We may earn a commission if you buy something from any affiliate links on our site.
In her “73 Questions” video with Vogue, singer Dua Lipa was asked about the one thing that she would never wear, and she answered without hesitation: “Crocs.” The rubbery clogs are certainly one of fashion’s most polarizing shoes, but Lipa is an anomaly among her peers. Stars like Justin Bieber and Rosalía, and too-cool labels like Balenciaga, have all been going absolutely mad for the chunky, bulbous footwear (Balenciaga even has an ongoing runway collaboration with Crocs). Who would have ever thought that Crocs would become one of the year’s hottest shoes? But according to Lucy Thornley—Crocs’ VP of global trends, design, and product—being controversial is exactly what’s driving the current Crocs craze. “We have existed on this tension point between love and hate, and we haven’t shied away from it,” says Thornley. “We’ve leaned into it.”
Thornley has been with Crocs for over seven years, and prior to spearheading the brand’s design team, she’s worked for legacy footwear labels such as Converse, Nike, Sperry, and Cole Haan. At Crocs, however, she has a different challenge—to gain a sense of relevancy, and then keep that momentum going. “When I first started, we were kind of like a startup in lots of ways,” says Thornley. “We were trying to figure out who we wanted to be for the future, and when we made the decision to focus on who we authentically are, things really started to shift.” Now, she’s banking on an even more high-fashion future for the label. “I’m not surprised that Crocs have been picked up by the fashion industry,” says Thornley. “There’s something about our product—the shape and the form—that really lends itself to fashion. And it’s only going to continue.”
The dramatic Crocs makeover—transitioning from an ugly gardening shoe, to being a cheeky high-fashion favorite—began back in 2016, when the brand marked its first fashion collaboration with designer Christopher Kane, who embellished its classic Clog silhouette with chunky mineral stones. “I remember asking Christopher, ‘Why do you want to partner with us?’” says Thornley. “And he said, “I want to take something ordinary, and make it extraordinary.’” Since then, Crocs has continued to infiltrate the fashion space, collaborating with fashion houses like Balenciaga in 2017 and streetwear creatives like Salehe Bembury in 2021 (both partnerships are still going). “We always seek partners who authentically connect with our brand,” says Thornley. “One thing that we’ve always heard from partners is that we don't take ourselves too seriously—we're always up for doing something different.”
While the Classic Clog still remains its best-seller globally—with its Classic Sandal and Classic Slide styles performing well for the brand, too—the label’s foray into the luxury space has much to do with its partnership with Balenciaga, who has reinvented the Croc as platforms, rain boots, and even heels. “What I value so much about [the Balenciaga] partnership is how real the team is,” says Thornley. “They wanted to value what we do within the molded space, and they really wanted to stand for color.” Their recurring Bembury collaboration on the Crocs Pollex, meanwhile, features an eco-skeletal look and continues to sell out. Re-sale pairs currently go for as much as $1,000, 10x the original price. “This sense of fandom that's happening for the brand has been super gratifying,” says Thornley.
Crocs have even begun to take over the red carpet, too. At the 2021 Oscars, DJ Questlove wore a pair of golden Crocs. Justin Bieber and Teyana Taylor have also both worn the platform Balenciaga Crocs this year (Bieber at the Grammys, and Taylor the Billboard Awards). These haven’t been paid placements. “That is a genuine and authentic connection to the brand,” says Thornley.
In addition to their buzzy moments within the fashion and celebrity spaces, however, Thornley also wants to focus attention back on the in-house design team this year. Inside the Crocs design studio, Thornley’s team operates as any other design house would: They hold inspiration meetings, discuss macro trends, and their ideal customer. “We want a team that feels like they can push boundaries and help move the brand forward,” says Thornley.
The head designer likes to infuse her own flavor into the mix. She’ll often draw creative inspiration from music or art. “I’ll listen to a song, and I see a product—it makes me have a feeling,” says Thornley. “I’ve always believed that Crocs is more than a product—it’s an emotion, and a feeling.” Her own sense of style also plays a role in the designs they will create. “I love simplicity—comfort, oversized proportions—but there’s always a pop of color or interesting shape to my style, and I think that is what I’ve infused into the brand,” she says.
Today, they introduced the Classic Crush Sandal—a bolder, chunkier sandal—and has plans to develop more platform silhouettes as well. They hope to grow their sandal business, in particular, by four times by 2026 (they also hope to achieve $5 billion in sales that year). “We definitely want to push the boundaries of molded design, by being bold and fearlessly disruptive,” says Thornley. “We're looking at other footwear silhouettes beyond clogs and sandals, that can really help us evolve our brands and obviously deepen our consumer connections.”
Moving forward, Thornley only wants to continue the momentum that Crocs has experienced in 2022. Fashion is fickle, but the ugly-chic shoe has been all the rage for years now. “Ugly-chic is subjective,” Thornley says. “We are who we are. I don’t think of us as a passing trend: We stand for comfort, versatility, and being expressive. And we can be stylish—we can be all those things at once.” That doesn’t mean they won’t continue being smart with their partnerships and launches, though. “We’ll look at how we can be at the intersection of the cultural zeitgeist, to make sure that we're relevant,” says Thornley. They’ll stick to their clear mission through it all: “We want everybody to be comfortable in their own shoes.”
