Birthing some of the most important footwear silhouettes the world has ever seen such as the Chuck Taylor All star and the One Star, it’s unlikely that you haven’t already heard of Converse. The legendary sneaker brand has been worn by all the cultural icons you can think of over the years and you don’t have to walk far down any street to spot a pair out in the wild. What you may not be aware of however is just how expansive and rich the brand’s history is, and that’s why here at The Sole supplier we’re about to delve into the archives and tell the fantastic story behind this brand.
From humble beginnings in 1908 right through to international stardom and high-heat collaborations, strap yourself in as we prepare to explore the history of Converse through it’s epic journey to becoming a globally-recognised label.
Image via Converse
İlk yıllar
The story of Converse begins in Massachusetts, USA well over a century ago, as an individual named Marquis Mills Converse founded the label, The Converse Rubber shoe company in 1908. Originally, the brand specialised in creating galoshes, a specific type of waterproof overshoes made of rubber. By 1910 Converse realised that the market for galoshes was limited and began to create sneakers. It continued to use rubber for the sole sections of the sneakers and opted for a fabric upper, with pairs only produced in a natural brown colour. These didn’t exactly take off at first, as at the time the general public didn’t have a need for such shoes.
By 1915 the brand started to shift its focus onto creating athletic footwear, and more specifically basketball sneakers. The original sneakers had now evolved significantly and were referred to as the “Non-Skid”, starting to resemble the Converse high-tops we all know and love today. In 1920 Converse debuted another further-developed rendition of the sneakers that became known as the “All Star”, developed specifically for basketball players.
Image via BBC
Chuck Taylor and the All Stars
In 1921, a semi-professional basketball player known as Charles “Chuck” Taylor joined the team at Converse as a part-time salesman. little did anyone know that he was about to become one of the most influential members of the team. By 1922 Chuck’s driving force for innovation was already beginning to show, as he suggested several improvements to the All star to improve flexibility which were immediately taken on board, with the sneaker being renamed the “Converse Chuck Taylor All Stars” – a name that is still used today. Taylor also went on to manage Converse’s first official basketball team, titled the Converse All Stars.
Chuck Taylor continued to prove himself as an incredible asset to the brand as he single-handedly travelled around the USA promoting the sneakers, which became so successful that Converse even incorporated his name into the new logo. By 1936 the Converse All star became the official sneaker of the American Olympic Basketball team, where it remained until 1968. They also became the official training sneaker for the American military throughout WW2.
Image via Converse Japan
A splash of Colour
Post world war II, Converse continued innovating with new ideas, launching the All star in an all-black variant that was instantly a popular choice. By 1957 Converse made up for over 80% of all sales in the basketball sector, but things were about to get even bigger, as the brand launched their sneakers in an array of different colours as it prepared to enter the world of mainstream fashion. icons such as James Dean and Elvis Presley adopted the sneakers as reliable wardrobe staples, propelling sales to the next level.
1969 saw Chuck Taylor sadly pass away from a heart attack, however his legacy continued to thrive as an upgraded version of the All star launched that same year, offering up premium material such as leather and boasting a refined silhouette. Throughout the early 1970s Converse launched several brand-new silhouettes, all of which remain popular today: the Jack Purcell, the One star and the pro Leather.
Image via NCAA
Michael Jordan & Micheal J Fox
As the 1970s drew to a close, Converse continued to prove itself to be a force to be reckoned with in popular culture. The world of rock music had developed a love for the All Star, with legends such as Robert plant (Led Zeppelin), The Sex Pistols and The Ramones all opting for it as their sneaker of choice. the best was yet to come however, as in 1983 Converse launched a brand-new basketball sneaker named that Fastbreak that was worn by none other than Michael Jordan in the last season before his Nike sponsorship. He even wore them during the Olympic finals, in which team USA took the gold medal.
