How did the once utilitarian, cumbersome rubber shoes become acceptable and deemed fashionable for the rich and famous?
You might remember these shoes from your youth – wearing them out and about and not minding if they got the slightest bit dirtied. Well, today they are prized possessions and sell at eye-watering prices now in comparison to the past when they were not as ‘cool’.
A Classic Clog will cost you at least £44.99 and many others have sought to hitch a ride on the Croc bandwagon. Even disgraced musical artist and designer Kanye West famously modelled his ‘Foam Runner’ on the clogs.
The humble benefactors of the shoes, Lyndon Hanson, Scott Seamans and George Boedecker, became committed to a life at sea. The three became avid boaters together and could have never foreseen their popularity.
The shoes initial design had holes, which are often mistakenly assumed for breathability. However, they are actually intended to prevent waterlogging. Due to the fact that, they were essentially an alternative boat shoe.
The founders started selling them in the early noughties. Here they began to gain traction. The shoes became popular for garden and houseware. Although soon, they gained a nasty reputation for their supposed ugly appearance and saw a decline around 2010.
Only in the last few years did Crocs with their marriage with major fashion houses and renewed opinions on the versatile little shoes.
Moreover, due to celebrity endorsement, which likely stems from Crocs being entirely comfortable and striking shoes. Today’s fashion plays with unusual proportions and silhouettes, and Crocs are no different. If someone is wearing one of these numbers, it certainly doesn’t take an eagle-eyed fan to take notice.
Crocs, as with many items, transcend time in high-end fashion. Crocs could come in waves as many accessories do, which we could argue also contributes to the world of fast fashion today.
Although with the backing of celebrities and past their first bump in the road from bad perceptions that seemingly became primarily written off, maybe Crocs are here to stay. Although, who quite knows what the future holds for the beloved rubber footwear.
Written by Taylor Green
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