-Izzy Fernandes (‘20)

“In order to be irreplaceable, one must also be different,” a flippant comment uttered by Coco Chanel, but also one which the brand Crocs certainly fulfills. Crocs is known for its colorful and playful footwear suited for all ages and (most) activities. Balenciaga, on the other hand, spurs contrasting thoughts of high fashion and outrageous shoe designs. So, when the two worlds collide, only something truly sensational can come out of it.

Enter Balenciaga’s Spring 2018 runway show, during which models wearing platform versions of the foam rubber clogs stunned audiences everywhere. Whether viewers thought the shoes were a much needed fresh take on an old favorite, or a venture into territories best left untouched, they still peaked the interest of many. So many that, when the shoes were made available to the public for pre-order, they sold out in a matter of minutes.

The spike in popularity can be credited to Balenciaga’s splashing of the shoes across ads in the March spreads of Vogue, Elle, and countless other fashion magazines, as well as its previous dabbles in high fashion, as these shoes are not the first of their kinds. Christopher Kane of Christopher Kane fame collaborated with Crocs in Fall 2016, and twice more in 2017, producing clogs sprouting pom-poms, rocks, and even diamanté embellishments.

Should this design catch your eye, it can be pre-ordered online at barneys.com. Although it is currently sold out, it is set to be restocked soon, so that many more can buy into the world of irreplaceability.