Crocs: Brand Spotlight

Once a humble clog designed for boaters and sailors on the high seas, Crocs have found an unlikely home in fashion, seeing a meteoric rise during the COVID-19 pandemic and ensuing lockdowns. The history of these distinctive shoes is a fascinating journey from the decks of sailboats in the Caribbean to the streets of New York during fashion week.

Crocs have become a household name across the world since the clog’s explosion in popularity in 2006, despite initial resistance to their unconventional style. The shoes first found mainstream popularity with dads across the world — the perfect companion for a nice day by the pool, mowing the lawn, and grilling. During this time, Crocs was somewhat of an early meme. Designed for function over form, the bulbous, synthetic-looking shoe was antithetical to fashion. 

Ironically, Crocs eventually found a home in fashion during the rise of athleisure, exacerbated during lockdowns due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Here is the unconventional story of Crocs, exploring how a simple clog evolved from a practical piece of footwear into a cultural touchstone. 

Crocs: Practicality over Aesthetics

Constructed with a new material at the time dubbed Croslite, Crocs’ foam-like structure made the shoe both extremely comfortable and waterproof. The 13 holes on the upper and arches on the toe box kept moisture out of the shoe making it a perfect companion for sailing. 

According to a Master Shoe article, the three founders of Crocs — Scott Seamans, Lyndon Hanson, and George Boedecker Jr., came across a Canadian boating clog during a sailing trip in the Caribbean. Upon returning to the United States, the trio worked on improvements to the clog they found, which was constructed with Croslite. In 2004, Crocs secured exclusive rights to the technology, and the rest is history. 

Crocs’ founders Scott Seamans, Lyndon Hanson, and George Boedecker Jr. (image by: Racked.com) 

Since the founders first set sail on that infamous trip, it’s clear the vision of Crocs was about function over form. In addition to the Croslite technology, Crocs feature textured soles to enhance grip, and a heel strap that secures the clog in place. Made to tackle land and sea, the name “Crocs” fittingly pays homage to the amphibious crocodile, a creature that is both ferocious and adaptable to its environment. 

How Jibbitz Changed Crocs Forever

While Crocs were slowly popping up throughout malls and storefronts in the United States, it arguably wasn’t until the acquisition of Jibbitz in 2006 that took the clog to new heights. Jibbitz, which was founded by a small Colorado business by Sheri Schmelzer in 2005 who originally looked for ways to style her kid’s Crocs, were accessories that snapped into the holes of Crocs shoes. Designs ranged from cartoon characters, silhouettes of popular sneakers like Jordans, and even fake food. 

Jibbitz charms (image by: Kohl’s)

Jibbitz enabled self-expression on a blank canvas. The simple design of the clogs was intentional, as the shoe prioritized function over aesthetics. On the contrary, Jibbitz were all about flexing your personal tastes. Much like someone’s personal hobbies or style, you could arguably learn about someone’s personality based on the Jibbitz they sported. This was plausibly the turning point for Crocs as a “dad shoe” to a lazy-day outfit companion for kids at school, and eventually, a staple in street culture. 

According to The New York Times, Crocs sales tripled from 2006 to 2007. The Crocs phenomenon was in full swing, and the shoe couldn’t have been more controversial at the time. Former U.S. President George W. Bush was famously seen sporting black Crocs. Late-night television comedians like Bill Maher and Rob Corddry satirically covered the meteoric rise of Crocs, all while the internet was engulfed in a frenzy of Crocs-related hate. 

Whether you loved or hated them — everyone had an opinion on Crocs, only fueling fire to a fierce debate over a decade old by the time the world was hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. If Jibbitz was one of the first catalysts to the rise of Crocs, the global pandemic would be the next big event in the company’s success story. 

How COVID-19 Impacted Crocs & Street Culture

Strict worldwide lockdowns beginning in March 2020 marked a major paradigm shift in the fashion ecosystem. As the effects of fear, existential dread, and isolation impacted billions of people around the world, so did our collective approach to dress. 

Athlesiure and casualwear exploded in popularity during lockdown. Baggy sweats, comfortable jumpers, and sneakers all took center stage at a time when fashion put an emphasis on proportions and shapes over comfort. This shift was the perfect trigger for Crocs to once again take center stage. On May 10, 2021 — in the middle of the pandemic — rapper Nicki Minaj posted a now iconic photo sporting a pair of pink Crocs with iced-out Jibbitz.