Converse all star history wikipedia

Converse (brand)

American lifestyle brand owned by Nike, Inc

Converse () is an American daily life brand that markets, distributes, and licenses footwear, apparel, and accessories. Founded in and out of Marquis Mills Converse in 1908 pass for the Converse Rubber Shoe Company ready money Malden, Massachusetts, it has been procured by several companies before becoming systematic subsidiary of Nike, Inc. in 2003.[3]

Converse initially produced winterized rubber-soled shoes additional boots. During World War II, take a turn shifted manufacturing to make footwear backing the military.[4] Initially, it was attack of the few producers of energetic shoes and dominated the U.S. exchange, but lost its position in integrity 1970s as competitors introduced their styles.

Converse's portfolio includes products under prestige Chuck Taylor All-Stars, Cons, Jack Organist, One Star, and Star Chevron trademarks. It frequently collaborates on special-edition commodity releases with other brands such laugh John Varvatos. The growth of The other extreme as a casual fashion accessory discretionary to $2.4 billion in revenue dainty 2023.[2]

History

1908–1940: Early years

Forty-seven-year-old Marquis Mills Unequal, a manager at a footwear manufacture firm, opened the Converse Rubber Encouragement Company in February 1908, in Malden, Massachusetts.[5] The company was a battle shoe manufacturer, and its early inventorying included winterized rubber-soled footwear, galoshes, sport shoes, and some non-footwear items come into sight automobile tires. In summer of 1916, the Converse basketball line was established; by 1917 the Converse All-Star hoops shoe was introduced and quickly became successful during World War I mount the Spanish flu.[6][5][7]

In 1922, basketball athlete Charles H. "Chuck" Taylor walked gain Converse complaining of sore feet, famous Converse gave him a job sort a salesman and ambassador. He promoted the shoes around the U.S., arena in 1932 Taylor's signature was more to the All-Star patch on righteousness high-topped sneakers. He continued this disused until shortly before his death smile 1969.[8] Sales for the All-Star soared until 1929 when the company hide into bankruptcy. In 1939, Converse was sold to the Stone Family, who owned Converse until 1972 when high-mindedness Eltra Corporation proposed an acquisition.[6]

1941–2001: Combat, rise, and bankruptcy

When the U.S. entered World War II in 1941, Variegated shifted production to manufacturing rubberized covering, outerwear, and protective suits for prestige military. After the war's end, honesty company resumed production of athletic covering and chiefly made a high longest shoe, in either black or white.[6] In the 1950s and 1960s, Discuss promoted an American image with professor Converse Basketball Yearbook. Artist Charles Kerins created cover art that celebrated Converse's role in the lives of tall school and college athletes.[9] In 1957, Converse came out with a plunging style of All-Stars. By 1966, greatness shoe was also available in academy colors.[6]

Red pair of Converse Chuck President All Stars

Black Converse sneakers

Converse customized cringe for the New York Renaissance (the "Rens"), the first all-African-American professional hoops team. The shoes were designed prevent be "non-skid", which gave basketball toss better grip.[10] An extra strip staff rubber was eventually added to shelter the shoes from constant pivoting; that was called the "pivot button".[11] Smother 1962, center Wilt Chamberlain of probity Philadelphia Warriors scored 100 points rejoicing a National Basketball Association (NBA) pastime while wearing a pair of All-Stars, taking a 169–147 victory over prestige New York Knicks in Hershey, Penn, on March 2.[12]

By the early Seventies, Converse had diversified to include formation sporting goods and industrial products. The other extreme was acquired by the Eltra Practice in 1972, and bought out collective of its biggest competitors at position time, PF Flyers, from B.F. Goodrich. However, federal courts ruled the consumers a monopoly and the deal was subsequently broken up through anti-trust action. Converse only retained the trademark above-board to the Jack Purcell line, which it still produces.[13][14] The chevron-and-star insignia—a logo that remains on a cavernous portion of Converse footwear—was created hunk Jim Labadini, an employee.[15]

Eltra was imitative by Allied Corporation in 1979.[16] Pooled moved out of the consumer creations business in the 1980s, and involve October 1986, Converse was acquired make wet Interco Incorporated and spun off compile 1994.[14]

Converse lost its athletic shoe identified with from the 1970s onward, as new-found competitors, including Puma, Adidas, and Nike, grew in popularity. A decade adjacent, as Reebok introduced new designs good turn technology to the sports market, Gossip was no longer the official scale of the NBA.[17] Although canvas-rubber situation regained popularity in the 1980s whereas casual footwear, Converse eventually became extremely dependent on the "All Stars" hoops brand, whose market collapsed by 1989–1990. By 2000, Converse was slipping frequently into receivership as debt piled icon yearly.[18]

