Converse

The evolution of a star

Few brands accompany Converse on its legendary journey of more than a century at the pinnacle of athletic footwear and urban fashion. Marquis Mills Converse created the company in 1908 and, shortly after, launched the first All Stars based on two main materials: rubber and canvas. In 1921, the resulting model skyrocketed in popularity thanks to basketball player Chuck Taylor, who brought the silhouette to all schools. Additionally, Taylor did tireless public relations work across the country, getting nearly all American basketball players to wear Converse on the court. As a thank you and tribute, Converse renamed that model with the player’s name. From then on, the sneaker would forever be called the Converse Chuck Taylor All Star. Some years later, in 1957, the company expanded its catalogue with a low-profile version called ‘Oxford’. The new design opened the doors to a large volume of editions in different colors, breaking with the dictatorship of white and black that ruled the production of most sneakers of the time.