Halfway between a comfort icon and a stylistic abomination, are the fashion equivalent of a summer hit: everyone criticizes them, but in the end, almost no one can do without them. Super colorful, incredibly comfortable, yet aesthetically questionable, these shoes made of , called , have conquered the world, seamlessly transitioning from hospital wards to the runways of Fashion Week. Declared one of the 50 worst inventions in history by Time Magazine, Crocs seem to embody the perfect paradox: both mocked and desired at the same time, a pop phenomenon that continues to grow despite (or perhaps because of) . Born in 2002 as boating shoes and quickly adopted by doctors and nurses for their unparalleled comfort, Crocs have undergone an unexpected evolution, transforming from a symbol of practicality to an emblem of a fashion.

According to Lyst, in 2021, the brand saw a in online searches, thanks in part to collaborations with luxury brands like and rebellious designers such as and . While journalist and critic Robin Givhan describes Crocs as «a challenge to good taste», adding that they shouldn't even be called shoes, their success proves that the concept of in the fashion system has long been notions of beauty and aesthetic harmony. The brand continues its unstoppable rise, closing 2023 with a record revenue of $4 billion and further solidifying its position in 2024 with a in the third quarter compared to the same period the previous year, projecting corporate revenue growth of 2-2.5% for 2025.

The most important market for the brand is young Americans love wearing them to school paired with a comfortable wardrobe, mostly consisting of . It is therefore not surprising that, according to a report by investment bank Piper Sandler, Crocs are among their favorite brands, a success also driven by collaborations with artists like and . However, since last October, more and more American states have started to (with suspension as a penalty), reaching a total of twenty states so far. Specifically, Lake City Elementary School, south of Atlanta, changed its internal rules stating that «all students must wear closed-toe shoes for safety reasons (no Crocs)». In Florida, LaBelle College took similar measures, and Bessemer City High School in Alabama banned them, followed by other institutions. Besides schools, even has prohibited the use of perforated clogs on escalators According to the company, children, who are particularly energetic at that age, easily trip while wearing Crocs, which, lacking proper ankle support, could pose a hazard in emergency situations. Then there is the issue of , those small decorative charms inserted into the shoe holes, which, according to major American institutions, .

While fashion thrives on irony and subversion, amidst trolls and memes, Crocs have become the manifesto of the : the epitome of excess, kitsch elevated to status symbol, the ugly turned irresistibly cool. Controversial yet omnipresent, these shoes are not just a trend, like ugly sneakers, for example, but rather a reflection of a society that has seemingly fully embraced the oscillation between the ridiculous and the genius. Meanwhile, despite the risk of , the company is preparing to enter ; it has recently collaborated with Barbour to showcase the English countryside, teamed up with the brand Bark to design dog boots, and far more functional than the classic clogs. While the company has emphasized that sales of its many models have not been affected by the recent bans in American schools, it remains to be seen how the situation will unfold: ironically, the prohibition might even increase young Americans' desire to wear them.