Last weekend, Justin Bieber put up a seemingly innocent post on Instagram that piqued the interest of his 148 million followers – a pair of Crocs floating in a swimming pool. The caption was a vague “soon”, and the brand further fuelled suspicion by posting a green heart comment in response. The days following the post also saw the company’s stock jump more than 11 per cent. It's likely, then, that there’s going to be a Justin Bieber and Crocs collaboration coming out soon
Bieber is the latest in a long line of celebrities to endorse the famous footwear brand that sparks extreme reactions. Musicians Post Malone and Bad Bunny, actresses Zooey Deschanel and Natalie Dormer and model Suzu Hirose have collaborated with the company in the past.
As polarising as the shoe is, 2020 seems to be the year of Crocs, which are often touted as the footwear of choice for frontline workers. The comfort factor also makes these the go-to, as more people embrace working from home.
As a style, the Croc is effectively a clog.
The clog features an open back and a covered upper, with a slightly upturned and rounded toe. Although the origins are unknown, it is thought that clogs were traditionally made completely out of wood. Samples found in the Netherlands date back to the 1230s.
The Dutch have been wearing wooden shoes called Klompen since medieval times, and the first guild of clog makers dates back to Holland circa 1570. The protective nature of the wooden footwear made it a popular choice with farmers and miners, and after the shoes were worn down, they were used as firewood.
At the time, the shoes were made by craftsmen called bodgers who carved pairs out of woods such as alder, willow and beech. To this day the wooden shoes are seen as part of Dutch culture and are purchased as souvenirs.
In England, a clog featured wooden soles while the upper was typically made of leather. The style was especially common during the Industrial Revolution when workers required footwear that was strong, but also cheap. It was after the Second World War that clogs began to appear in another avatar – as a fashion statement.
By the 1970s and 1980s, Swedish clogs, known as traskor, became a fashion accessory. Newer iterations of the shoe featured a leather upper and an exaggerated heel – this look was sought by those wanting to make a boho-chic style statement.
Crocs Inc launched in 2001 to unveil its foam footwear, initially developed as a boating shoe. The original "ugly shoe", Crocs were widely seen as a fashion faux pas (Project Runway's Tim Gunn famously said that he couldn't imagine "a more aesthetically offensive item of footwear").
But things have changed in the past few years, and clogs eventually thumped their way on to the catwalk. Dutch designers Viktor & Rolf had their models wearing high-heeled wooden clogs in the 2007 autumn / winter collection. In 2009, chunky high-heeled clogs were pegged as the next stiletto thanks to iterations from Chanel.
In 2017, British designer Christopher Kane sent models down the runway in marbled, gem-encrusted Crocs, while Balenciaga took foam clogs to new heights in 2018, when its models put on platform Crocs on the Paris Fashion Week runway. In the same year, Dior made a case for the clog with the launch of Diorquake, a rounded shoe with a wooden sole and metallic embellishment.
Whether you love them or hate them, 2020 – and now Justin Bieber – are keeping the brand and the style one step ahead of the game.
Final scores
18 under: Tyrrell Hatton (ENG)
- 14: Jason Scrivener (AUS)
-13: Rory McIlroy (NIR)
-12: Rafa Cabrera Bello (ESP)
-11: David Lipsky (USA), Marc Warren (SCO)
-10: Tommy Fleetwood (ENG), Chris Paisley (ENG), Matt Wallace (ENG), Fabrizio Zanotti (PAR)
The specs: 2018 Chevrolet Trailblazer
Price, base / as tested Dh99,000 / Dh132,000
Engine 3.6L V6
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Power 275hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque 350Nm @ 3,700rpm
Fuel economy combined 12.2L / 100km
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Zayed Sustainability Prize
RESULT
RS Leipzig 3
Marcel Sabitzer 10', 21'
Emil Forsberg 87'
Tottenham 0
Bharatanatyam
A ancient classical dance from the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Intricate footwork and expressions are used to denote spiritual stories and ideas.
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League, last-16 second leg
Paris Saint-Germain (1) v Borussia Dortmund (2)
Kick-off: Midnight, Thursday, March 12
Stadium: Parc des Princes
Live: On beIN Sports HD
Tips for job-seekers
- Do not submit your application through the Easy Apply button on LinkedIn. Employers receive between 600 and 800 replies for each job advert on the platform. If you are the right fit for a job, connect to a relevant person in the company on LinkedIn and send them a direct message.
- Make sure you are an exact fit for the job advertised. If you are an HR manager with five years’ experience in retail and the job requires a similar candidate with five years’ experience in consumer, you should apply. But if you have no experience in HR, do not apply for the job.
David Mackenzie, founder of recruitment agency Mackenzie Jones Middle East
Match info:
Manchester City 2
Sterling (8'), Walker (52')
Newcastle United 1
Yedlin (30')
The biog
Prefers vegetables and fish to meat and would choose salad over pizza
Walks daily as part of regular exercise routine
France is her favourite country to visit
Has written books and manuals on women’s education, first aid and health for the family
Family: Husband, three sons and a daughter
Fathiya Nadhari's instructions to her children was to give back to the country
The children worked as young volunteers in social, education and health campaigns
Her motto is to never stop working for the country
LOVE%20AGAIN
%3Cp%3EDirector%3A%20Jim%20Strouse%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EStars%3A%20Priyanka%20Chopra%20Jonas%2C%20Sam%20Heughan%2C%20Celine%20Dion%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3ERating%3A%202%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The specs: 2018 Maxus T60
Price, base / as tested: Dh48,000
Engine: 2.4-litre four-cylinder
Power: 136hp @ 1,600rpm
Torque: 360Nm @ 1,600 rpm
Transmission: Five-speed manual
Fuel consumption, combined: 9.1L / 100km
Small Victories: The True Story of Faith No More by Adrian Harte
Jawbone Press
On the menu
First course
▶ Emirati sea bass tartare Yuzu and labneh mayo, avocado, green herbs, fermented tomato water
▶ The Tale of the Oyster Oyster tartare, Bahraini gum berry pickle
Second course
▶ Local mackerel Sourdough crouton, baharat oil, red radish, zaatar mayo
▶ One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest Quail, smoked freekeh, cinnamon cocoa
Third course
▶ Bahraini bouillabaisse Venus clams, local prawns, fishfarm seabream, farro
▶ Lamb 2 ways Braised lamb, crispy lamb chop, bulgur, physalis
Dessert
▶ Lumi Black lemon ice cream, pistachio, pomegranate
▶ Black chocolate bar Dark chocolate, dates, caramel, camel milk ice cream
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Third Test
Day 3, stumps
India 443-7 (d) & 54-5 (27 ov)
Australia 151
India lead by 346 runs with 5 wickets remaining
HIJRA
Starring: Lamar Faden, Khairiah Nathmy, Nawaf Al-Dhufairy
Director: Shahad Ameen
Rating: 3/5
Who is Ramon Tribulietx?
Born in Spain, Tribulietx took sole charge of Auckland in 2010 and has gone on to lead the club to 14 trophies, including seven successive Oceania Champions League crowns. Has been tipped for the vacant New Zealand national team job following Anthony Hudson's resignation last month. Had previously been considered for the role.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
