Birth of a Legend
In 1915, the company began manufacturing athletic footwear, but the real breakthrough came two years later when it released an innovative new shoe that was specifically designed for basketball players. It was remarkably uncomplicated: a simple rubber sole with a canvas upper. Sound familiar?
The company originally marketed the shoes as βNon-Skids,β but Marquis decided to give it the more appealing name βAll Starβ because he believed that everyone can be a star in their own way. And when Chuck Taylor β a semi-professional basketball player who had joined the company as a salesman in 1921 β endorsed the shoe and added his signature to the ankle patch, the Chuck Taylor All Stars became the worldβs first celebrity-endorsed athletic shoe.
Converseβs simple rubber-and-canvas shoe would become one of the most enduring designs in the history of athletic footwear. Over the next 100 years, multiple generations in virtually every city and town across the country would lace up a pair of Converse sneakers when getting ready to play. They became an indelible part of Americana. For many years they were the official shoe of the NBA, and the company was the undisputed leader in athletic footwear until well into the 1970s.
Looking Forward While Looking Back
Of course, Converse kept up with the times and advances in technology and went beyond that original design. For example, in 1986 the company released The Weapon. Available in both low top and high top, the shoe was made of leather throughout, including the inside heel, which was heavily padded for comfort. Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, and Kobe Bryant all wore versions of The Weapon.
The company made many special editions over the years, including DC Comics, Pink Floyd, The Ramones, AC/DC, Dr. Seuss, Grateful Dead, Ozzy Osbourne, Jimi Hendrix, and Miley Cyrus. Converse sneakers have made appearances in over 650 films, and even Dr. Who wore both red and cream versions of the shoe.
Today, Converse still stands as one of the most recognized and popular brands of athletic footwear, apparel, and accessories. In fact, when Nike acquired the Converse company in 2003, Converse footwear was the first to be marketed by Nike without actually bearing the Nike name. In 2015, Nike released a new version of the Chuck Taylor All Stars. They retain the iconic look of the original, but Nike technology includes a lightweight Lunarlon insole, premium canvas with higher quality stitching, and a no-slip tongue. It seems Marquis Converseβs simple design is still the brandβs fingerprint. And after 100 years, yes, you can still buy a pair of All Stars.
