Converse

Established within a variety of subcultures such as art, music and skateboarding, Converse have retained their creative spirit through a variety of collaborative projects which this year has seen the Case Study Pack, footwear capsule of One Star Academy, Player LT Hi and Player LT Ox models designed with team riders Sage Elsesser and Bobby De Keyzer - be sure to check out our catchup with the duo here - as well a Jack Purcell design customised by Brooklyn based skateboarding magazine Jenkem.

As part of the skateboarding focused Converse CONS range, specially developed features such as an OrthoLite Sockliner, Lunarlon Sockliner and Nike Zoom Air Insole feature throughout key styles such as the Checkpoint Pro Ox, Louie Lopez Pro Ox and One Star Academy Ox which individually cater to contemporary performance needs. Carrying a similar aesthetic, the One Star Pro Ox was the choice for Alexis Sablone’s debut pro shoe which she customised with a flick-specific toe overlay and rubber backed suede uppers.

The innovative Renew project and nostalgic Archive Print

collection look to both the past and future of Converse and demonstrate the brands ability to remain relevant in an ever changing world. Introduced as part of Converse Renew the CTAS 70’s Hi and CTAS 70’s Ox Renew shoes feature 100% recycled polyester uppers and reworked hardware as a taste of efforts to reduce environmental impact without jeopardizing quality or style. Alongside this some of Converse’s best loved prints, from 1983 onwards, such as camouflage, animal print and stars have been reintroduced for the Converse Archive line which gives a taste of original designs and brings a distinctive character to signature One Star, CTAS and Lucky Star models.

Converse began in 1908 with the opening of the Converse Rubber Shoe Company in Malden, Massachusetts. It wasn’t until 1917 that the now iconic All Star commenced production, with the Chuck Taylor signature being added in 1932. Now over a century since its inception, Converse is recognised as one of the premier footwear manufacturers in terms of heritage and individuality.