Crocs are to the fashion landscape what Volvo used to be to cars. That is, comfortable, practical and reliable, but not exactly what you’d call sexy.
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But just as Volvo upped their aesthetic game, so too have Crocs tried to break free of their less-than-fashionable image with a variety of styles and even designer collaborations. The brand’s most recent foray into high-heeled shoes, however, has people strongly divided.
Despite the debate raging on social media, the style, dubbed the Cyprus V Heel that retails for US$44.99, is sold out online and has popped up on Amazon for as much as $223.91, proving that argument or no, there’s a market for this shoe.
While some are quick to say that the shoe will likely find a welcoming home in the closets of suburban moms across North America, the reality is that fashion has been heralding “ugly” as the new aesthetic for some time, prompting some to comment that we could likely see these shoes on a Kardashian or Hadid soon.
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Then there’s Crocs’ history with high-end fashion brands that lends some style cred to its portfolio of shoes. In 2016, London-based designer Christopher Kane collaborated with the brand on its classic style embellished with precious stones. The designer has since created an ongoing collection.
For spring/summer 2018, Balenciaga introduced a collaboration with Crocs on the Paris runways. The style, which is a classic Croc on an elevated platform and embellished with spikes and other buttons, sold out in record time. They retail for US$850, while a less expensive style (without embellishments) runs a still-shocking US$495.
“It’s a very innovative shoe. It’s light, it’s a one-piece foam mould, and to me, these kinds of techniques and working with these kinds of materials is very Balenciaga,” said Demna Gavasalia, the brand’s creative director, in an interview with Vogue UK. “In the future, you will be able to 3D print them at home because they are all one piece.”
In the meantime, however, you’ll have to wait for the style to be restocked, or dig deep into your pockets to shell out for what has proven to be a very coveted, if controversial, shoe.