The importance of being Converse
For almost a century, the brand's sneakers have marked the history of streetwear and youth culture
Fashion
June 8th, 2017
June 8th, 2017
When I think about my adolescence, and the symbols that have accompanied it, my thoughts immediately fly to my inseparable Converse "All Stars" shoes. I do not exactly remember when I bought my first pair of Converse, but I perfectly remember the miles I traveled with my faithful footwear, the concerts I saw, the races, the afternoons with friends and the quotes that I wrote on them with indelible pencil. I remember all the afternoons spent in my country, the hours at school, the first Saturday night with friends and I remember above all that I always had those Converse, dirty, ratty, that my mother threatened me to throw them away, but for me they were beautiful.
A feeling that many of us share, I guess. Because those white canvas sneakers were not just shoes, but much more: they were the symbol of a generation. Obviously, it is not easy to win such a prestigious title, it takes years, decades of work, improvements and the ability to create a product that meets the needs and tastes of customers. And Converse has succeeded.
Converse Rubber Corporation was founded in 1908, but only in the early 20s the brand, riding the wave of basketball success, decided to make footwear suitable for this sport. So, Converse Chuck Taylor All Star was born, dedicated to the basketball champion Charles "Chuck" H. Taylor, and in a short time, they conquered the public.
Over the years this model has been declined in different colors and fabrics, conquering all the generations it met and becoming a key element of many young subcultures, from the 1970s punk to Kurt Cobain's grunge followers in the 1990s.
In 1971 Converse made another step forward and launched the Converse One Star sneakers. Born to be a basketball shoe, this sneaker won the wider public only in the early 1990s, becoming an iconic piece like its "sister" All Star. Why in the Nineties? I'll tell you right now: in those years many Japanese collectors of vintage streetwear items were looking for rarity, including the Converse One Star. The research and the request were so pounding that in 1993 Converse re-launched the model on the market, which immediately conquered skaters and magazines like Thrasher.
If the All Star model is an evergreen of any wardrobe, timeless iconic leader, One Star shoes are the varied "niche": must-have of every sneaker collector and fan of the brand, this model seems to have been affirmed above all in the recent streetwear and especially in the skater community. A proof is a collaboration with professional skater Sage Elsesser and the involvement of many musicians, artists, and writers in the Converse One Star world.
So, for about a hundred years Converse has made the story of streetwear. And it does it in the best of ways, succeeding in understanding and interpreting the trends of the moment, always giving very good quality products to its faithful followers, both in the design and performance of the shoe – which conquers every generation that is born. From the 1920s to the present, every kid had a couple of Converse at least. Not only that, these shoes enclose the youthful spirit of the past and today, they represent independent music, the rebellion that comes from the street and the friendship born on a skateboard table.
How many other brands can boast such success? I don't think anyone except Converse.
