THE JOURNAL
The big bossa nova rhythms of Carnival. The clink of iced glasses of caipirinha raised in celebration. The bustle of a global city alongside the soothing cadence of the coastal waters. The leisurely to and fro of a beach ball. The spirit of Rio de Janeiro is easy to conjure. Visually, it’s an extraordinary sight: a metropolis that meets the Atlantic Ocean, a place of sweeping vistas and iconic natural landmarks. But Rio is also defined by its rhythms, few of which capture the vibe better than frescobol, the beach bat and ball game synonymous with Rio’s sandy shores from Copacabana, Ipanema Beach to Arpoador. The most leisurely of beach pursuits bar snoozing on the sand, frescobol’s meditative charms predate mindfulness apps by some stretch.
The game originated on the beaches of Rio, which is perhaps why it’s so in tune with the mood along the city’s famous coastline. The idea, from native Mr Lian Portes de Carvalho in 1945, was plain: two people, two bats and a ball, which the players should aim to keep airborne as long as possible. The simple premise is mirrored in the aim of the game. No points are scored, there are no winners or losers. It’s all about the back and forth – the rhythm, if you will.
Brazilian migration brought frescobol to the world and it’s here that the founders of the resortwear brand Frescobol Carioca come in. Messrs Harry Brantly and Max Leese were holidaying far from Rio, on the French west coast but their game of frescobol intrigued passers-by. In that moment, the concept of Frescobol Carioca was born, a brand that would encapsulate that Rio spirit, wherever you are in the world. “At that point we thought, ‘wow, we’ve transformed this Carioca lifestyle to an entirely new part of the world’. That was the real lightbulb moment,” Brantly says. “In respect of bringing the spirit of Rio to a new audience. From then on we knew we needed to make our own.”
“We’ve transformed this Carioca lifestyle to an entirely new part of the world. That was the real lightbulb moment in respect of bringing the spirit of Rio to a new audience”
Launched in 2013, Frescobol Carioca is grounded in its inspirational cityscape. Swim shorts are inspired by Rio’s beaches, in prints that mirror the city’s mosaic boardwalks. And from the beginning, frescobol has been a part of the story, too; a defining part that has seen the brand develop beach bats of its own. True to the original spirit of the game, they are sustainably sourced products of true craftsmanship, made from wood salvaged from the Brazilian rainforest. Offcuts of wood from the Brazilian furniture industry, which would otherwise be discarded, are carved by skilled marceneiros into the elegant, robust beach bats.
The concept of craftsmanship married to a distinct sense of place is carried throughout Frescobol Caricoa. The Sport swim shorts, made from 100% Eco Luna fabric, have a print inspired by the morning mist that hangs over the coastal air of Rio’s beaches in the early hours while Rio locales are also honoured in the beach bats – the Leblon is a handsomely carved option, named after the city’s most renowned neighbourhood. Leblon is a design lover’s paradise and this beach bat, crafted from up to 17 individual pieces of wood, offers similar aesthetic pleasures. The Trancoso bat, meanwhile, is named after one of Rio’s most popular beaches – and the perfect spot for a game, its creators say. It is also as minimalist as frescobol itself, carved from five interlocking pieces of wood, with a signature neoprene grip.
Like the activity that inspired it, Frescobol Carioca keeps beach time simple, yet elevated. That’s the aim of the game, after all. You just need to get into the rhythm.