Converse

Converse is a Boston-based company owned by NIKE, Inc. Since 1908, the Marquis Mills Converse-founded brand has been producing high-quality, rubber-infused products.

In its earliest days, the North American institution manufactured footwear under the Converse Rubber Shoe Company name. By 1915, the manufacturer had begun creating athletic shoes for men, women, and children, but its turning-point arrived in 1917 with the launch of the All Star basketball shoe. Today, the silhouette is known as the Chuck Taylor All Star in honor of Charles Hollis “Chuck” Taylor, a basketball player-turned-salesman and ambassador, who joined the brand in 1923. Following successful promotion and impressive sales figures, Taylor's signature was added to the high-top sneaker's design in 1932.

Throughout the next 70 years, the Malden, Massachusetts-founded manufacturer dominated the professional basketball scene, receiving much attention throughout the 1960s for its custom pairs for the first all-African American team, the New York Renaissance. Furthermore, Wilt Chamberlain's 100 points against the New York Knicks in 1962 shun the spotlight on the Chucks, the Philadelphia Warriors center's shoe of choice. Other notable contributions in the performance-basketball space included: One Star (1974), Pro Leather (1976), Starion (1984), and “The Weapon” (1986), among other models. In 2019, the brand unveiled its modern-day foray into performance basketball with the All Star Pro BB, which is commonly worn by current Phoenix Suns forward Kelly Oubre Jr.; the G4 – a silhouette inspired by the ERX-260 (1988) – debuted in April 2020 after first being unveiled alongside Draymond Green's signing with The One Star Brand.

Away from the hardwood, the company has produced protective, rubberized gear for the military; the badminton-inspired Jack Purcell; and dozens of other athletic-shoes adopted for casual wear. Throughout the latter half of the 20th century, the Chuck Taylor All Star was worn among several anti-establishment groups, be they fans of the Ramones, Kurt Cobain shoe and The Clash or of Los Angeles' growing hip-hop scene in the '80s. Skateboarders also gravitated towards the One Star, which gave the sneaker a second-life after losing its popularity among basketball players. Since being bought by NIKE, Inc. in 2003, Converse has nodded to its relevance in the lifestyle space by modifying several models within its catalog, most notably the Chuck 70. Additionally, the North American-company has tapped collaborators the likes of COMME des GARÇONS PLAY, Tyler, The Creator, Carhartt WIP, Fear Of God, and KITH to deliver fashion-forward takes for everyday life.

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Converse

Converse Is Ready To Launch The Weapon Ox In More Colorways

The past 12 months have been absolutely huge for the Converse Weapon. Between Shai Gilgeous-Alexander-led promo and collaborations with Kasina, Undefeated and just a few...

By Matt Varga March 10, 2024
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A-COLD-WALL* Debuts The Converse Weapon Ox’s First Collaboration

Converse is pulling out all the stops to ensure its revival of the Converse Weapon is successful, delivering an exclusive Lakers colorway and tapping NBA...

By Andrew Rizzo March 7, 2024
1150

Stüssy And Converse Bring 1990s Detailing To Latest Chuck 70 Collaboration

Hardly strangers to one another, Stüssy and Converse link up yet again for another collaborative seasonal drop that infuses some elements of the 1990s onto...

By Sneaker News March 5, 2024
669

Quartersnacks Sneaks Some Snakeskin Onto Their Converse One Star Pro Collaboration

NYC-born Quartersnacks has channeled their influence on the downtown skate culture into some applause-worthy projects with the brands that push the sport forward. As recently...

By Sneaker News February 26, 2024
925

The Converse All Star BB Trilliant CX Does Its Best “What The” Impression

The Converse All Star BB Trilliant CX continues to spearhead the brand’s modern performance basketball line, now treated to a colorful, head spinning makeover ahead...

By Andrew Rizzo February 14, 2024
660

The Converse x Turnstile Collection Releases January 25th

Converse and punk rock aesthetics go hand in hand, the brand having released a variety of punk-inspired collections as recently as last year. In a...

By Andrew Rizzo January 23, 2024
1485

Over 1,000 Swarovski Crystals Transform The All-New Converse Chuck 70 De Luxe Squared

Lately, the fashion scene has witnessed the birth of the Chuck 70 De Luxe Squared, a reimagined version of the Converse classic that elevates the...

By Sneaker News January 19, 2024
818

Feng Chen Wang Revisits Her Deconstructed Converse Chuck 70 In Low-Top Form

Since stealing the show at Shanghai Fashion Week in 2018, Feng Chen Wang and Converse have worked mightily to deliver their deconstructed, super-imposed Chuck 70...

By Sneaker News January 12, 2024
1847

Converse Chuck 70 “Pre-loved Floral” Promises Every Pair Is One Of One

By nature of having a history that predates sneaker culture as we know it, Chuck Taylor’s have dressed in pretty much every print and pattern...

By Andrew Rizzo January 1, 2024
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