Steven Smith’s First Crocs Shoe Is Going Viral

There are very few sneaker designers with widespread name recognition, but Crocs can boast two of them. In addition to Salehe Bembury, Crocs has the services of Steven Smith, the industry veteran whose designs include the New Balance 574 and 997 and the Yeezy Boost 700 Wave Runner, after he signed on as head of innovation design at the end of 2024.

Ten months into his tenure, Smith is generating excitement with the first revelation of what he’s been cooking up at Crocs. Fellow Yeezy alum Philip Post posted an image to Instagram last week of a brand-new silhouette designed by Smith, and the foam clog looks like it would have been right at home in Kanye West’s Adidas line.

The apparently yet-to-be-named model, which some have taken to calling the Crocs Ripple, is largely made of one large piece of foam that gives the shoe its shape. Sitting within it on both the lateral and medial sides are two inserts with a rippled pattern akin to what you’d see if you tossed a pebble into a still body of water. Tear-drop-shaped holes provide ventilation within these color-blocked inserts and rear their head again directly above the foot. The two panels on the sidewalls are then replicated on the outsoles.

Jon Wexler, general manager of the Adidas Yeezy line, later posted his own images of Smith’s Crocs shoe in the same white and blue colorway, as did other figures from the industry. An Instagram user with the handle @ferrariartie also posted an all-black colorway of the model.

Upon announcing Smith’s appointment, Crocs president Anne Mehlman said in a statement: “Since our inception we have prided ourselves in being a disruptor in the category and for pushing the envelope on product innovation. That is one of the many reasons that we are thrilled to be adding Steven Smith, a true icon in the footwear industry, to our talented design teams. I can’t wait to see what we create together as he brings his unique creative vision to Crocs Inc.”

Smith’s Crocs shoe doesn’t yet have a confirmed release date, but it could be around the corner based on the approved sightings. Footwear News will keep you abreast of any updates.