CONVERSE
THE CONVERSE WERE FIRST RUBBER GALOFS
It was in 1908 when history of Converse began thanks to Marquis M. Converse in the American state of Massachusetts. It was 50 years after Charles Goodyear received a patent for vulcanized rubber which enabled him to produce anything related to rubber. It was rubber which became the basic material of Converse footwear products. At first the company only made galoshes and eventually later, mainly for practical reasons, it decided to produce athletic shoes. A few years later the company produced tennis shoes. However, everything changed in 1917 with first production of basketball shoes. All Star basketball shoes even became the official footwear of the American basketball team from 1936 to 1968. During the World War II, the army also chose them as training shoes for their soldiers. The fact that the All Star footwear was associated with basketball was thanks to basketball player Chuck Taylor, who came to complain that the shoes were uncomfortable for his foot. Instead of compensation, however, he became an active employee-innovator who helped the brand to make the model perfect and became its ambassador.
Since then, Converse reached its ups and downs. Shoes with their legendary round toe, white rubber soles, textile uppers and lining along the edges become the footwear of American youth and an image-maker. Different colour designs made them more of a fashion icon than a truly practical sports shoe.
ELVIS AND ANDY WARHOL AMONG WEARERS
Converse began to struggle financially during the 1970s and many athletes switched to shoes with leather uppers and harder rubber soles. Converse thus remains rather a footwear of singers and actors who spread the image of star shoes among their fans. Photos of Elvis Presley in his favourite sneakers were regularly spread worldwide....
In the field of sport shoes Converse has a giant competitor, Nike. Originally an elite basketball shoe, Chuck Taylor All Stars regained popularity in the 1980s and 1990s, making a shift to casual, retro-style footwear. The athletic shoe evolved into the shoe of choice and a favourite for American subcultures.
Although Chuck Taylor retired from professional sports, his iconic All Star shoes were still a statement of authenticity. Actor James Dean, artist Andy Warhol, singer Kurt Cobain and designer Karl Lagerfeld wore them as an expression of their uniqueness or even rebellion.
In 2003, the day of redemption came for Converse. After the company declared bankruptcy multiple times, it was acquired, quite paradoxically, by its biggest rival, Nike. Manufacturing of shoes gradually shifted from the US to the Asian continent. It is said that their good-quality ceased to exist.
The truth is, however, that the legend is still alive. Converse shoes are available in various colour designs and may be combined and worn with practically everything. They attract with their playfulness, imaginative design and extravagance. If you are a person with stylish and sporty spirit, there is nothing which may discourage you from buying them.