The cult classic movie Back to the Future launched in 1985, with Michael J Fox pictured in All stars for much of the movie. While at the time Converse seemed immovable, shortly after Nike unveiled the Air Jordan 1, Michael Jordan’s brand-neW İmza Basketbol Ayakkabı. Sonuçta, bu profesyonel basketbolda Converse spor ayakkabıları için sonun başlangıcıydı. Takip eden yıllarda satışlar düştü ve tüm yıldızlar artık ballar için tercih edilen spor ayakkabı değildi, ancak moda dünyasındaki benzersiz çekiciliği onları canlı tuttu, Nirvana’nın Kurt Cobain ve Hip Hop’un Buz Küpü gibi yeni yıldızlarla tüm yıldızları seçti 1990’lar boyunca.
Nike üzerinden görüntü
Nike Devralma
2000’li yılların başları, All Star’ın hala gezegendeki en tanınmış spor ayakkabılarından biri olmasına rağmen, satışlar düşmeye devam ettikçe Converse için en zor zamanlardan biri oldu. 2001 yılına gelindiğinde rekabet çok fazla oldu ve marka iflas başvurusunda bulundu. Her şey bitmiş gibi görünse de, 2003’te Converse’in eski düşmanı Nike, markayı yaklaşık 305 milyon dolar karşılığında satın alarak ve eski ihtişam günlerine geri itmeyi umarak etikete yeni bir yaşam kiralayarak günü kurtardı.
2000’lerin başları hala Converse için bir mücadeleydi, ancak Nike tarafından desteklenen, popülerliğinin bir kısmını çekmeyi ve yeniden kazanmayı başardı, tüm yıldızlar Popüler Film I, Robot’ta Will Smith tarafından bile giyildi. 2008 yılında marka, alternatif müzikte spor ayakkabılarının popülaritesi üzerinde oynanan “Bağlantı Kampanyası” başlıklı yeni bir pazarlama kampanyası başlattı. Green Day’den Billie Joe Armstrong ve Sid Vicious of the Sex Tabanca’yı içeren reklamlar, bireysellik kavramını teşvik ediyor.
Son aracılığıyla görüntü
İşbirlikleri
Günümüze yaklaştıkça, Converse markası tarafından başlatılan binlerce işbirliğinin olmasa da yüzlerce başarısından bahsetmemek zor. 2009, Comme des Garçons’un ilk kez oynadığı başka bir şeyle etiket güçlerini gördü ve anında tanınabilir aşk kalp logosunu taşıyan şimdi ikonik spor ayakkabılara çıktı. 2013 yılına kadar Nike, iflas şirketinden 1.4 milyar dolar değerinde bir şirkete dönüştü ve etiket şimdi önde gelen bir yaşam tarzı markası olarak yeniden konumlandırıldı.
İşbirlikleri, KITH, Off-White, Coca Cola, Carhartt WIP, Yaratıcı Tyler ve Converse ailesine katılan diğer birçok kişi ile sert ve hızlı bir şekilde gelmeye devam etti. Converse için her zaman kolay olmasa da, markanın 100 yıldan fazla bir süredir alakalı kalmayı başardığını ve ayakkabı endüstrisinde dikkate alınması gereken bir güç olduğunu kanıtlamak güvenlidir.
Converse kendilerini sokak kıyafeti sahnesinde sıkıca sağlamlaştırdılar ve yıllar boyunca birçok altkültürü temsil etmeye başladı. NBA’ye hakim olmaktan 1990’larda müzisyenlerin ve kaykaycıların ayaklarında görülmeye kadar, şimdi bile Converse erişiminden kaçamazsınız. Tarihe bağlı bir marka ve gerçekten endüstrinin bir simgesi.
Sneaker dünyasındaki en son güncellemeler ve haberler ve bunun gibi daha destansı hikayeler için tam burada tek tedarikçiye kilitli kalın!
Puma’nın tarihi
Nike’ın Tarihi: 1946 – Mevcut
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