Crocs have become a bold fashion statement, but many don’t know about their utilitarian beginnings. In this animated explainer, MoMA curator Paola Antonelli covers the history of Crocs’s remarkable transformation, from their origins as medical and sailing shoes to being considered one of the “worst inventions,” to their surprising status as high-fashion symbols and comfort shoes. Their story also poses a timeless question: What can be considered elegant?

This Collision Award-winning animated series was made for the exhibition “Pirouette: Turning Points in Design” which highlights the role of designers at their most inventive and constructive, and demonstrates the power of design to translate human experience into tangible forms and envision a better future.