Dive Brief:
- Crocs has named veteran footwear designer Steven Smith as its head of creative innovation, the footwear brand announced Tuesday.
- Upon starting his new position on Dec. 2, Smith will be designing in-house for the Crocs and Heydude brands and “introducing new silhouettes and evolving the brands’ design languages,” per an emailed statement.
- Smith brings with him more than three decades worth of experience across a variety of noteworthy brands, making him “one of the most prolific designers in the footwear industry,” the company said. Smith has previously worked for brands like Yeezy, Reebok, Nike, Adidas, and New Balance.
Dive Insight:
Crocs has tapped industry heavyweight Smith as it tries to drive growth. Overall, the company’s third quarter revenue saw a 1.6% bump year over year to $1.06 billion even as it lowered its outlook. As the Crocs brand’s revenue grew 7.4% year over year to $858 million in the quarter, the revenue for its sister brand, Heydude, dropped 17.4% to $204 million.
Despite Heydude’s losses, Crocs CEO Andrew Rees told analysts over the summer that the company remains “extremely bullish” on Heydude’s projections over the long term. The company expects Heydude to boost its overall bottom line toward the end of 2024, Rees said.
Steven Smith
Image courtesy of Crocs
In its announcement, Crocs highlighted Smith’s impact on sneaker culture and his ability to blend “cutting-edge technology with bold, innovative designs that often defy convention.”
“Since our inception we have prided ourselves in being a disruptor in the category and for pushing the envelope on product innovation,” Anne Mehlman, brand president of Crocs, said in a statement. “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.”
