A flip-flop that covers your toes sounds like a contradiction, but that is exactly what Havaianas has just made. The Havaianas Top Toe Mule keeps the brand's V-shaped strap and toe post, then adds a fully enclosed front section, all 3D-printed as one piece with no stitching or glue. Launch coverage describes it as the brand's debut in the mule category.
It is a big gamble. The first Havaianas x Zellerfeld collaboration, the 3D-printed Top Toe flip-flop, sold out online in minutes after its 2025 release, according to launch coverage. That puts plenty of eyes on the follow-up, and closing the toe asks loyal customers to accept a very different kind of Havaianas.
What Is the Havaianas Top Toe Mule?
It is a flip-flop in spirit and a mule in practice. Havaianas built its name on open, flat sandals made for the beach. A covered toe adds protection and suits city streets and cooler days, but it moves the brand away from the look everyone knows.
Some loyal customers may feel the shoe has lost what made a Havaianas a Havaianas, while the brand is clearly betting its identity can travel beyond the shoreline. The construction is what sets it apart. Zellerfeld's process builds the shape, structure, and cushioning together as one continuous form, so the mule looks like a single molded object rather than a sandal with a cover added on.
Can It Take On Crocs?
On paper, the Havaianas Top Toe Mule has plenty going for it as a Crocs alternative. It is an easy slip-on with a covered toe, made in one piece with no stitching or glue, which is exactly the kind of no-fuss shoe that built the clog's following.
It pulls ahead with the name on the side. Havaianas is known worldwide; the V-strap gives the shoe instant identity, and Zellerfeld's 3D printing gives the shape a design-led edge. Launching at Dover Street Market also makes it a fashion buy first, for shoppers who want something a bit left-field without going full clog.
Then there are the sock-friendly cut-outs, made to work with Havaianas' split-toe range. Add five colourways, from oat and black to lilac and yellow, and the mule has plenty of ways to be styled.
Havaianas Top Toe Mule Price and Release Date
Pricing for the Havaianas Top Toe Mule has not been announced. The closest guide is the original Top Toe flip-flop, which Zellerfeld's website lists at $89 (about £67) and now shows as sold out.
The mule goes on sale on 5 October at Dover Street Market in Paris, London and New York, and online. Preorders open through Havaianas Europe, with the wider release following on 14 October through Havaianas stores and Zellerfeld.
Recenly, MM6 Maison Margiela gave the flip-flop a sixth toe at its spring/summer 2027 show, with the full collection due in May 2027. A kitten-heel version, developed with Studio Constance, also debuted at Copenhagen Fashion Week in August.
Set against that run, the Havaianas Top Toe Mule looks less like a one-off and more like another step in turning the flip-flop into a fashion object. Once the mule is on feet, customer photos and resale listings will show whether the Havaianas Top Toe Mule has broadened the brand's appeal beyond the beach.
