Whether you’re just walking casually or need to shift into “sports mode,” Crocs are back! The classic footwear brand has returned as a go-to for those deciding what to wear out the door.
Although Crocs seem to be continuing to rise daily, the brand went through a series of ups and downs ever since the company launched back in 2002. Crocs would then catch themselves struggling to bring in any sort of income years after the initial startup. From a series of announcements regarding foot issues with the heel strap, to the redundant design of the classic clog, consumers stopped purchasing Crocs because the brand wouldn’t entice any sort of excitement with the products they were pushing out.
At the point of near bankruptcy, Crocs shot back up in popularity following the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020. The brand looked to shift their marketing strategy, promoting their classic models to those looking to buy a pair of crocs as “fashionable rather than just functional.”
As social media influencers and celebrities started to rock the Croc clog around the streets, the craze for the product skyrocketed as people love to hop on what’s trending through social media. Teyana Taylor modeled the Balenciaga x Crocs platform clogs during a photoshoot catered to the Balenciaga spring 2022 collection. Justin Bieber was later spotted wearing those same Balenciaga platform Crocs at the 2022 Grammy Awards. Even singer Post Malone shouts out Crocs in his song, “I’m Gonna Be,” released back in 2019 where he said, “Richard Mille my watch, thousand dollar Crocs.”
Bretman Rock said that the platform Crocs make him feel like a “bad b*tch” and that he has been wearing more platform Crocs because, “I’m a short little girl, and I love a little height.”
With collaborations ranging from Disney Pixar films to country artist Luke Combs — even KFC — Crocs are taking the world by storm now more than ever. As the numbers continue to grow, more ideas continue to filter through the drawing board and revenue continues to increase from the variety of consumers ranging from all ages.
Ialeen Tejeda, USC freshman majoring in business administration, explained how she resorted to social media to make a decision on whether or not she should buy a pair. With a short time period of uncertainty, it didn’t take long before Tejeda hopped on the trend and found herself with more pairs than anticipated.
“Honestly, I’m pretty easily influenced,” said Tejeda. “I’ve seen that a lot of people were saying that they were comfortable. So I ended up buying some, and now I have a whole collection of them.”
Victoria Graveline Waiss, associate director of alumni engagement for the Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry of USC, stepped away from the traditional Croc clog. She’s started exploring different models of the brand, ranging from slides, to heels and even platforms. She wanted to stand out from the norm and be seen as unique roaming around the USC campus.
“I do not have your traditional Crocs that you see all the kids running around with, I have the dressier line,” said Graveline Waiss. “When you work at USC, you are walking long distances. For me, it was definitely the need of something that looked cute, didn’t look orthopedic but was still comfortable.”
Justin Braun, a sophomore majoring in health and human sciences, prioritizes comfort in anything he puts on his feet. As a member of USC’s track and field team, it’s all about the recovery process knowing all the work that goes into being a student athlete.
“It’s mainly for health reasons,” said Braun. “As an athlete, I’m trying to keep my toes spaced and open. A lot of the Nike shoes the team provides us kind of pinch your toes together. I’m definitely going to look to buy some more Crocs.”
Sarah Neff, content strategist for the Annenberg Inclusion Innitiative, saw the resurgence of Crocs as a nostalgia piece. Neff touched upon her first memories of Crocs back in the early days of her childhood and how she has always been with the brand.
“When I was in grade school, my aunt bought me my first pair of Crocs when I was seven. And then they died,” said Neff. “And then when they came back, of course it reminded me of my childhood. They’re doing all these neat collabs and I really like when businesses can use creativity to fuel their products.”
The creative possibilities seem to be endless when it comes to the next big thing for Crocs. The brand looks to continue their steady growth and popularity amongst the people and keep supplying the public with a variety of brand new ideas towards their classic models.
Crocs looks to introduce their new collaboration line on Nov. 2 as they present their McDonald’s collection.