Icon of the Week: Converse All Stars
I'm glad you all liked last week's Grace Jones post. Let me know what you'd like me to subject to ensure future complete satisfaction! :) But for this week, I'm going to go quintessential essential via everyone's favourite pair of laid back kicks: the Converse All Stars; high top, low top, I'm not discriminating!
Maruis M. Converse founded the shoe company in 1908 in Massachusetts when he was 30-something to provide rubber-soled footwear for winter practicality. In fact, Converse only began producing tennis footwear in 1915. Hmm, imagine that. He never even saw the gold mine potential in Converse coming.
Will Smith discovers the beauty of the All-Star in I, Robot.
Only in 1917 when the All-Star basketball shoe was introduced came a platform to catapult Converse into global marketing domination!
And if the whole Chuck Taylor-Converse thing confuses you, here's the scoop: In 1921, a basketball player Charles H. Taylor walked into Converse complaining of sore feet, and walked out with a job as salesman/ambassador. In 1923, his "missionary" work was rewarded with his signature getting stamped onto the All Star patch.
Michael J. Fox's All-Stars leaves a bunch of jocks in awe in Back to the Future.
Colours came into the picture when they were used to match basketball teams to please their target market in 1966. This opened a door into a multitude of colours and slight design and material alterations - all of which were co-designed by Chuck Taylor just before his death in 1969.
Evanna Lynch hangs hers like mistletoe in Harry Potter.
The rest as they say is history.
Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson share a love for Converse and kungfu fighting in Twilight.
Like the cockroach, the Converse All Star is one of the rare fixtures in pop culture that just won't die. Look closer into your television screens, out on the streets, on concert stages - you'll find them everywhere and anywhere. It's been embedded so far into fashion that it has become a fashion essential. It transcends trends, and goes with anything, from shorts and jeans to dresses and tuxedos.
Sylvester Stallone's so into his shoes, he walks into a wall in Rocky.
And of course, unless you were living under a rock, Converse goes hand-in-hand with the music industry. Which explains their 100th anniversary celebration that integrated various musicians into a year-long campaign in 2008.
Julian Casablancas (The Strokes), Santogold and Pharrell Williams.
When it comes to iconic imaging for the All-Star, Kurt Cobain should come to mind. That's grunge.
Then you get other singers who followed suit in different music genres like Lily Allen. That's ska-electro-pop.
Rihanna, the reigning princess of pop and R&B.
The reason for the All-Stars' eclecticism resides in its practical simplicity embedded into a classically understated, but distinctive design that's interchangeable between trends, styles, and gender. Which is why they're the biggest success in shoe history. Not to mention its affordability makes it an easy favourite for everyone.
Fearne Cotton, Mischa Barton, Kelly Osbourne, and Liv Tyler
Even Nina Garcia endorses the shoes as, "pieces that have stood the test of time." I couldn't agree more. For a distinct comfort and casual look that's somehow equally as stylish, take comfort in knowing that you can always look to your Converse All-Stars ;)
[Photo Credits: Converse Store, Sneaker Files, Dressed, Razor Clothing, Fab Sugar, Fashion by Me, Style Hive, I Got Uggs]
