My love affair with Crocs began in middle school. The first ones I ever owned were from a Disney theme park in Hong Kong. They were the same shape as the classic clogs, but instead of its signature round cut-outs on the top, mine had holes shaped like Mickey Mouse. From the moment my parents bought them, they were glued to my feet. I wore them everywhere, from early morning basketball practice to running errands, after school. When I outgrew them, the clog-shaped hole in my heart was quickly replaced by two new pairs—one in blush pink and the other in a bright fuchsia that would’ve fit right into Pierpaolo Piccioli’s Valentino Pink PP universe many years later. By then, my feet had thankfully stopped growing so I managed to hold on to them much longer.
Arguably the most divisive shoe in fashion history, Crocs have been my constant. Through university, I attended lectures in my uniform of a jumper or t-shirt, leggings (called pants back in the 2010s), and those searingly bright pink rubber clogs. These chunky shoes were my sartorial trademark. At the crowded train station, friends could spot me (and my infamous Crocs) by a mile; no live location and GPS needed! Once, I even took them out to a night club (RIP Tryst, you were terrible but iconic). As my friends struggled to balance on pin-thin stilettos and stomped on each other’s feet in wedge heels, I pranced around the room, comfy as ever in my pillowy pink sliders. The convenience of just slipping them on before leaving home every morning was unparalleled. It didn’t matter what colour my top was or the weather forecast for the day: my leggings were always black and my Crocs, the pinkest of pink.
The pink Crocs that became my sartorial trademark through college
Over the years, Crocs, the only shoe to ever be on TIME magazine’s “50 Worst Inventions” list, had an image change of sorts. Collaborating with artists (Post Malone, Bad Bunny, SZA), designers (Christopher Kane, Balenciaga, Nicole McLaughlin), and other brands (McDonald’s, Nongshim, Barbie)—too many to keep count of—the monsoon staple soon became a hit for all seasons.
Needless to say, when I first saw the Simone Rocha x Crocs collaboration on the designer’s spring/summer 2024 runway, I was floored. Titled The Dress Rehearsal, the collection featured clogs ornamented with Rocha’s signature crystals and oversized pearls—and paired with frothy tops of voluminous tulle, sumptuous silk skirts, and rose-adorned dresses. The only thought that was on my mind then was: “I NEED to get married in these”. There’s no sign of a ring on my finger yet, but by the time I actually walk down the aisle, the collab will be a few years old (ticking the box for my something old), and will reaffirm my devotion to my sole mate (Crocs, duh!). Call me unhinged, but I bet you will be seeing brides walking down the aisle in these bejewelled babies very soon.
