Crocs, the marmite of the shoe world, hit the headlines over the weekend when reports emerged that the purveyors of plastic footwear (beloved by surgeons, chefs and, ahem, fashion designer Christopher Kane) would be closing down their last existing factory in Italy. Did this mean that the brand was no more?
Crocs are regularly cited as one of the most divisive brands in fashion (you either love them or hate them, after all), despite recently clocking up high profile collaborations with major players such as Balenciaga (remember the terrifying platform Crocs?) and the aforementioned Christopher Kane (who partnered up with the brand for two seasons). So it was perhaps unsurprising to see responses to the news falling into one of two camps: those mourning the potential demise of the colourful, plastic clogs ('guess this is what heartbreak feels like,' one Twitter user wrote) and those who were feeling high levels of schaudenfreude. However, further investigation reveals the fate of Crocs isn't quite as gloomy as the headlines had first suggested.
First, a story on CNN's Money platform drew attention to Crocs' 'comeback,' citing a 4.7 percent leap in sales in the last quarter alone and drawing attention to the brand's new strategy, which focuses on streamlining the number of colours and options available to avoid overwhelming the consumer. Then, the brand itself jumped in to debunk any potential confusion, responding to a concerned shopper's comments on social media with a cheery 'FALSE ALARM!'
'We aren't going anywhere,' they wrote, later adding: 'Take comfort, #CrocNation. Our future remains as bright, bold and colourful as ever.' A statement from the company later revealed that the decision to close the final Crocs factory was made in order to simplify the business and improve profitability.'
So, it seems the #CrocNation can (for now) sleep soundly at night, safe in the knowledge that their favourite neon clogs will live another day. The rest of us, meanwhile, will just have to avert our eyes and bite our tongues...