The Hawk

Issue date: 2/28/07 Section: Features

Can't afford to stay up with the trends?

Your mom wears them to garden. Your cousins wear them to the beach. You've seen entire families strolling through the mall sporting matching pairs.

Chances are, you've even got a friend or two at St. Joe's walking around campus wearing them.

In fact, lately it seems like everywhere you go, the Crocs go marching two by two. Hurrah?

Lyndon Hanson, Scott Seamans, and George Boedecker, three outdoorsmen and friends from Boulder, Colo., marketed Crocs in 2002 after one of them brought a pair on a boat trip to the Caribbean.

The three of them made a deal with Foam Creations, the manufacturer of the rubber used to make the shoes, and went from there.

These heavy-duty slip-on rubber shoes now come in a multitude of bright colors, and were originally created for outdoor use because of their slip-resistant soles and ventilated toes.

The shoes caught on mainly by word-of-mouth among people whose jobs require them to be on their feet.

Here were some shoes that would allow them to do that without coming home with aching insoles at the end of the day.

After high-profile celebrities like Faith Hill, Al Pacino, and Adam Sandler were spotted sporting the shoes, the Crocs phenomenon took off.

Since 2003, Crocs have become some of the trendiest footwear in the nation, appealing to adults and children alike for their durability and comfort.

Despite revenue of over $320 million in 2006 and projected revenue upwards of $446 million for 2007, people definitely have strong opinions on Crocs, and whether they're truly fashionable, or just a regrettable fad like the fanny-pack that we'll all look back on with disdain in a few years.

Admittedly, the shoes are a podiatrist's dream, but also a fashionista's nightmare, and people are quick to take sides in the debate.

"Crocs are pretty ugly to look at, but I hear they're somewhat comfortable," said Louis Gretta, '08. "I guess I'd be afraid something would get in my feet through the little holes at the top. Then again, I wear flip-flops in the summer so strike that comment."

Juliette Lagasi, '10, has a somewhat more forceful opinion about the shoes. "I hate them," she said. "I think that they're the ugliest shoes I've ever seen."

There may be a lot of negativity towards these shoes on campus, but if they're selling as well as they are, surely someone must be buying them.

Continued...

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