In only two years, Salehe Bembury has established himself as one of the most sought-after creative partners in sneaker culture. Bembury, a former vice president at Versace, was named FNAA’s designer of 2020 for his work on the New Balance 2002R, and he has continued to build on that success this year by releasing a slew of NB sequels as well as the Crocs Pollex Clog, one of this year’s best silhouettes.
The Pollex Clog is a radical departure from the brand’s most iconic product and is thus certain to be one of the most talked-about non-sneaker releases of 2021. The shoe, which is much more practical than its name suggests, first arrived in two colors: “Cucumber” and “Menemsha.” The new mold has a combination of the designer’s fingerprints, making for a form that is both distinctive and more dynamic than its progenitor. The strap may be tightened or loosened and air vents are placed in strategic high-heat regions.
Images from various social media platforms show that Salehe and Crocs will use the same design philosophy for future Pollex models as well. Whether you’re looking for green, orange, brown, white, black, baby blue, or even camo, you’ll find it here. These colors are slated to launch from the footwear label sometime in the next year, though no specific date has been announced. The Salehe x Crocs Pollex typically sells for $85 and is available via Crocs and Salehe’s Spunge website, assuming no price adjustments.
Crocs Pollex Clog Menemsha
Concave ridges in a beige color, like fingerprints, provide the Crocs Pollex “Menemsha” with an excellent grip in whichever direction you point your foot. Holes situated slightly above the base have a purpose: they are located in high-heat regions of the foot for better ventilation. Flexibility is ensured by the detachable canvas strap around the wearer’s ankle.
Crocs Pollex Clog Cucumber
The “Cucumber” color of this sneaker is a dark olive green throughout the whole EVA foam top, and the shoe itself has concave ridges. Grey semi-translucent panels are strategically positioned on the forefoot, heel, and medial toe, which are all high-wear regions in comparison to the following versions.
Crocs Pollex Clog Urchin
The “Urchin” takes a more neutral approach than the “Stratus,” another colorway that will be introduced simultaneously with this one. The EVA foam top of these shoes is textured with concave ridges all throughout, and they come in a subtle slate grey color. High-wear zones like the forefoot, heel, and medial toe have semi-translucent panels.
Crocs Pollex Clog Stratus
Off-white and exoskeleton-like, the Crocs Pollex Clog “Stratus” is made entirely of foam and has deep concave ridges that resemble fingerprints per the clog’s design. This classic silhouette gets a modern revamp thanks to the addition of sturdy reinforcements including reinforced toe parts, fabric lockdown straps, plastic molded closures, and dependable traction underfoot. One of this silhouette’s options is rendered in a clean, unobtrusive “Stratus” hue that is destined to be a year-round favorite.
Crocs Pollex Clog Crocodile
The “Crocodile” colorway has proven to be the most fascinating; it is the most striking of all the available options and also serves as a punny play on the brand’s name. The “Crocodile” coloring is more green than the rare one-off “Slime” variant that Amine received back in September 2021. The top is grooved in a fingerprint-inspired pattern, like in previous iterations, and a strap at the back serves as a heel counter.
Crocs Pollex Clog Sasquatch
As the sixth iteration of the Crocs Pollex Clog, the “Sasquatch” is the polar opposite of the all-white “Stratus” model. Here, a deep black color scheme hides the Crocs’ fingerprint-inspired mold as well as the shoe’s hardware and the brand’s embossed logo. Included in the box is a second, white strap that can be swapped in for a different look.
Crocs Pollex Clog Cobbler
The “Cobbler” colorway, released on August 18th, is based on the peach tones seen in Antelope Canyon, which served as inspiration for Bembury’s first pair of New Balance 2002R. The majority of the shoe is a vibrant orange, with a darker color contrasting on the heel straps and select molds on the toe tips and treads. Both the sport mode spoilers and the insoles include debossed logos for the two companies that made this possible.
