Mario Batali invests in 200 pairs of orange Crocs

Nov. 26 (UPI) -- Mario Batali is famous for his Italian cooking. He's almost as famous for his love of wearing Crocs in the kitchen.

Now the celebrity chef, who said he first wore his signature Croc-style rubber clogs in 1993, has grabbed 200 pairs of his favorite shoe in his favorite color: orange.

Batali's love for the slip-on eyesores precedes the invention of the actual Crocs brand, so when they were invented, Batali said it was "obvious that they had built them for me."

"I've stuck with them and I'm a big fan of the Crocs look and the way that it shames most of my friends in the fashion world," Batali said.

The impetus between the extravagant purchase, Batali explains, is that Croc has announced they are retiring his signature color.

“They’re gonna stop the Mario Batali orange! It’s preposterous!” he said, explaining the company had made a special run of the orange Crocs just for the chef. Fortunately for fans of the comfy footwear, even though Crocs orange models are going the way of the dodo, the special Bistro Mario Batali design, made special for food industry professionals, will still be available in the chef's favorite loud shade.