When Crocs Meet Pixar's Cars: The Power of Collaborations in Fashion

Collaborations have always been a big part of the fashion business, but in 2025, they are bigger and bolder than ever. One of the newest examples is Crocs working with Pixar's popular Cars franchise to make a fun line of shoes that combines comfortable footwear with nostalgic animation. It's not just about shoes; it's also about telling stories, being relevant to different cultures, and connecting with people of all ages.

Image source: Crocs (2023)

Why working together is good.

At their core, collaborations help brands reach new customers outside of their usual market. Crocs used to be seen as strange and niche, but it has changed by teaming up with famous people. Their work with Balenciaga, Post Malone, Drew House (Justin Bieber's brand), and now Pixar's Cars shows that a simple rubber clog can become a statement piece when you add your own style and cultural meaning to it. Fashion thrives on the unexpected, blending high and low, streetwear and luxury, and childhood styles with more mature ones. The Crocs x Cars partnership is another reminder that people want more than just things; they want to feel connected to others and hear their stories.

Examples of famous collaborations in case studies

• Adidas x Gucci: A mix of high-end and sportswear that became a worldwide hit, with vintage track suits and sneakers becoming high-fashion staples.

• Nike x Off-White (Virgil Abloh): One of the most important partnerships of the decade, it brought sneaker culture into the world of high-end fashion.

• Louis Vuitton x Yayoi Kusama: This partnership brought Kusama's polka-dot world to LV bags, shoes, and even store displays all over the world, combining high fashion with fine art.

• Supreme x Louis Vuitton: A revolutionary blend of streetwear and luxury that blurred the lines between youth-driven hype culture and exclusivity.

• Uniqlo x KAWS / Uniqlo x Disney: Affordable, collectible items that appeal to a wide range of people and celebrate modern and pop art.

• H&M x Karl Lagerfeld and H&M x Versace: Making high fashion more accessible by letting regular people buy unique designs.

• Crocs x Lightning McQueen (Cars): A delightful way to evoke memories of fashion from the past, igniting the excitement of Gen Z and millennial fans who grew up with the Pixar movies.

The Big Picture: Style, Fun, and Who You Are

These partnerships are powerful because they bridge different fields. Pixar is more than just a movie studio; it's a cultural force. When Crocs draws inspiration from Pixar's Cars, they become part of the stories that millions of kids grew up with. When fashion collaborates with musicians (like Beyoncé and Adidas Ivy Park or Travis Scott and Nike) or franchises (like Pokémon and Converse), it's about integrating fashion into lifestyle, identity, and fandom, creating a sense of belonging and connection. Fashion is less about what you need and more about how you express yourself, particularly for Gen Z and millennials, who make up the majority of today's consumers. Wearing Crocs x Cars isn't just about shoes; it's about wearing a piece of culture, nostalgia, and happiness, and expressing your unique identity.

Things that future marketers and managers can learn

If you want to work in fashion, it's essential to know how these kinds of partnerships work. They need:

1. Strategic Brand Alignment: making sure that the DNA of both brands works well together.

2. Storytelling: making campaigns that are more than just a product drop; they should tell a story.

3. Getting people involved in the community: using social media, limited editions, and partnerships with influencers to build excitement.

4. Scalability and accessibility: making sure the collaboration works in a variety of markets and price ranges.

In the Fashion Marketing & Management program at Raffles Jakarta, we teach our students how to analyze these global trends, understand consumer behavior, and develop plans that can transform a product into a cultural phenomenon. The Crocs x Pixar partnership is just one example of how creative collaborations are changing the fashion industry. Marketers of the future need to learn how to use this power.

Arman POUREISA

Marketing Manager

Business Management Lecturer

Raffles Jakarta

References

Adidas. (2022). Adidas and Gucci unveil their collaboration. Adidas. https://www.adidas.com/

Business of Fashion. (2023). Why collaborations remain fashion’s most powerful marketing tool. Business of Fashion. https://www.businessoffashion.com/

Crocs. (2025). Crocs and Pixar Cars collaboration release. Crocs. https://www.crocs.com/

Crocs. (2025). Cars Mater Classic Clog. Crocs Australia. https://www.crocs.com.au/p/cars-mater-classic-clog/209371.html?cgid=clogs&cid=0DA

Forbes. (2023, July 18). Beyoncé’s Ivy Park and Adidas part ways: What went wrong? Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/

Highsnobiety. (2023). Nike x Off-White: The legacy of “The Ten.” Highsnobiety. https://www.highsnobiety.com/

Louis Vuitton. (2023). Louis Vuitton x Yayoi Kusama collaboration. Louis Vuitton. https://www.louisvuitton.com/

Supreme. (2023). Supreme x Louis Vuitton retrospective. Supreme. https://www.supremenewyork.com/

Uniqlo. (2022). UT KAWS collaboration. Uniqlo. https://www.uniqlo.com/

Vogue. (2023, October 2). From Balenciaga to Crocs: The evolution of fashion’s strangest collaborations. Vogue. https://www.vogue.com/