Crocs footwear is no stranger to headline-making collaborations – see Exhibit A: Crocs cowboy boots – and it’s a marketing strategy that appears to be working.
Founded in 2002, the Broomfield-based company posted a record billion-dollar quarter in 2023, bolstered by the embrace of comfortable clothing during the COVID-19 pandemic. But that doesn’t mean the shoes aren’t high fashion.
Though much has been made over the years of its “ugly,” “hideous,” “sign-society-is-getting-dumber,” aesthetic, Crocs has collaborated with numerous designers, such as Vera Bradley, to elevate its look. Still, Crocs is not short on gimmicks to get its functional fashion statements on feet worldwide.
Here are the 10 wildest Crocs collaborations in recent memory.
Pringles
Once you pop, the fun don’t stop. At least that’s the thinking behind one of Crocs’ newest collaborations with snack food brand Pringles. The classic Crocs come in mismatched colors or buyers can get the slides in black and white to adorn with colorful Jibbitz, and they’re one of the few collab options still available for sale. The partnership also includes what Crocs calls a Crush Boot design – its version of a rainboot – which originally came with an ankle holder for a Pringles can plus a new chip flavor called Croc-tail Party. But that no longer appears to be available.
Pizzaslime
If you can remember anything prior to the pandemic, it might be one of the most unusual Crocs collaborations that turned its shoes into bags. In 2019, the company partnered with Los Angeles brand Pizzaslime to release a cross-body bag, which was essentially a shoe with a zipper that could hold things. Don’t ask us why.
Texas rapper-turned-country artist Post Malone released his first Crocs design in 2018. (Provided by Business Wire)
The latest Post Malone-inspired Crocs design came out in 2020. The limited release came in two colors, black and pink. (Provided by David Brandon Geeting/Crocs, Inc.)
The latest Post Malone-inspired Crocs design came out in 2020. The limited release came in two colors, black and pink. (Provided by David Brandon Geeting/Crocs, Inc.)
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Texas rapper-turned-country artist Post Malone released his first Crocs design in 2018. (Provided by Business Wire)
Post Malone
Texas musician Post Malone and Crocs have had a longstanding relationship. In 2018, the two released their first collaboration, a classic-style clog that was white and yellow with custom Post-themed Jibbitz. They’ve since released four more, limited-time designs. The latest came out in 2020 and featured two colors, pink and black.
Lil Nas X
In mid-2023, Crocs added rapper Lil Nas X to its roster of global ambassadors, which coincided with the launch of a line that added a height element to the shoes. The most interesting one, however, came a few months later when the duo unveiled a fuzzy material to the outside of the clogs.
KFC
In this case, KFC stands for “Kentucky Fried Crocs.” The brands teamed up in 2020 on two different designs – a clog and a “platform avant-garde version” – it hoped would make shoppers’ mouths water. They even released little fried chicken-scented drumstick Jibbitz to match.
Simone Rocha
This spring, fashion designer Simone Rocha and Crocs teamed up on a shoe series exploring “the creative juxtaposition of femininity and utilitarianism.” It included a classic clog, a sneaker-style design and, perhaps the most stunning, a heeled clog – all embellished with jewels and pearls.
Hidden Valley Ranch
Folks looking to dip their toes in the Crocs market had an opportunity in 2021, when the brand released a Hidden Valley Ranch design in partnership with rapper Saweetie. Why? “Because no one loves ranch more than Saweetie” apparently.
7-Eleven
Gas station 7-Eleven is known to give out free Slurpees every year on July 11, but in 2022 it flipped the script and released special edition Crocs on Nov. 7 (which is 11/7, get it?). The partnership included three styles – clogs, platform clogs and slides – that celebrated the gas station’s staple products.
Diplo
Crocs admittedly took a “walk on the weird side” when it teamed up with DJ/producer Diplo on trippy, tie dye designs and three-dimensional mushroom Jibbitz. “I wear my Crocs literally everywhere so I’m stoked to have some with my name on them and that others can get them too,” Diplo said when the Crocs came out in 2021.
Justin Bieber
Singer Justin Bieber’s second Crocs collab wasn’t just about the shoes. In 2021, the two made it their mission to make Crocs-and-socks a cultural phenomenon. Perhaps taking a cue from Chacos’ Socko movement, Bieber’s lavender clogs came bundled with a pair of tall white socks to make a bonafide fashion statement.
Originally Published: June 18, 2024 at 6:00 a.m.
