Kick Up Your Style with Crocs Cowboy Boots

In a bold departure from convention, Crocs, the brand renowned for its distinctive clogs, has unveiled its latest fashion forward experiment the Cowboy Boot. These boots are a fusion of comfort and quirky style that nobody quite saw coming. The legendary John Wayne could never have imagined such ventilation in his iconic cowboy boots.

A Fashion Statement Like No Other

On Thursday, Crocs introduced a pair of cowboy boots that take their unconventional designs to new heights. Imagine the classic Crocs, now transformed into glossy, black crocodile skin textures, with the upper half of a cowboy boot, complete with pull straps and playful embroidery. To complete the look, they even added spurs for an extra dose of humor and flair.

Steve Natto, a 25 year old sneaker YouTuber in Philadelphia, couldn’t believe his eyes when he first saw these boots on Instagram. It seems that provoking such reactions is precisely what Crocs aims for. The brand has a history of courting attention and sparking controversy with its unique shoe releases, from KFC chicken scented Crocs in 2020 to high heeled Crocs in collaboration with Balenciaga in 2021. Just last month, they introduced chartreuse Shrek Crocs complete with ears.

The Crocs Cowboy Boots A Hilarious Hit?

The Crocs cowboy boots are set to hit the market on October 23rd, priced at $120 per pair. They follow in the footsteps of the Big Red Boots created by the clever folks at MSCHF a stunt item that gained internet fame as an ironic masterpiece.

So, will customers find the Crocs cowboy boots similarly hilarious, or has the viral footwear shtick begun to wear thin? According to Mr. Natto, there’s undoubtedly a market for them. While he might not run errands in these boots, he’s more than ready to show them off on social media.

Memes Inspire Real Products

The idea for Crocs’ cowboy boots emerged from fan made memes circulating on social media. Heidi Cooley, the company’s chief marketing officer, shared that the design and product development teams saw these ideas online and decided to make one of them a reality during what they’ve aptly named Croctober.

Once the cowboy boot concept was on the table, it was an instant winner. That meeting took us about 12 minutes, Ms. Cooley revealed. The design team then got to work, refining the decorative details and even suggesting a detachable spur. When fans have a funny idea, she emphasized, we don’t overthink it.

Embracing the Memes Crocs Competitive Advantage

Crocs experienced a surge in popularity during the early months of the pandemic when comfort took precedence over style. The brand’s sales have remained robust, especially among Gen Z consumers.

Ms. Cooley acknowledged that even their mildest products can polarize opinions. Nevertheless, they see this as an opportunity to fully embrace meme culture and design novelty products that spark conversations. It is disruptive, and it allows Crocs to leverage what we believe is a competitive advantage, she explained. We love creating things that nobody thinks we can.

The Art of Pushing Boundaries

Jared Watson, an assistant professor of marketing at the New York University Stern School of Business, observed that while many apparel brands might risk their credibility with gag products, Crocs has managed to find a way to engage those who already have strong opinions about their shoes. With that sort of mentality of hate consumption or hate engagement, Crocs has had this opportunity to really push those boundaries, he noted.

Crocs may also be capitalizing on a recent surge of interest in Western apparel. Beyoncé’s Renaissance World Tour featured cowboy hats with disco ball flair, and Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour had audiences tapping along with her early career country hits, donning classic cowboy boots.

Not All Frontiers Are Crossed

While Crocs fans are known for their enthusiasm, some frontiers remain too wild even for them. Professor Watson, who owns three pairs of classic Crocs, once joined an online waiting list to buy the Shrek clogs but backed out at the last second. He simply couldn’t picture himself wearing them in public. I don’t want people to think I’m a weird person, he admitted.