Mario Batali Loves His Orange Crocs So Much He Just Ordered 200 Pairs

Many of us have a signature item of clothing, like a preferred style of cardigan or beloved pair of black pumps. But rare is the level of dedication that chef and foodie personality Mario Batali shows his beloved orange Crocs.

Sure, much of the world thinks they’re tacky, like little orange lifejackets for his feet or perhaps traffic cones he mistook for sandals. But Batali doesn’t care. To him, they’re beautiful. Which is why, as he revealed in a recent Q&A with Details, he just ordered an additional 200 pairs of the damn things:

DETAILS: How many pairs do you own now?
Mario Batali:
Probably 30. I just ordered 200 more because they’re about to take
orange out of the field. They made a special run for me before they
retired the color.

He’s not happy about the development, but he’s coping. “They’re
gonna stop the Mario Batali orange! It’s preposterous! But they’re
doing pretty well without me. Nothing lasts forever, baby.”

Don’t panic, though: A Croc rep tells Eater that they’ll continue to sell their line of “Bistro Mario Batali Vent Clogs,” which are specially designed for kitchen wear. So you’ve still got something to give your wackiest aunt for her birthday every year.

Q&A: Mario Batali on Fatherhood, Chilling With Gwyneth and Bono, and What He Hates About Cooking Shows [Details]

Mario Batali Ordered 200 Pairs of Orange Crocs Because the Color Was Discontinued [Eater]