These two Norwegian brands have made the flip-flop of the summer

Flip-flops have never been thought of as especially fancy. A new collaboration between Norwegian brands Sleepers and Pearl Octopuss.y challenges that notion, bringing a bit of bling to the no-fuss rubber footwear. Comprised of three covetable styles, the Sleepers and Pearl Octopuss.y capsule brings the latter’s signature embellishments to the former’s signature flip-flops.

“The aim was to fuse the essence of both brands, resulting in ‘the sandal that never sleeps’,” says Pearl Octopuss.y's founder Cathrine Børter and Sleepers' co-founder Nina Granerød. “It had to be comfortable and versatile enough to wear from morning to night, with a design that felt relaxed and fun.” Fashioned from certified natural rubber in Sleepers’ signature silhouette – a slimmer, sleeker shape than your standard flip-flop – each iteration features Pearl Octopuss.y’s signature pearls and crystals, decorating the footwear’s between-the-toe straps.

It was a natural collaboration between the two women, whose relationship goes back to the very start of Børter’s design career. Before founding Pearl Octopuss.y, Børter worked at Norwegian womenswear brand Fall Winter Spring Summer, which just so happened to be co-founded by Granerød. “This collaboration symbolises a full-circle, coming together years later to combine the essence of both our ventures,” say Børter and Granerød, who recommend throwing a pair in your everyday tote bag so they’re always on-hand this summer.

It’s a collab that’s perfectly of-the-moment. While flip-flops were previously relegated to the beach or pool deck, last summer we saw a resurgence in the previously under-appreciated style. Fuelled by early aughts nostalgia, flip-flops became a staple in summer wardrobes, worn with denim and day dresses to add a certain effortlessness to any look.

Børter and Granerød, meanwhile, know exactly the perfect scenario in which to wear their creations: “Essentially, long summer days that start at the beach and end at a rooftop bar!”