CARIUMA was founded in 2018, with the brand making its debut in May 2018, with its first pop-up and online store just days apart. Their efforts were met with resounding success, as seen from how its sneakers were sold in 21 countries – in just three weeks.
CARIUMA’s logo, the leaf, is reflective of the rich foliage in Rio’s rainforest. As a matter of fact, product labels used at CARIUMA are made of 60% recyclable paper and its packaging are all recyclable, further showcasing the brand’s affinity with nature. Furthermore, CARIUMA constantly aims to stand out from the crowd, while displaying its deep-rootedness to the free-spirited way of Rio.
‘The Salty Project’ was the first pop-up held by CARIUMA. Held at The Grove, LA, the project was a tribute to Brazilian artist Hélio Oiticica’s work, Tropical Playground. However, salt was used in the pop-up instead of sand, which serves to simulate the natural, aromatic scent of the sea whilst surrounded by overgrown plants indoors. This was intentionally done as Los Angeles was experiencing a dry summer at the time of the pop-up.
Similarly, as the second CARIUMA pop-up held at SoHo, New York City was located within the vicinity of drinking spots, ‘The CARIUMA Sneaker Bar’ was initiated. This project used chairs imported from various bars in Rio, which were then used to display the sneakers. Captions and origins of each chair were included in the project as well.
While CARIUMA’s launch at kapok NDC in Singapore did not include such extravagant gestures, beer crates were used as part of the sneakers’ display. Bringing the energy of Rio to the shores of Singapore, CARIUMA offers casual yet refined premium sneakers which are affordable and comfortable. The sneakers feature detachable lightweight memory foam insoles and fully stitched midsoles. The insoles also come with a quirky feature – the upper insoles embody the same colours as the base colours of the sneakers.
CARIUMA also uses subtle branding in its products, such as embossing the brand name on the eyelets and metal aglets of the sneakers, as well as on the bottom and side of the insoles. CARIUMA sneakers come in three styles – The OCA, The OCA High, and The CATIBA – all of these styles are made in canvas, suede, and leather. A card explaining each sneaker’s unique features is also included in the packaging.
When asked about his future plans for CARIUMA, co-founder and CEO of CARIUMA, David Python, shared that we can expect the launch of more pop-up stores at modern cities, such as the likes of London, Paris, Seoul, Singapore, Sydney and Tokyo. The theme of these future pop-ups will be “dependent on the time and place”, as the pop-ups are crafted to integrate with the local surroundings – all while bringing the flavour of Rio to these cities.
CARIUMA’s sneakers are stocked at kapok NDC, Singapore. Drop by the kapok NDC retail store and check the sneakers out at #01-05 National Design Centre, 111 Middle Rd, Singapore 188969.
