it to its iconic flip-flop, Havaianas has achieved a nice feat: transforming a simple beach product into an accessory chic enough to go to the office or on the terrace on a summer evening. The flip-flop is no longer relegated to the sand, it is proudly displayed in the city.
Behind this craze, there is also a real hype mechanism. Unlike the classic Slim model, produced on a very large scale, fashion ranges like the Square seem to be released in much smaller volumes. The result is a skillfully maintained exclusivity that drives buyers into panic. The unmistakable sign? On second-hand platforms such as Vinted, certain new Square models with labels are sometimes resold at or even above their original price in stores. A phenomenon of speculation that until now was reserved for collectible sneakers, and which now affects a pair of flip-flops for less than thirty euros initially.
So, how can we overcome the shortage? My advice, tested and approved: forget the official site, Sarenza and Zalando, almost systematically sold out in common sizes. Instead, turn to small independent designer boutiques, often less crowded, and especially the shoe corners of department stores like Galeries Lafayette or Printemps, where there is regularly forgotten stock.
And if the break is permanent, don’t despair: the Slim Palette version, in equally desirable colors, or the season’s collabs make very nice alternatives. As for my teenager? She will leave with happy feet. I ended up finding his size in a corner of a department store, the old-fashioned way.
