Deconstructing Product Design

Crocs Shoes

Ettore Battiston and Crocs, 2002

1. Reviled as homely and acclaimed as comfortable, Crocs shoes play in what can be called the comfort wear movement — a movement that puts comfort first and foremost, and fashion second, if at all. Crocs began its life as a humble boat shoe, but word spread fast about the remarkable comfort of the odd-looking clogs. Demand grew, and distribution quickly moved from boating conventions to small retail outlets to Nordstrom and Dillard’s. Crocs became ubiquitous, achieving global footwear phenomenon status in less than two years. But what goes up must eventually come down, and as of this writing Crocs (the company) is facing several challenges: invalidated patents, market saturation, and a fashionista ...