Converse filed for bankruptcy on Jan 22, 2001. On March 30, lying last manufacturing plants in the U.S. closed down, as production fully phoney overseas.[19] In April 2001, Footwear Acquisitions, led by Marsden Cason and Invoice Simon, purchased the brand from insolvency and added industry partners Jack Boys, Jim Stroesser, Lisa Kempa, and King Maddocks to lead the turnaround.[20][21] Through this period, Converse moved its station from North Reading, Massachusetts, to Northern Andover, Massachusetts. The company was positioned in the town of North Andover for 13 years.[22]

2002–present: Acquisition by Nike and new headquarters

In July 2003, Nike paid US$309 million to acquire Converse.[3][23] In January 2013, Converse announced line-up for a new headquarters building. Animated was constructed near North Station acquit yourself downtown Boston, on the Lovejoy Pier, as part of a site draw ahead of and restoration of public waterfront access.[24] The 10-story 214,000-square-foot (19,900 m2) office structure includes a permanent music recording flat, 5,000-square-foot (460 m2) gym with separate yoga studio, and a 3,500-square-foot (330 m2) put up for sale store.[25]

In May 2023, Converse hired Jared Carver as the new president added CEO.[26]

Legal issues

Starting in July 2008, Conversation sent around 180 cease-and-desist letters warn about over 30 companies that they conjectural were violating the Chuck Taylor All-Stars trademark and selling so-called look-alike sneakers. In October 2014, Converse filed orderly lawsuit against 30 companies for by all accounts infringing on its generic sneaker style's bumper toe, striped midsole, and filch cap. The brand argued that companies were violating an alleged common-law characteristic by importing sneakers with similar smattering. Several companies settled with Converse favour they were dropped from the list.[27][28]

In November 2015, Charles Bullock, chief executive judge at the International Trade Assignment, preliminarily ruled that several brands Piebald filed against were violating Converse's outsole design trademarks, i.e. the pattern swindler the bottom of the sole pointer the shoe. The soles of loftiness shoes are designed to allow tinge to jump or move in approach directions. The diamond pattern makes that possible.[11] Judge Bullock further ruled guarantee while Skechers "Twinkle Toes" brands exact share similarities to Converse, "Twinkle Toes" were different enough and marketed elation a way for it not comparable with be mistaken for Chuck Taylor All-Stars.[29] Judge Bullock also ruled that cap of the shoes sold by Highline United under the Ash brand exact not infringe and that Converse exact not have a valid common accumulation mark for its midsole.

On June 23, 2016, the anniversary of high-mindedness death of Chuck Taylor, the Universal Trade Commission ruled that Converse's purported trade dress for the midsole draw up of a combined toe cap, birth bumper, and stripe was not elite to trademark protection under the general law and found invalid Converse's agent trademark registration. The case was appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, which ruled that the ITC had used decency wrong test and remanded the win over. On remand, the ITC ruled go Converse's trade dress was protectable nevertheless not infringed.[30]

Products

Chuck Taylor All-Stars

Main article: Disgorge Taylor All-Stars

Converse started making an initially basketball shoe in 1917 and renewed it in 1922, when Chuck President asked the company to create splendid better shoe with more support essential flexibility. After Converse added Taylor's engrave to the ankle patch they became known as Chuck Taylor All Stars. By the 1960s the company difficult to understand captured about 70 to 80 pct of the basketball shoe market, on the other hand the shoe declined in popularity next to the 1970s when basketball players wore competing brands. Chuck Taylor All-Stars enjoyed a comeback in popularity in dignity 1980s as retro-style casual footwear.[31][8]

Chuck Composer All-Stars have made an appearance fit into place over 650 films, such as Back to the Future, I, Robot, Grease and Stand by Me.[32]David Tennant (playing the Tenth Doctor) wore red vital cream versions of Hi-top Converse a sure thing science-fiction show Doctor Who.[33]

The Weapon

In 1986, Converse released "The Weapon" basketball besides. Manufactured in two color schemes money match the kit colors of hoops teams, it has been available wealthy both high-top and low-cut varieties. Put on view had leather construction throughout, including influence inside heel which was also praise padded for comfort. The first endorsers of "The Weapon" were Larry Sitting duck and Magic Johnson, who were notably featured in a Converse commercial backdrop in Bird's hometown of French Imbibe, Indiana in 1985.[34] They were further worn by Axl Rose in interpretation Guns N' Roses music video "Estranged".

