To Know Andersson Bell, Walk a Mile In Its Punk Rock Crocs (EXCLUSIVE)
Backstage at Andersson Bell’s first-ever runway show in the brand’s native Seoul, founder Dohun Kim wore a “CHOOSE LIFE” T-shirt in homage to Katherine Hamnett, punk queen of the statement tee. Rarely is any of Kim’s work so surface-level; the designer prefers to layer meaning into Andersson Bell’s frenetic mix-and-match wardrobe. The Hamnett shout-out, therefore, should be seen less as an obvious reference and more as a suggestion of Kim’s punkish dress code revisionism.
The most perfect distillation of it all? Andersson Bell Crocs collab: thick-soled clogs inspired by the “twisted attitude” of ’90s Britpop singers like Jarvis Cocker and PJ Harvey, Kim says.
If there’s one design cue at the core of Andersson Bell, it’s the mutated mundane. The 11-year-old label is epitomized by pre-patchworked Levi’s jeans and fringed hoodies — ordinary garments reimagined as statement pieces for the everyday. Not so crazy as to be unwearable, but hardly simple enough to blend into the background.
Every Andersson Bell collection is like this, really, a mixtape of old favorites made new. Its Spring/Summer 2026 collection, presented September 1 in Seoul, features T-shirts embedded with other T-shirts, boilersuits forced into trouser form with folded-down waists, and knitted cardigans fitted with XXL contrast-color collars. The individual garments lean classic, but they’re piled on like a kid playing dress-up in their parents’ closet.
Even still, the Crocs are a clear standout.
Built atop the base of the meaty Bae clog, the thick sole is riveted all the way around. The typical strap is replaced with a Westernized “belt,” its metal hardware matching the shiny Jibbitz charms.
They’re admittedly not quite as raw as Rid of Me. But Andersson Bell’s Crocs, much like Andersson Bell’s clothes, are not a literal interpretation of their inspiration. This is called artistic liberty, and it’s something that Dohun Kim enjoys. Choose life, indeed.
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