At some point in our lives, we have all wanted to have shoes converse. Undoubtedly, an icon of pop culture, modernity and youth, which has more than a century without losing its essence and that today more than ever is still valid in the heart of the public, adapting to trends. Its minimalist design makes it one of the most universal accessories in our wardrobe. But, surely you have also wondered what is his story? And how did they become a fashion icon? Join us to discover the answers.
This iconic company was founded in 1908 by businessman Marquis Mills Converse, in Massachusetts, United States. The company gradually grew and in 1917 he would create the first version of the «All-Stars», a very simple design called “Non-Skids”, designed to attract the attention of basketball players, providing them with protection and comfort during demanding games. This is how it gained the trust and respect of the professional league and all its coaches and players, becoming the official footwear of NBA players.
Subsequently, in 1921, this shoe was renamed the «Converse Chuck Taylor All-Stars», because Chuck Taylor, a player in the United States professional basketball league, became part of the brand, after going to the store to complain about the «All Stars» shoes, alleging that they had caused him pain in the feet. However, he left with a new job, as a brand ambassador, salesperson and consultant.
Starting in 1932, Chuck Taylor’s name began to be printed on the patch placed on the ankles of the Converse All Stars boots. Which greatly favored the brand, which would manage to expand and completely dominate the footwear industry at the time.
In 1936 Chuck Taylor designed the first «high top» boots, white, with blue and red stripes, designed to fit all American athletes who would participate in the 1936 Olympics; which made the brand go up like foam, and by 1957 it managed to have 80% of the sales of the «sneakers» industry.
This is how the iconic «Chuck Taylor All-Stars» boots began to be used by all players, in all their versions, being sponsored by the best in the world of sports. What was definitely a guarantee for sales at a general level to increase a lot. This impulse made them want to try their luck with other models.such as «The Weapon», which were used by Larry Bird and Magic Johnson in the eighties, and were later re-released in the 2000s with the image of Kobe Bryant.
After the death of Chuck Taylor in 1969, who was the leading figure in the brand, and the creative mind behind the company, new competitors from the footwear industry were arriving, reasons why Converse had a major relapse. Well, the “Adidas SuperStar” came onto the market, which soon became the best-selling shoes, entering the urban culture of the big cities around the world.
Then the great company Nike joined the competition, which over the years it would save Converse financially, when in 2001 it declared bankruptcybuying it and changing its path and with it, the history of this emblematic footwear brand of the United States and the world.
In this way, the brand focused on its renovation process, based on another target, so as not to be an exclusive shoe for basketball and athletes, market segments that were already sufficiently dominated by brands such as Nike, New Balance and Adidas, among others. others.
Thus, young people became Converse’s potential customers, giving new airs to the firm, through the incorporation to the world of fashion and street wear; and currently it is still in force as an obligatory reference for modern people with their own casual style, leaving aside the sports field and moving away from the culture of basketball, as the main source of its production.
This new approach, which required changes in objectives, goals and strategies, has turned it into a global brand, which It has been used by rock lovers, such as the members of The Ramones, who used to wear Converse shoes, as well as Nirvana. Iconic characters in the world of music and rock in particular, and that undoubtedly influence the purchase decision of the young people who follow them; and observe how they dress and wear shoes.
Currently, Converse has ventured into the field of skateboarding, dressing characters like Kenny Anderson and Rune Glifberg, which increases the prestige of this brand. Likewise, in 2015 the «Chuck Taylor II» shoes were launched on the market, which are sneakers made with Nike technology, which provide a lot of protection to the feet.
Its market strategies have led the brand to enter pop culture, through the design and market launch of shoe models associated with artists and bands, such as Gorillaz, Metallica, Nirvana, The Ramones, AC/DC and Green Day. This has allowed it to remain current in the taste of contemporary youth and adults, who see these shoes as a key element for their personal style.