Converse
The Converse Rubber Shoe company was started in 1908 by Marquis Mills Converse but really took off with the launch of Basketball and the employment of basketball fan and player, Chuck Taylor, more than ten years later. Most famous for the All Star shoe which hasn't really changed in design since Chuck wore it himself, has remained a leading supplier of High Tops through it's innovative design and quirky attitude to designer footwear.
Todays Top Converse High Tops
The Brand
Converse has always stood for independence, freedom of thought and rebellion. It was these very foundations that the company was built upon over 100 years ago and it was these elements that meant Converse High Tops were adopted by the new Rock and Roll generation of the fifties and saw the popularity of Converse explode. Today that spirit of rebellion and individuality still exists which is why generation after generation adopt Converse as a brand of choice which is why the followers of the new wave of active sports including skateboarding, snowboarding and BMX have all adopted Converse as a brand of choice.
And Converse continue to challenge us in terms of fashion and design. Though the most popular for the men remains the red block colour, and pink is always going to be a hit with the ladies, Converse provide us with ever more daring ranges of colour and design and have even introduced high heeled and sandal ranges to make sure that even the most rebellious of us can find a High Top that suit us.
With recent collaborations with Marvel Comics and heavy influences from the ever changing hard core music scene, though Converse will always be intrinsically linked with Basketball, this is one trainer that transcends sport, and even transcends centuries, and still manages to provide every man, woman and child with a trend and style that is going to be around longer than we are.