Crocs is rolling out a new partnership with one of its most popular collaborators, designer Salehe Bembury.
Under the new two-year deal, Bembury will become the creative director for his Crocs x Pollex Pod collection and will help evolve the signature design and create new colorways and silhouettes.
Crocs and Bembury collaborated on their first Pollex Clog in 2021, which looked like a unique version of the classic clog silhouette and became one of the fastest selling Crocs collaborations. The designer dropped seven more colorways of the popular shoe in 2022.
“We exist in a landscape of ‘here today, gone tomorrow’ collaborations, so the value lies in long-term relationships and that’s what we’ve established,” said Bembury in a statement. “Good design exercises restraint and balances utility with beauty and the Pollex Pod represents that by successfully merging Crocs’ brand identity with my own brand identity.”
The newest releases from the collection will be announced later in the spring.
“For many years, collaborations and product partnerships have been at the core of our brand strategy, and we are very proud of what we have been able to create in partnership with Salehe,” said Crocs Brand president Michelle Poole in a statement. “His unique approach to design has brought a fresh perspective to our molded form and enabled us to connect with new consumers.”
Crocs CEO Andrew Rees said last month that new product innovations and collaborations are already drumming up excitement for the brand in 2023. He specifically called out the Salahe Bembury x Crocs Pollex slide, the Crocs Brooklyn flip and the Hey Dude Sirocco sneaker. He also highlighted marketing campaigns centered on Hello Kitty & Friends x Crocs and the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.
Crocs has seen success in its sandal and wedge product lines, but its main focus had always been on its classic clog silhouette, the company’s most profitable product line. Just yesterday Crocs rolled out a new service to allow people to customize bulk orders of clogs and Jibbitz charms.
Collaborations centered on the classic clog are essential to drumming up excitement about the brand. In addition to Bembury, Crocs has rolled out classic clog collaborations with Luke Combs, Justin Bieber, Post Malone and more celebrities and designers.
