home » We knit » Converse whose firm. History of the Converse brand – Street Beat

Converse whose firm. History of the Converse brand – Street Beat

sneakers Converse is the most popular footwear among today's youth. This brand is the first association with comfortable everyday shoes. And its history began at the beginning of the 20th century, from the moment when its founder Marques Convers decided to produce his own sports shoes…

Centenary history

Marques Convers worked as a senior manager in an American company called RubberShoecompany. She specialized in the production of comfortable winter shoes. In 1908, Marquez founded his own company under the uncomplicated name Converse and decided to devote himself to creating winter sports shoes for the whole family. Many people were involved in sports then, and the Olympic Games were just around the corner, so the business developed very quickly. Soon, in 1915, he was already able to expand his production and launch a special line of shoes for basketball players.

black and white story

Two years later, the very first unique models called Converse All Star but only in two colors - black and white. However, at that time such shoes were an amazing novelty, well received by basketball players. They even began to be worn by the popular player Chuck Taylor, who was then invited to become the face of the brand and even participate in the design of new sneaker models.

History of victories
Since then, all the victories of American basketball teams have been attributed to Converse shoes. Including the victory of the team at the Olympic Games in 1936 - they also wore the firms of Marquez Converse.

Black stripe, white stripe...

However, the white streak of the company's development ended with the outbreak of World War II in 1941. Converse had to suspend production of sneakers for basketball players and switch to production military uniform, as well as shoes and outerwear for American pilots. After the end of the war, it became clear that the company was capable of producing shoes not only for the gym. The famous actor James Dean was the first to put on sneakers for a walk, and people noticed a new “trick”. So, sneakers became part of fashion clothes, wearing them outside became cool. They were even worn with dresses and girls were proud of their style. But despite this surge of interest in Converse, their popularity began to slowly decline.

Range expansion

Then it was decided to expand the number of models on the market. Thus, in 1966, Converse began to produce sneakers in bright colors, as well as create them based on new materials, including suede, leather and vinyl. The length of sneakers has also changed - low, classic and high comfortable models familiar to us have appeared. Americans liked the new versions of the usual sneakers very much, but they were soon replaced by new manufacturers of sports shoes - Nike, Adidas and Reebok, well-known to us. Converse was able to stay afloat only thanks to the fact that they received a permanent order from the American Basketball Association.

Just to hold on

Then Converse decided to develop a new one - with foot support. We came up with several color solutions, two models and launched them for sale. New sneakers found their customers and were even re-released two more times. But for the brand, a black streak came again - in 2001, the company went bankrupt, reduced production, and all the sneakers that hit the market were actually fakes from Asian countries. This would have continued to this day, if not for the help from the former competitor Nike.

Thank youNike

Experts from this company concluded that the investment in the development of Converse could be successful, and in the withered sneaker empire they gladly accepted the offer, which amounted to about $ 300 million. Thanks to Nike in 2003, the production of real Converse sneakers was established. Thanks to this, we can buy unique models of the most comfortable sneakers even now.

Sneakers for bright people

And designers from Converse are trying with might and main to attract new customers. After all, now these are not basketball shoes, but the style of both the old and the new generations. Sneakers are even sewn to order - on the company's website, everyone can independently "design" a model of sneakers and place her personal order. Author's or thematic models are periodically released. Converse not only color in bright colors and youth prints, but also decorated with various decorative elements - ribbons, ribbons, sequins, rivets and badges. But even they cannot beat the popularity of the classic models of black, blue and white color. Although, in general, sneakers have found their fans in representatives of all subcultures - from hippies to rockers. Thanks in part to the band members, singers, and famous actors who wore them, sneakers began to be recognized by other people. But it's clear that Converse became popular due to its convenience and beautiful design allowing you to express yourself.

Read also

American brand Converse is best known for its stylish sneakers. Chuck Taylor All-Star, produced since the beginning of the 20th century. Today the company is owned by the sports company Nike.

First Converse production

The history of Converse begins with a simple manager, Marcus M. Converse, when he worked for the Boston-based Rubber Shoe Company. In 1908, Marcus founded a shoe company in Malden, Massachusetts, called the Converse Rubber Shoe Company.

The first product was a collection of winter and summer shoes for the whole family. By 1910, the factory was producing more than 4,000 pairs a day. The sports direction was taken by 1915.

Sports shoe line

An important point in the development of the company was the release of the first specialized shoes for basketball players in 1917 - the Converse All Star line.

The choice of Converses by then-popular basketball player Charles H. Taylor ("Chuck"), who played for the Akron Firestones, served as good publicity. In the hall, he could only be seen in Converse sneakers. In 1918, the company presented the athlete with a pair of All Star sneakers as support and for the purpose of advertising.

During this period, the factory produces a whole collection of shoes for America's first African-American basketball team, the New York Renaissance. The successful performance of athletes further entrenches consumer confidence in the quality of branded products.

In 1921 "Chuck" was recognized official companies. In 1923, after the publication of a retrospective in honor of the 6th anniversary of basketball as an official sport, All Stars shoes became his signature model for professionals. This was followed by a promotional tour (35 days) designed to teach Americans about basketball. Advertising gave the athlete a new nickname - "basketball ambassador".

Recognizable Converse shoes were also made by another famous athlete, Jack Purcell. In 1935, the company, with the involvement of Jack, created a model of comfortable and ultra-light badminton shoes. The difference between the shoes was the logo placed on the toe.

