Bryan, an Australian shoe designer who took over the You By Crocs division a year ago, joined the company after launching her own line of stylish, eco-friendly shoes. Although You By Crocs launched in 2007 with a collection of fall and winter footwear that included wedge-heeled winter boots, Bryan sees the 2010 summer collection of strappy heels with metallic leather (and that infamous Croslite padding on the footbed for comfort) as the ubiquitous shoe brand’s coming out party.

Bryan started designing shoes in Australia after a horse-riding accident prompted her doctor to advise against wearing high heels. She refused to embrace flats, and designed and launched a line of strain-reducing and eco-conscious high heels. Crocs discovered her wares at an international footwear trade show and hired her to revamp and run its high-end footwear line.

Now designing You By Crocs from her new home base in Los Angeles, the Australian expat was on hand for the opening weekend of the brand’s first Manhattan store earlier this month. Bryan was busy greeting and fitting customers into her designs, explaining Crocs’ chic aesthetic to Soho shoppers as she handed out postcards with the summer collection.

Many shoppers were surprised, she noted, that the summery wedges in non-neon colors on display in the airy atrium-like store windows were by the same hole-filled brand tempting kids at the front of the store with a staggering array of Jibbitz adornments. And don’t get us wrong: the majority of the store is variations on the cheerful plastic shoe many still associate with the Crocs name.

You by Crocs is just one step in refreshing the Crocs brand and appealing to a higher end customer. The collection is currently sold only in Crocs stores, at Crocs.com and at Piperlime.com. Bryan says she plans to showcase the Spring 2011 line to retailers at shoe trade shows this summer.

Hiring Bryan and making a splash in the big Apple are just the latest moves in the rebrand of the Crocs brand, which lost its footing financially after demand for its clogs faded and knockoffs stole their thunder. It also was sued by Porsche last year over its Cayman clog brand name, and settled another suit involving an accident involving its footwear.

Its new "Feel the love" advertising campaign still plays up the shoes' comfort, focusing more on the benefits to the customer (happier feet) than the style quotient that’s creeping into the brand with You by Crocs. Still, the company’s new CEO, John McCarvel, has ambitious plans to reinvigorate the brand.

Some observers feel that Crocs, which has sold more than 120 million pairs since its 2002 launch, should tread lightly as it expands into more stylish footwear.

Brand strategist Laura Ries told AP she’s skeptical that Crocs needs to become more stylish to survive. "There's plenty of competition with pretty shoes. But to have one that is ugly, good and comfortable? That's what their strength is in, and they should stay closer to that."

Bryan, of course, would beg to differ—along with the New Yorkers and tourists now checking out the entire range, from kids’ shoes to women’s heels to men’s loafers, now being sold in Soho. And (full disclosure) having purchased a pair of Bryan’s heels a couple of weeks and road-testing them around New York, this writer can attest they’re not only incredibly comfortable but compliment magnets, garnering looks of admiration – and then disbelief after telling inquirers, “Believe it or not, they’re Crocs!”

Shirley Brady is Editor-in-Chief of brandchannel and Interbrand's Editorial Director.