Dingyun Zhang Created the Bugatti of Crocs Clogs
Dingyun Zhang created Crocs' most subversive clog yet.
Inspired by the silhouette of one of Bugatti's famously sleek automobiles, the Mongolian-Chinese designer's all-white Crocs slip-on has an aerodynamic build with a plump sole reminiscent of an adidas Foam Runner.
The futuristically named Dingyun Zhang x Crocs "Diffuser" slip-on also wears a perforated vamp, keeping that signature Crocs charm alive.
First previewed in September during Paris Fashion Week, Zhang's futuristic clog expertly subverts traditional expectations of a Crocs shoe with its sleek and fluid design.
This streamlined design profile also offers some much-needed variation in the current shoe zeitgeist that's way too hooked on flat sneakers, IMO.
Zhang previously worked for YEEZY and partnered with Moncler and adidas.
Zhang's distinctly subversive design profile favors some real out-of-the-box concepts like extraterrestrial-coded headwear or exaggerated grungy silhouettes made entirely out of puffer jackets.
His fresh modus operandi applied with gusto to otherwise conventional shoes like the adidas Kouza and the classic Samba, which Zhang made mega-puffy.
But this Crocs collaboration, available on Dingyun Zhang’s website December 12 for about $100, just hits different.
For one, Crocs are the OG "so-ugly-it's-cute" shoe, so to see Zhang turn these rubbery clogs into a bonafide fashion staple is some fairy godmother-level stuff. This collaboration also exists at a nice intersection between a sleek slip-on clog and a full-on chunkster, further bolstering Crocs' growing fashion credibility.
Even pre-Dingyun Zhang, Crocs has been turning out some curiously cool shoes, including the Salehe Bembury-designed "Juniper" sneaker and 3Sixteen's woven Dylan clog.
Crocs also brought on veteran designer Steven Smith as the brand's head of creative innovation, a move that shows Crocs is ready to be taken seriously as a sneaker brand.
The introduction of Zhang's "Diffuser" clog is just another step toward Crocs style-focused future.
And with the coveted sleek factor of a slim sneaker and the buoyant outsole of a thicker shoe, Zhang's Crocs is the best of both worlds.
