Crocs: Controversial shoes become a luxury trend and are on the feet of celebrities

The most famous rubber clogs on the market—Crocs—have been causing controversy for some time now. Among those who think they’re hideous and those who love them for their comfort, there are those who think they’re stylish. Justin Bieber, Nicki Minaj, Lil Nas X, Post Malone, Kendall Jenner, and Gkay seem to belong to this third group, so much so that they’ve partnered with each other and appear on social media proudly posing with their pairs on their feet.

The general public, people like us, are not left out. On Pinterest, searches between July and August 2024 for “looks with crocs”, “crocs outfits” and “crocs aesthetic” increased by 20, 30 and 300%, respectively, compared to the same period in 2023. On the social network, it is possible to find several inspirations for stylish combinations using the footwear.

However, despite the influence of major media figures, shoes as a fashion item are still not on the feet of the general public, who continue to wear classic casual models — or none at all. Collaborations with less famous but specific brands have made Crocs a luxury item among a select audience. Don’t worry: the new generation of clogs is not for everyone, and the brand knows this. It knows it well.

Crocs was founded in 2002 by three sailing friends who were looking for a comfortable, non-slip, water-resistant shoe to wear on boats. Its name comes from its crocodile-like appearance. As it became popular, professionals such as chefs and healthcare professionals began to include it in their uniforms.

However, there was a turning point. Lorenzo Merlino, a fashion designer and professor of trends at FAAP, told F5 that the brand represents a classic case of a company that knew very well how to work on its negative aspect and bring a profitable return, even appearing on the catwalks.

The public’s image of the product is far from being overwhelmingly positive. For many, clogs are synonymous with unsophisticated footwear. Tacky, let’s be honest. But the company used this to its advantage. “Instead of running a campaign against it and telling the media that the shoe is wonderful, they preferred to take a contrary position,” said Lorenzo. “Yes, the shoe is strange. Yes, it is unique. Yes, it is not for everyone,” was what the brand made clear, according to the professor.

Crocs saw a sales boom during the pandemic because they were the perfect shoe for staying at home. That’s when — woohoo! — the brand decided to take advantage of the moment to innovate and invest in specific collaborations, which had already been successful since 2016. “They went with the right players: Justin Bieber, Balenciaga, Lil Nas X. All of this was paid for, of course, but they were the right brands,” says Lorenzo.

Google Trends data shows that interest in Crocs worldwide began to grow in 2021, after the launch of the Crocs Stiletto model in partnership with the Balenciaga brand. After that, collaborations with more brands and personalities were launched, such as Barneys, Benefit, Simone Rocha, Drew Barrymore and many others, strategically chosen.

“Balenciaga is a brand that has positioned itself as different in the fashion world. That flirts with the ugly, that flirts with the unusual. So these partnerships really changed the way consumers perceive the product,” explains Merlino.

Google Trends also shows that interest in the brand remained popular this year, but was boosted by the launch of collections inspired by Naruto and Toy Story. In other words, those classic models with drawings are still the ones that prevail among consumers — children or those with childish tastes, who knows —, for the most part.

Added to this are the high prices of the collabs, which can reach R$9,000 in the case of Balenciaga. “We can say that they are managing to become a product with luxury characteristics,” concludes the Faap professor.