For a brand that started out by making clogs for boaters, Crocs has done pretty well for itself.

According to Crocs’ latest annual report, the Boulder-based brand sold more than 115 million pairs of its Classic Clogs in 2022. That’s 12 million more than in 2021 and almost four pairs every second.

For Crocs, this not only makes for exceedingly impressive reading, but, as 2023 has shown, it has also acted as a metaphorical safety net that's enabled the footwear label to experiment beyond its core range of products.

This year especially, we’ve seen two different sides of Crocs.

A duo of opposing personalities that for many companies would spell turmoil, but for Crocs, a brand now renowned for having its foamy fingers in a deluge of foamy pies, has allowed it to cater to a much wider audience.

First off, you have Crocs’s playful side, an alter ego that’s become synonymous with the label since it began leaning into its mimetic nature to deliver footwear that’s knowingly tongue-in-cheek and that plays off its ugly shoe reputation.

We’re talking Shrek Crocs, McDonald’s Crocs, and the Lightning McQueen Crocs, the latter of which returned for a fourth time in 2023 following an overwhelming demand and continued sell out.

Though these releases are perhaps bantering fashion with their satirical aesthetics, the brand has also created more whimsical adult-ish collaborations that have taken goofy-ness even further.

Look at its Big Yellow Croc with MSCHF, for instance, which were the first follow-up to the New York label's viral Big Red Boot, its Cowboy Booties, or its club-ready four-inch Siren Heels, Crocs' first true high heel.

These types of releases aren't just examples of Crocs trying its hand at something new simply because it can, but also a way of ensuring that the brand remains a topic of discussion that, in turn, can create a halo effect that keeps its core products appealing.

On the other end of the Crocs spectrum, you have its less playful side.

A persona where the designs are objectively nice, comparably fashion-focused, and often in cahoots with big name collaborators.

Take its sleek JJJJound clogs, its cosmic Palace mules, or its deliciously denim Levi's, for example, each of which are representative of genuinely wearable shoes.

Though none of these collaborations are particularly outlandish or groundbreaking, they do also raise a question on the other side of the line: why do these more fashion-y brands want to partner with Crocs?

Perhaps it's their version of Crocs' split personality, a way of the more serious labels releasing playful products while also utilizing the Crocs safety net.

Or maybe it's simply their way of having fun with fashion for once. It's a win-win for everyone involved.

Of course, Crocs isn’t all about collaborations, though.

Earlier this year the brand appointed Salehe Bembury as the creative director of its Pollex footwear, a multifaceted slip-on created by the former Versace footwear designer, who is playing a big part in making Crocs a credible shoemaker by spearheading its foray into the world of sneakers.

Then you have Crocs' impressive inline offering which itself includes some belters.

Take the super-sleek Dylan Clog, for example, a slip-on style that barely resembles the Crocs of yesteryear with its faux leather appearance, or the Mellow Clog, a chunky clog-like silhouette that could well be mistaken for a rubber Birkenstock, or a pair of vintage Dutch clogs.

From an outsiders perspective, Crocs' split personality through 2023 may seem either incidental or even lucky.

But dig a little deeper and scratch beneath the surface (which, in this case, is Croclite foam) and you'll see that everything is methodically planned.

I mean, if both of Crocs' personalities weren’t so obviously Crocs (i.e. rubber and mostly perforated), they could well be mistaken for being two separate brands such is their antithetical outlook.

But there's more to Crocs than simply having two opposing personalities that can work harmoniously together, because it’s worked to have the privilege.

Crocs has found a way of having its cake (its inline collections) and eating it (its collaborations and more playful releases) by garnering such a varied-yet-loyal customer base over the years.

Now, not only does Crocs have the ability to experiment with little risk thanks to the metaphorical safety net and a wide spread of devoted wearers, but it now has the potential to go even further through 2024.

This means more tongue-in-cheek Crocs collabs, more exceedingly stylish rubber footwear, and, most importantly, lots more fun.