One could say that a series of catalysts led to Crocs being perceived as cool. According to Lucy Thornley, Crocs’ global VP of trend, consumer, design, and product, the shift was two-fold. First, Thornley points to younger consumers gravitating towards Crocs shoes, particularly college students and high schoolers who participated in sports teams or school clubs. “This emerging trend showcased the growing popularity of Crocs as an expressive statement, not just a practical shoe,” she explains.
Secondly is the designer connection. In 2017, Christopher Kane became the first designer to collaborate with the footwear brand, which Thornley calls a “defining moment” in Crocs’ rise to relevance. “Christopher wanted to take something ordinary and make it extraordinary, and in doing so, he shifted the perception of our Classic Clog from practical to fashion-ready,” she explains. “The shift gave people an invitation to boldly express themselves whilst also knowing they could be on-trend and comfortable at the same time.” According to Thornley, this is essentially the allure of Crocs, and earns them repeat customers.
Shortly after the Christopher Kane collab, Balenciaga took the Croc to a higher level, quite literally, by introducing an $850 four-inch platform design. I have to admit, this is when I began seeing Crocs with new eyes, and thought, maybe, just maybe, Crocs could be stylish. Ever since then, Crocs has worked with a flurry of designers and tastemakers, such as Liberty London, Vivienne Tam, Takashi Murakami, Justin Beiber, SZA, Bad Bunny, Post Malone, Diplo, Wu-Tang Clan, and many more. Not to mention the countless brand partnerships, which have included everyone from KFC, MSCHF, Lisa Frank, Barbie, Benefit Cosmetics, Hidden Valley Ranch, General Mills, and Clueless, which was my own personal gateway drug to the Crocs-verse. Semmelhack points to former Versace designer Salehe Bembury’s 2021 collaboration as a major standout. His unique design, which featured a ridged, fingerprint-like pattern is what Semmelhack says “really put Crocs on the cutting-edge fashion map.”
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How did Crocs get cool?
One could say that a series of catalysts led to Crocs being perceived as cool. According to Lucy Thornley, Crocs’ global VP of trend, consumer, design, and product, the shift was two-fold. First, Thornley points to younger consumers gravitating towards Crocs shoes, particularly college students and high schoolers who participated in sports teams or school clubs. “This emerging trend showcased the growing popularity of Crocs as an expressive statement, not just a practical shoe,” she explains.
Secondly is the designer connection. In 2017, Christopher Kane became the first designer to collaborate with the footwear brand, which Thornley calls a “defining moment” in Crocs’ rise to relevance. “Christopher wanted to take something ordinary and make it extraordinary, and in doing so, he shifted the perception of our Classic Clog from practical to fashion-ready,” she explains. “The shift gave people an invitation to boldly express themselves whilst also knowing they could be on-trend and comfortable at the same time.” According to Thornley, this is essentially the allure of Crocs, and earns them repeat customers.
Shortly after the Christopher Kane collab, Balenciaga took the Croc to a higher level, quite literally, by introducing an $850 four-inch platform design. I have to admit, this is when I began seeing Crocs with new eyes, and thought, maybe, just maybe, Crocs could be stylish. Ever since then, Crocs has worked with a flurry of designers and tastemakers, such as Liberty London, Vivienne Tam, Takashi Murakami, Justin Beiber, SZA, Bad Bunny, Post Malone, Diplo, Wu-Tang Clan, and many more. Not to mention the countless brand partnerships, which have included everyone from KFC, MSCHF, Lisa Frank, Barbie, Benefit Cosmetics, Hidden Valley Ranch, General Mills, and Clueless, which was my own personal gateway drug to the Crocs-verse. Semmelhack points to former Versace designer Salehe Bembury’s 2021 collaboration as a major standout. His unique design, which featured a ridged, fingerprint-like pattern is what Semmelhack says “really put Crocs on the cutting-edge fashion map.”
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