Bondi Icebergs Goes Rainbow

Celebrating a world where all love is welcome.

The Iconic footwear brand Havaianas, encourages people to Walk A Mile For Love with statement of pride at iconic Sydney location.

Havaianas Australia celebrated Pride this Valentine’s Day, in a physical display of love for the LGBTQIA+ community, transforming Sydney’s iconic Bondi Icebergs Pool into a 50 metre, eight stripe, rainbow flag. To coincide with a new national campaign, Havaianas encouraged participants to join them to ‘Walk A Mile For Love’ which hoped to celebrate inclusivity, diversity, empathy and unity this Valentine's Day.

Before judging someone, one must first understand their experiences, challenges and thought processes. The new campaign from Havaianas is a reminder to practice empathy in all walks of life and encourages participants in essence, that before judging someone, one must first walk a mile in their shoes.

This Summer, the Brazilian footwear brand released their first rainbow range of thongs, encouraging conversation, social inclusion and empowerment for LGBTQIA+ youth through a charity initiative. Now, a positive message of celebration for the LGBTQIA+ community has been exhibited with a larger than life rainbow Pride flag at Bondi Icebergs Pool.

Each stripe of the Pride rainbow depicted in the Bondi Icebergs pool represents values within the LGBTQIA+ community and celebrates the queer spectrum. Havaianas have chosen to honour the original flag of the LGBTQIA+ movement precisely because this is the brand’s first pride collection. As the Havaianas movement does not stop at one collection, this is the first of an annual rainbow range - a global celebration of pride of which Havaianas Australia believes represents choice. Tom Nolan, General Manager of Havaianas Australia said of the installation, “No longer should Australians follow the black line of conformity - the rainbow lines which will run the length of the pool from Thursday 11th - Sunday 14th of February, celebrate the choice that we are so privileged to have in Australia, that you should swim in any lane that best represents you.”

For each Rainbow Havaianas product sold, proceeds of sales from every pair will be donated to charity, in a financial commitment to the LGBTQIA+ community. Havaianas Australia have entered into a partnership with Melbourne-based Minus18, an organization that acts to improve the health and wellbeing of, and provide a safe environment for same-sex attracted and gender diverse young people in Australia. So far sales of Rainbow Havaianas have raised over $50,000 to date for Minus18.

Minus18 offers events and digital support to LGBTQIA+ young people around Australia, to which the funds raised from the Havaianas Pride collection will ensure that these services remain free and will reach even more young Australians in need. “Havaianas funding this work truly means the world and sends a message of love and celebration to the thousands of LGBTQIA+ youth we work with every week. This includes our LGBTQIA+ youth events, programs, online resources and articles,” said Micah Scott, CEO of Minus18. Globally, the Havaianas is making a commitment to the LGBTQIA+ community to take action and establish initiatives to diminish differences and promote equality for this part of the population - a commitment honoured today at the iconic Bondi Beach pool and demonstrated online at walkamileforlove.com and on social media through the hashtag
#WalkAMileForLove.