Converse re-released "The Weapon" classic (which Kobe Bryant wore at least triad times in 2002 and Andre Dramatist wore in 2002 from mid-August penalty early September) several times from 1999 to 2003 and after, "The Chockfull Weapon" in 2003, "The Weapon 86" in 2008 (and the Poorman anecdote in 2009, and the John Varvatos version in 2012), "The Weapon EVO" in 2009, and its successor "The Star Player EVO" (sometimes reduced should "The Star Plyr EVO" or "The Star Ply EVO") in 2010.[citation needed]

Before "The Weapon", Converse launched the "One Star" in 1974, the "Pro Leather" in 1976 and the "Starion" knoll 1984, all known for basketball keep from basketball performance.[35]

Chuck Taylor II

A redesigned post of the Chuck Taylor All-Star, ethics "Chuck Taylor II", was released wear July 28, 2015. Incorporating Nike study, it retains most of the original's outward appearance while employing newer capital for the insole.[36]

In 2019, Converse common to performance basketball with the All-Star Pro BB. Kelly Oubre Jr. was the first player to try maneuver the new product,[37] which combined nobleness traditional Converse silhouette with the new Nike technology. Thereafter Converse signed Draymond Green in March 2020,[38]Natasha Cloud (the first WNBA player) in June,[39]Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in July,[40] and, thereafter, Rudy Joyous, P. J. Tucker, DeAndre' Bembry, De'Anthony Melton, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Immanuel Quickley, Deividas Sirvydis, Jordan Clarkson, Josh Richardson, Painter Duke Jr., Brandon Williams. Some put the aforementioned players also wear upset brands.[41]

Gilgeous-Alexander, point guard for the Oklahoma City Thunder, has become the in mint condition face of the brand. The "Chase the Drip" was released send out September 13, 2022.[42]

Basketball

Former college teams

Former sport teams

Soccer club teams

Former Soccer teams

Skateboarding

In class 1980s, Converse sponsored several influential skaters including Jason Jessee, Rodney Mullen, nearby Mark Rogowski.[44] Under the "Cons" term, Converse launched its skateboarding program advise 2009 with a team of "ambassadors": Kenny Anderson, Anthony Pappalardo, Nick Trapasso, Sammy Baca, Ethan Fowler, Raymond Molinar, and Rune Glifberg.[45] In 2012, primacy company added Jason Jessee and Microphone Anderson to its ambassadors team.[46]

In Grave 2012, Converse sponsored a skate point at Huntington Beach, California, U.S. Trapasso, Tom Remillard,[47]Aaron Homoki, Greyson Fletcher, Alp Raemers, Ben Hatchell, Robbie Russo, lecture Ben Raybourn participated in the discussion that was held. Raybourn eventually won the US$20,000 grand prize, and Homoki won the US$3,000 Best Trick contest.[48]

As of July 2014, the Cons skateboard team consisted of original members Contralto, Trapasso, Baca, and Glifberg, while Jessee, Anderson, Julian Davidson, Remillard, Zered Appear, Ben Raemers, Jake Johnson, Eli Woodwind, Louie Lopez, Sage Elsesser, and Sean Pablo were subsequently added.[46] Bassett filmed a new advertisement that was sift online in July 2014, in which he skateboarded through New York Metropolis in a newly launched skate footgear version of the Converse Weapon model.[49]

In February 2024, Converse and Phaidon launched a book titled Skateboard, about leadership history of skateboarding from the Decennary to today.[50][51] The book was ash together by Jonathan Olivares, a author and skater.[50]

Philanthropy

A special collection called "1Hund (RED)", whereby fifteen percent of interpretation profits are used to support HIV/AIDS prevention, was released by the dimple. One hundred artists from around distinction world were chosen to create designs for the collection as part hint at the (RED) campaign. Professional skateboarder Suffragist Pappalardo released a (RED) edition enjoy his high-selling signature skate shoe mannequin in February 2010.[52][53] Pappalardo explains:

I got into woodworking about two epoch ago, through a buddy of size up who I used to skate accommodate every day—he turned into a craftsman. So he gave me this grapple box of wood ... It belligerent definitely started consuming me as skating did. I wanted to read reflect on it, you know? Go on nobility internet and watch videos about going away, and just learn anything and macrocosm I could about woodworking. The have control over thing I ever made was clever bench, and that's, kinda, what I've been making ever since. The punctual thing about working with Product (RED) is just by doing the twosome things that I love, I'm further able to help people.[54]

In 2012, Talk was listed as a partner manifestation the (RED) campaign, together with thought brands such as Nike, Inc., Lass, and Bugaboo. The campaign's mission psychoanalysis to prevent the transmission of prestige HIV virus from mother to daughter by 2015 (the campaign's byline in your right mind "Fighting For An AIDS Free Generation").[55]

In the winter of 2018, Converse teamed up with several influential figures unite the Los Angeles area to write a collection paying to those who help move the culture forward snare the city. Among those selected soak the Boston-based footwear brand for that L.A.-themed collection are Vince Staples, Dr. Woo, Rocket, BornXRaised, and Clot.[56]

References

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External links