Exotic leather, turquoise stones, tie-dye brights; these are just some of the treasures we bring you from the heart of Brasil, Rio. Our intrepid jetsetter Bel Casson, shares her travel diary with us, exploring this colourful city and the treats she has brought home for you!

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Bel's Travel Diary

Hello Sportsgirls! My name is Bel Casson and I'm a jewellery designer and buyer. I recently left the comfort of home in Australia to pursue my dreams of doing charity work in Brasil (it was time to give something back to the world!).

Somewhere along the way, I fell in love with the truly amazing handcrafted treasures that Brasil has to offer. The colours are vibrant, the textures are different and the artisians are creating unique products you won't find anywhere else on the globe.

Here are some of the highlights from my time scouring the markets of Rio de Janeiro and a few of the stories behind the incredible artisans who made the pieces in the collection.

This is me, Bel, coconut drink in hand, walking along one of the world's most famous beaches - Ipanema Beach.

This is Marcia, commonly known to locals as the ‘Amazon Lady’. I met her at Ipanema Beach and was blown away by her handmade pieces. She sources all the best materials from right across Brasil including raw stones (pedras) from the Minas Gerais region in Brasil, leather from various suppliers in Rio and assorted cotton to weave with from Northern Brasil.

She makes the product in her home, in the Amazon region (miles away), and then comes to Rio on the weekends to sell her wares. I truly fell in love with her work and the love and energy she pours into each piece.

Wandering the Ipanema Hippie Market.

This is Amelie's stall at the Hippie Market, where I discovered her team's range of stunning fabric necklaces.

Amelie and I.

Some of the beautiful bags on display at the markets.

Surrounded by beautiful, crazy colours and creations! I discovered these parrots and immediately started thinking about visual merchandising!

This talented gentleman is named Petrucion. He went out of his way for me and created some of his original and amazing jewellery exclusively for the Sportsgirl collection.

Colourful beaded necklaces.

Trying on handmade leather belts for size.

Gorgeous (and super on trend) feather accessories.

‘How to be a True Carioca’ – Here I am reading all the ‘ins’ and ‘outs’ of being a Carioca while living in Rio!

Here I am at the end of a long day at the markets, showing off one of my favourite purchases (a leopard print beach kaftan) at Favela Dona Marta in Rio. This is where Michael Jackson filmed his video clip ‘They Don’t Really Care About Us’. The sun is setting over a beautiful city and I'm excited to share the wonders of Rio with you. Hope you love the collection as much as I do!

Love Bel x

Global Trends: Rio is available in selected stores (Bourke St, Chadstone, Doncaster, Pitt St, Parramatta & Booragoon) and online - get in quick so you don't miss out. Shop now!