Mario Batali Has Ditched His Beloved Orange Crocs for Yeezys: It's a 'Sign That We Are in End Times'

There are only two people in the world who have stood by Crocs even when the entire universe turned against them: designer Christopher Kane and celebrity chef Mario Batali. The former has made it his mission to make the “ugly” shoe fashionable by designing $545 furry and bejeweled versions (and it’s working, the Washington Post says), while the latter has long exclusively worn his signature bright orange version whether he’s in the kitchen or on a red carpet. But after years and years of sticking by his go-to shoe, Batali’s proving that breaking up with his favorite footwear is Yeezy-er than you’d think.

At Jimmy Fallon’s star-studded birthday celebration on Tuesday night, The Roots’ Questlove Instagrammed a photo of the inimitable chef wearing Kanye West’s Yeezy sneaker.

“Signs That We Are In End Times: Batali Rockin #Yeezys. Wow @MarioBatali,” the musician wrote.

Think Questlove is exaggerating? If there’s one thing you can count on in life it’s seeing Batali in the delightfully silly orange shoes whether he’s wearing suits at fancy events or with the Obamas at the White House. We’re talking about a man who doesn’t just love the shoe, he obsessively bought 200 pairs of orange Crocs when he heard the shade was being discontinued.

But Batali addressed the split with GQ mere days ago, giving us ample time to mourn. “I’m away from Crocs now. I’m onto the Yeezys, just this week. And I will wear them everywhere,” he said. “I’ve ended the Crocs relationship, and I’ve moved on to Yeezys. Crocs are very comfortable—there’s nothing wrong with Crocs—it’s just that I’m moving on.”

Get a Peek into Mario Batali’s Home Kitchen!

And for someone who marches to the beat of his own drum in the style department, it’s equally shocking to see him switch to such a star-loved shoe. West’s sneaker debuted over two years ago and has been spotted on celebs including JAY Z, Justin Bieber and Brooklyn Beckham to name a few.

In all of this shocking news, at least you can rest easy knowing he’s still sticking to his signature color, opting an orange racing stripe on his new Yeezys.

How are you feeling after this news?