Maybe most famed for their high-top sneakers, the American shoe company Converse was founded perhaps surprisingly early, in 1908. They have remained, over the years, remarkably consistent and faithful to their original vision of providing rubber-soled footwear to men, women and children.
The Chuck Taylor All-Star basketball shoe was created in 1917, just nine years into the company’s life, and it has remained popular ever since. The basketball star after whom the shoes were named worked tirelessly to promote them until he died, making himself into a great brand ambassador. Jack Purcell, a badminton champion, also has his name irrevocably attached to Converse in the form of a sneaker. However, life wasn’t always this good for the company: with the Second World War meaning that they had to shift production to footwear, apparel, rubber protective suits, parkas and ponchos for troops and pilots, and with other companies such as Nike and Reebok decreasing Converse’s monopoly, the company soon found itself having to work harder to maintain its mainstream success. However, even despite bankruptcy in the early 2000s, it clawed its way back quickly and soon re-established its high contemporary status.
The brand also remains famous for its “Choose Your Weapon” advertisement campaign, primarily popular during the 1980s and 1990s, featuring two of the game’s biggest rivals wearing one of the game’s biggest shoes. Combining creativity with its classic designs has perhaps been Converse’s key to continued success, with new designs and colours coming out regularly, including Converse stiletto boots for the ladies. Equally, the Converse website also provides the facility to design your own shoes, for about the same as it costs for a pre-designed shoe – a concept that other similar brands have been piggybacking on ever since.