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Nobody knows if Crocs would have seen such a drastic spike in popularity had it not been for the COVID-19 pandemic, but here we are. And there’s no doubt that the clog connoisseurs have cashed in on this trend as it has aligned with culture-shifting partners from Justin Bieber to Bad Bunny to Salehe Bembury, the latest of which has yet to release. And now, its collaborative portfolio is slated to grow with LA-based brand Free & Easy for a joint footwear collection — one that channels the laid-back lifestyle of Southern California.The range includes two silhouettes: the Classic Clog and the Slides. The exterior of both offerings are dressed to mimic that of California sunset as each is treated with a vivid gradient of orange, yellow and blue. The ultra-plushy in-steps of each take contrasts with a pure white hue. To further echo its beach-friendly motif, Free & Easy packages the products with playful Jibbitz. A “Don’t Trip” Jibbit is included as this is the brand’s motto alongside a rainbow, sunglasses, dice, planet Earth and wave.The Free & Easy x Crocs Classic Clog ($69 USD) and the Classic Slide ($40 USD) will be dropping exclusively via Crocs and Free & Easy on August 24.In case you missed it, Crocs recently partnered up with thisisneverthat for a collaborative footwear launch.

2021 has been a year of expansion for the New Balance lifestyle umbrella in terms of new silhouettes, and one that has already leaned into collaborative projects and dropped in a multitude of inline colorways is the 237. Shortly after getting fitted with joker-reminiscent color schemes, the lifestyle model has now resurfaced in the form of a neutral-focused colorway.The iteration — which was first unveiled by Japanese retailer BEAMS — bears a trifecta of understated tones. The most dominant is its ivory hue which fills in a majority of the synthetic upper. Following close behind is a brighter beige which touches the overlays that sit nearest the throat as well as the mudguards and overlays that are stationed on the toe tips and heels. From there, small notes of white are shown the side walls’ “N” logos as well as the New Balance branding that’s parked out back, while solid black doses get distributed to the interior liners, the “NB” insignias on the tongues and the outsoles.These minimal-yet-luxe looking 237s are available to buy via the BEAMS online store for ¥10,340 (approx. $94 USD). A stateside drop has not been confirmed just yet.Elsewhere in the world of sneakers, atmos and New Balance recently unveiled a 574 “Tokyo Limited Edition” collaboration.