Converse
Converse was founded by Massachusetts businessman Marquis Mills Converse. He created the Converse Rubber Shoe Company in February 1908, and on April 30, 1909, debuted the company’s first pair of rubber galoshes. It wasn’t until the mid-1910s that Converse entered the athletic market. To cater to the new but growing sport of basketball, it created the Non-Skid shoe, which in 1919 would be renamed the All-Star and eventually evolve into the Chuck Taylor All-Star (named after one of its most devoted salesmen and ambassadors).
The history of Converse is deeply intertwined with the sport of basketball. By 1955, Chucks were the No. 1 basketball shoe in America and the brand owned 80 percent of the entire sneaker industry. Throughout the 1960s, ’70s and ’80s, its sneakers were worn by the majority of pro and college teams, including legendary players like Dr. J, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson and Michael Jordan (before signing his deal with Nike). Speaking of the Swoosh, Converse was acquired by Nike on Sept. 4, 2003, for $305 million. Though Converse shoes are no longer a staple of basketball courts, they’ve become synonymous with youth culture — and counterculture — worn by artists and musicians across the globe.
Converse
Converse Upcycles Old Jeans Into Sneakers In New Collection
Converse launches Renew Denim line featuring Chuck 70 High and Ox Low sneakers made of upcycled denim.
Converse Launches RENEW Line Aimed at Reducing Fabric Waste and Plastic Pollution
Converse is releasing a new collection of footwear created with recycled materials as a part of a new…
Converse Tests New Waters With Three-Way Women’s Wear Collaboration
Converse will release a rare three-designer collaboration of women's wear as the brand looks to reposition…
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Shuffle Board: Uzell Appointed Converse CEO, Global Brands Names Two New Execs
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Converse Launches Vegan Capsule Line With Cult Faux-Fur Designer
Converse has teamed up with Shrimps designer Hannah Weiland to ply its shoes with motifs from the cult…
A New Ruling Just Reignited Converse’s Infamous Trademark Saga
While most of the 30 companies Converse sued in 2014 chose to settle, Skechers and New Balance fought back.
Digital Drives Nike’s 15 Percent Income Gain to Top $1 Billion in Quarter
Nike Inc. posted strong gains in sales and profits in the first quarter on the strength of marketing…
Converse’s New Collaboration with A$AP Nast Offers Mid-Century Vibes
Hip-hop artist A$AP Nast reveals a new side of himself—mid-century modern furniture collector—in a new…
Tyler, The Creator Recreates Converse One Star
Famed rapper and now Converse One Star collaborator, Tyler, The Creator, debuts a flower-power,’70s-inspired…
JW Anderson & Converse Debut Collaboration at Pitti Uomo
British designer JW Anderson teams up with Converse to create a unisex-collection of the classic All Star…
Michael Jordan’s Sneakers Break Auction Records; Apple Kicks Fall Flat
Michael Jordan continues to break records. The Converse sneakers worn by Jordan during the gold medal game…
Converse Debuts Colorful Pride Collection
Converse debuted a limited-edition collection of Chuck Taylor All Stars and Chuck Taylor All Star ’70s…
How Blueprint Festival Tapped Into the Custom Denim Trend
The denim industry mixed and mingled with consumers at Blueprint Festival on Friday and Saturday, the two-day…
A New Timeline Traces Women’s Love for Converse
To celebrate Converse All Star’s centennial anniversary in 2017, Couponbox.com, a website hosting online…