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Simone Rocha threw caution to the wind when it came to the footwear assortment at her spring 2024 show — and to eclectically glamorous results.
Amidst the usual lineup of sheer dresses, beaded anoraks and tech-forward ballet flats at the designer’s London Fashion Week event on Sunday came a collaboration with Crocs.
In a truly complementary contrast, a lengthy lineup of the FNAA-winning brand’s shoes were given the Rocha treatment. The brand’s foam Classic Clogs, cast in black and white color ways — plus a transparent iteration for a Cinderella-worthy bridal moment — were adorned with a mix of oversized and miniature pearls, as well as Rocha’s signature floral crystals.
The gleaming accents also coated one of Crocs’ newest shoes, the heeled platform clog; introduced in its summer ’23 collection, the comfort shoe brand’s monochrome white pair was given a Rocha twist with winding rows of pearls budding into crystal flowers, creating a quirky bridal moment on the runway.
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For customers wanting to take a walk on the edgier side, Rocha also showed Crocs’ chunky platform-soled clog in the same treatment; however, this iteration was adorned with black crystal flowers encircling glossy matching beads, creating a darkly glamorous effect.
Within the unisex assortment, Rocha also took Crocs’ clogs for a gorpcore spin. Similar to the Classic style, this shoe iteration — cast in both monochrome black and ballet slipper-pink colorways — featured a similarly rounded shape cinched by cord toggle ties for a hiking-to-wading shoe feel, complemented by an upper textile lining reminiscent of Crocs’ own Stomp and Echo boots. Wallpaper-worthy patterns of flowers were clustered in crystals and pearls throughout, which Rocha also emphasized in men’s styling with sweet matching socks adorned with pearl blossoms.
The runway moment marked Crocs’ latest high-fashion collaboration this year. Since its presence skyrocketed in the 2020’s, the brand has soared in the era of co-branded drops by launching shoe releases with Balenciaga and Kurt Geiger. This summer also saw the label release pouch-topped platform clogs with MCM, complete with a buzzy campaign starring Lindsay Lohan.
Though it’s unclear how Rocha’s Crocs will be sold, you can still view other collaborations — and preview upcoming releases — on Crocs’ website. In the interim, her runway styling suggests the shoes, upon release, can be easily integrated into one’s wardrobe — paired just as easily with a sheer going-out dress as a monochrome jacketed trousers.
LFW is held in London in September, marking the second week of Fashion Month. The spring 2024 season will see a calendar of fashion shows and presentations from a range of brands, including Burberry, Simone Rocha, Erdem and more. The occasion will also include numerous parties and activations from brands like Valentino, Wolf & Badger and “Wonderland” magazine — as well as the star-studded Vogue World: London event, which celebrates fashion’s international community with a current-season runway show.
About the Author:
Aaron Royce is the Digital Editor for Footwear News, where he writes stories on trending news, celebrity style, collaborations and in-depth profile interviews. Prior to joining Footwear News, Aaron wrote and interned for publications including PAPER, Grazia and the Daily Front Row. He currently holds a B.S. in mass communications from Virginia Commonwealth University.
