Words: Jonathan Wells
If you’re lucky, at some point in your lifetime you’ll find yourself on a beach in Brazil. Sun on your back, sand between your toes and sea lapping up the beach. It’ll feel like paradise. And it’s not far off — the beautiful people, the warm waters, the frescobol…
‘What was that last one?’, we hear you ask. Frescobol, or Brazilian paddle ball, is possibly the best beach game ever devised. Yes, even more so than that paragon of Top Gun fun: Volleyball. Using simple wooden bats, Frescobol doesn’t pit you against your opponent, rather making the game out of working together, and challenging you to maintain the longest rally possible.
This winning mentality has been adopted by many players, and nowhere more so than Rio de Janeiro. In this sun-soaked tropical city, the Cariocas — a name given to the denizens of the Brazilian metropolis — play on the beach, where they inspired the founders of a lifestyle brand almost a whole decade ago…
The brand begins…
After being inspired by the curves of the Brazilian landscape, mosaic patterning and artwork of architect Roberto Burle Marx, and the samba of Tom Jobim, the brand really began to take shape, and carve out a visual identity.
The aim was to allow customers to ‘live like a Carioca’, wherever they may be — through the use of bold colours, flowing cuts and simple styling. The apparel range is based on the wardrobe of the typically elegant Carioca: luxury men’s shirting, light cotton and jersey polos, linen trousers and chinos, comfortable activewear, and versatile scarves.
A focus of craftsmanship
With an incredible focus on environmentalism, Frescobol Carioca have ensured that every skateboard, surfboard and frescobol bat created is constructed using pieces of hand-collected driftwood and native hardwood offcuts, recycled from Rio’s booming carpentry trade.
Everything is made in limited runs to keep styling fresh and eco-credentials up, and the artisans known as marceneiros finish the wooden crafts with a high-shine bespoke resin developed specifically to stop seawater and sand damaging the products.
Expanding the range
The brand’s swimwear, that blends the sophistication of Rio’s modernist architecture with impeccable Carioca craftsmanship, may be the cornerstone of Frescobol Carioca, but it’s far from their only offering.
Other apparel includes crisp and fresh daywear, with whom collaborations have been made with everyone from Louis Vuitton to Eden Rock Hotel, and accessories include Panama hats, sunglasses, beach bags and even the brand’s iconic buckle-free belts.
But nothing will beat the big three — the tentpoles of the range that Frescobol Carioca sell more of year on year than anything else. These are the beach bat, the Copacabana swim shorts and linen beach towel.
Want somewhere to wear your new purchases? We’d recommend this Grecian retreat…
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