Crocs Survives, Batali's Fashion Sense Intact

Crocs has secured a $30 million revolving loan which will allow the troubled shoe-wear company to stay in business. Somewhere, Mario Batali is breathing a sigh of relief.

Mario Batali on Crocs, Fashion

"I wear them because they’re the most comfortable thing and I don’t give a fuck about fashion. I like fashion on other people."

Fruit for Your Feet

Have you ever seen a pair of Adidas more, well, fresh than these?

With the Consortium Watermelon Forum Mid shoe, Adidas has taken the design of its iconic 1980s basketball shoes and given them a melon-y makeover featuring garish green uppers, stripes that mimic those of a watermelon rind, and a red lining interspersed with pits (sorry, they don't come in seedless).

If you want to get seasonal, there's also a low-top "pumpkin" version that would fit your fall wardrobe. Personally, I'm holding out for the Alice Waters-sponsored heirloom tomato edition (made from sustainable materials, of course). $110 at MODA3.

Ink for the Epicurean

For the epicurean exhibitionist: show your culinary colors with these Food Lover Temporary Tattoos featuring gastronomic imagery in tattoo style. Each 3-1/2" x 4-1/2" hard-cover book contains eighteen non-toxic temporary tattoos ranging in size from 1" to 3". $7.95 each at Archie McPhee.

Mario Batali's Swine Splatter Art

Mario Batali's appropriately porcine contribution to the Food Bank for New York City's annual lunchbox auction is splattered with pig's blood, salt, pepper, and fennel seed (for an inside-out, postmodern twist, it comes filled with salted salami casings). The revolting, one-of-a-kind lunch carrier is currently available for bidding online (now going for $145), along with other artistic contributions from Alice Waters, Wyie Dufresne, Ellen Page, Yoko Ono, and Liv Tyler, among celebs. Bid now through December 18 at thelunchboxauction.org.

Lunch, Batali Style

Mario Batali, style setter? In collaboration with watch manufacturer Cosmoda, the celebrity chef is expanding his retail empire by launching a line of designer lunch bags. The reusable bags, made to resemble handbags, messenger bags, and portfolios, feature insulated pouches, wipeable linings, and decidedly foodish colors (shades of "black pepper," "espresso," "pesto," and "persimmon"). Look for the bags, ranging from $25 to $45, to arrive at department stores and specialty retailers this October.

Hold the Tahini

The pitapocket reinvents the traditional flatbread as a small cloth wallet (5.5 inches in diameter) for holding anything from spare change to keys to an mp3 player. "Pita bread is our national bread here in Israel," writes Israeli designer Anat Safran, creator of the pouch. "Everybody  eats it and can get even sentimental about it... I wanted to create  a funny 'must have' product related to our Middle Eastern popular culture." $14 each, plus $3 shipping to the U.S. (falafel not included). To purchase, inquire at contact@infobag.co.il.

Frank Fashion

Japanese competitive eater Takeru Kobayashi will be defending his title at Nathan’s annual hot-dog eating contest on July 4th. Kobayashi fans can show their support with Kobayashi T-Shirts that retool Nathan's and Bob's Big Boy logos in favor of the frankfurter-eating champ. $22 at kfordiet.com. [via Japan Probe]

Sole of a Chef

Fashion victim (and chef) Mario Batali has partnered with Crocs to launch a new Bistro model featuring "a thicker metatarsal area to help protect the top of the foot, as well as a supportive arch and foot bed circulation nubs to ensure all-day comfort." They can be sterilized in clean water and bleach, or just toss them in the dishwasher like Mario does. The special edition clogs, due out in late Summer 2007, will retail for $39.99.

Mobile Mayo

It turns out that Pocky cell phone accessories are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to gastronomical accessorizing. Show your culinary street cred with this super-sized Kewpie Mayonnaise Cel Phone "Mascot" inspired by the MSG-powered Japanese mayo that culinary it boy David Chang calls "the best mayonnaise in the world." $11.95 at StrapYa.com.