KARINA Of aespa Signs With Converse

The Run Star Crush and Chuck 70 X she models are available now.

Matt Varga August 6, 2026

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Gone are the days when pro athletes are the only cultural movers that a footwear company can align with. Nearly every brand in the landscape has some chart-topper or otherwise hitmaker in its midst, leveraged as the faces of seasonal campaigns, collaborations, and everything in between.

Now adding to a roster that already includes Tyler, The Creator and Charli XCX, Converse has announced KARINA of aespa as its newest global ambassador.

“Both on stage and off, I love breaking the mold and exploring my individuality through style, and Converse is a natural canvas for that. I’m excited to join the Converse family and inspire others to celebrate their creativity and express themselves boldly.” – KARINA on signing with Converse

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Surely, we’ll see the K-Pop icon star in plenty of the aforementioned ways in the months to come, but the Boston brand is already bringing her star power to its stage. By way of this press release, Converse and KARINA provide a closer look at the Run Star Crush (initially announced at the top of the year) and our first look at the Converse Chuck 70 X.

The former has its central selling point immediately visible from first glance, as the classic design gets a next-gen overhaul with the addition of a chunky runner sole grafted onto the standard canvas body. Additional padding at the collar helps support a sturdier lifestyle design. While classic white and black canvas align with longstanding DNA, cracked silver leather and brown pony hair variations showcase the new possibilities with this model.

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The Converse Chuck 70 X is a more subtle execution, leaning into understated updates. Dual-star branding on the bumper, a new leather logo, and faux-aging details handle the aesthetics, while a new tongue stabilizer and “amped cushioning” improve overall wearability. With both low and high versions in the works, Converse previews at several classic two-tone colorways. The Converse Run Star Crush is available now on converse.com and at partnering retailers. The Chuck 70 X is already available in China and Korea, with a global launch teed up for August 27th.

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Written by

Matt Varga, Junior Editor

Matt Varga is an Editor at SneakerNews. Initially earning a degree in Video Arts and Technology, he got his start in video editing and writing in the music world — primarily on hip-hop and electronic. A long-standing interest in sneakers led him to switching over to footwear. An avid collector, his favorite sneaker of all time comes down to either the Air Jordan 1 “Black Toe” and Air Jordan 5 “Laney,” his first ever pick-ups. When he’s not writing, you can find Matt cooking, traveling, attending concerts and when weather permits, on the handball court.