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Crocs’s Most Anticipated Release of the Year Comes from Undisputed Sneaker Royalty

Now at Crocs, the “godfather of dad shoes” is ready to debut his inaugural design for the cult brand.

Close-up of a gray and blue Crocs shoe with textured, layered blue accents on the side.Flight Club
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By Jack Seemer

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Love ’em or hate ’em, Crocs designs tend to elicit strong feeling on both sides of the aisle.

But no one can deny a simple fact about the brand’s next shoe. The designer responsible for them is bona fide sneaker royalty.

The so-called Crocs Ripple comes from none other than Steven Smith, the former head of product design at Yeezy. It’s not on his only claim to fame.

Side view of a white shoe sole with blue concentric oval patterns on a black background.
The Ripple (pictured) is Steven Smith’s first design for Crocs.
Flight Club

Smith, a 40-year industry veteran, is widely considered the “godfather of dad shoes.” His CV includes the New Balance 1500, Reebok InstaPump Fury and dozens of other classics.

Now the Head of Innovation Design at Crocs, Smith is ready to debut his inaugural contribution for brand, and easily its most anticipated of the year: a laceless slip-on resembling the Yeezy Foam Runner.

White and blue futuristic slip-on shoe with three ventilation holes on top, shown from the back on a black background.
The shoe closely resembles the Yeezy Foam Runner, also designed by Smith.
Flight Club

Ripple effect

The model forgoes the heel strap found on the Crocs Classic Clog and features three perforations cross the top and sides, where scultped inserts give it a wave-inspired form in line with Smith’s well-established design language.

Close-up of a blue and white textured plastic object with two oval holes on a black background.
The wave-inspired design stays true to Smith’s established design language.
Flight Club
Close-up of a blue and white shoe sole with size marking "M 9" in the center.
The Ripples features two Crocs foams, as well as a TPU shank in the sole for stability.
Flight Club

It also comes with two Crocs foams, Croslite and Mellow, as well as a TPU shank in the sole unit for added stability and comfort.

At launch, the Ripple comes in a single color, gray and blue. It will be exclusive to Flight Club Miami from Friday, December 5, coinciding with the start of Art Basel.

A global launch is scheduled for 2026, with additional limited drops in the lead up.

About the Author:

Jack Seemer is the executive editor at Gear Patrol, with over a decade of experience in product journalism. He currently reports on a wide range of topics, including footwear, watches, EDC, cookware and more.

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