New Neighbours

Residents of the Coliseu favela in Vila Olimpia [a São Paulo neighbourhood] call the wall that separates them from their new neighbour the Berlin Wall. Behind the wall, Daslu is on the verge of opening a 20,000 square metre ultra-chic shopping centre which will carry the world’s most expensive designer brands [these are already available in São Paulo, just not in such a singularly large space]. Slated to open this week, only patrons with a VIP card will be granted entrance to the store. Meanwhile, the entire community of Coliseu could combine a month’s wages – estimated to be R$10,725 [US$4400] – to buy two pairs of Dolce & Gabbana jeans at the store – at a price of R$4,920 [US$2028] each. In order to buy a pair of Chanel tennis shoes, a Coliseu resident interviewed by Jornal do Terra, would have to work for close to fifteen months. With a monthly income of R$140 [US$60], the R$2060 [US$850] shoes aren’t at the top of her to-buy list.