Initially, this identification mark was intended to protect shoes from damage during active play. However, after the increasing popularity of the model, such placement of the logo has become the hallmark of the brand.

Brand Rise

The events at Pearl Harbor and America's entry into the Second world war forced the company to change course. Now the Converse factory produced quality clothes and footwear for soldiers. For aviators, a separate series of A-6 Flying Shoes was developed. Shoes were also created to support agricultural workers. The collection was called "Victory Garden".

In 1949, a single NBA basketball league appeared, formed from two separate associations:

National Basketball League (NBL);
Basketball Association of America (BAA).

The choice of many athletes of the new league was the Chuck Taylor All Stars sneakers.

Then came a tipping point in the existence of the brand, as the consumer began to demand more bright colors(before the war, the company produced only black models). Having fulfilled the demand of buyers, the company again took a leading position. A significant role was played by the fact of the choice of sneakers by Hollywood stars.

James Dean was one of the film actors who demonstrated stylish images in Converse sneakers.

He posed for a fashion magazine in jeans and a white pair of Converse shoes. This attracted the attention of teenagers and older youth to the brand's products.

Entering new markets

Sneakers became a symbol of the rebels of the 50s. The image of the boys consisted of a T-shirt, jeans and sneakers, and the girls preferred golfs, skirts and sweaters. Now Converse is not so much a shoe for athletes as a fashion item.

In the mid-50s of the 20th century, the Chuck Taylor All-Star line becomes a favorite among US basketball players. Over the next 2 decades, the company expands production, starting to produce clothes and accessories not only for basketball players, but also for representatives of other sports:

athletics;
tennis
football.

At the same time, the popularity of sneakers is also growing among representatives of subcultures (punks and hippies). Famous musicians (members of Pantera, Nirvana, Ramones and Green Day) wear brand shoes at concerts and in everyday life.

1976 was marked by a change in model design. Converse now made leather, suede, and bright vinyl, with a bright red star on the side of the sneaker. During this period, the Pro Leather line appeared.

In 1985, the company developed:

a system for reducing the load during sports on the foot;
traffic control system;
energy recovery technology.

This demonstrated the competitive superiority of Converse models.

Bankruptcy

In the late 80s, the company remained in the shadow of major competitors: Adidas, Nike and Reebok. Firms fill the market with stylish and most comfortable shoes created using patented innovative technologies. Converse's conservatism reduces demand for products to a minimum.

In 1992, the company patented the new REACT® technology, which improves support, stability and the shoe's ability to smooth out impacts while jumping and running. But this did not save the brand from a change of ownership. In 1995, ApexOne becomes the new owner. However, the new management does not find a way out and in 2001 brings Converse to bankruptcy.

Brand revival

2003 becomes a new milestone in the life of the brand - it is bought out by a former competitor Nike, who remains the owner of the company to this day. Many old models have been released with a new design. Despite criticism from All-Star fans, the new styling from Nike revived Converse.

Today, the world-famous trademark remains popular and does not lose the title of a symbol of a free America.

Was this article helpful? Write about it in the comments and share the link with your friends.

Image copyright getty

Rubber sole sneakers different colors and shapes have made a successful leap from sports boots unknown to the general public to a fashionable everyday trend. A BBC Culture journalist explores the stellar history of Converse.

One of the most democratic and popular types of shoes, a symbol of American culture, among whose fans are urban hipsters or bearded rockers, as well as Michelle Obama, Chuck Taylor All Star sneakers have a history no less bright than the colors in which they are produced.

A masterpiece of utilitarian design with flowing lines and a textured contrast of fabric and vulcanized rubber, black and white (originally) athletic shoes have their roots in basketball.

Converse Rubber Shoe was founded in 1908 in Malden, Massachusetts by Marcus Mills Converse. At first, the company produced warm winter boots on a rubber sole. A few years later, a separate branch of the company entered the sports shoes market, specializing at first in such sports as tennis, netball and football (the Spalding brand then remained a monopoly of basketball goods).

Image copyright getty

The first Converse All Star basketball shoes were released in 1917. Although the person to whom they owe their success entered the history of the brand a few years later.

The real craze for Converse All Stars sports shoes began when the star of the school basketball team - Charles "Chuck" Hollis Taylor - began to cooperate with the company in 1921 as its representative and seller.

The charismatic young athlete has upgraded the shoe to make it more comfortable on the tennis court. But he was also a talented entrepreneur, able to persuade clients, make useful contacts and perfectly understood all the intricacies of the basketball industry.

"He had a very interesting life says Joe Dean former leader Converse sales team, in an interview with the Philadelphia Inquirer. - It was impossible not to love him, he knew everyone. If you were a coach looking for a job, you called Chuck Taylor. Sports managers always turned to him when they were looking for a coach."

Taylor took the boots and rode across America with them in a white Cadillac with a trunk loaded with Converse All Stars. He gave master classes in basketball and at the same time advertised the convenience and comfort of boots.

The original "converses" were brown with black inserts on ankle-high thick rubber soles of textile or leather. Taylor made such a significant contribution to the marketing and design of shoes that in 1932 the company added his name and signature to the name of the model, which appeared on the All Star logo patch on both sides of the shoe.

Image copyright getty Image caption US Olympic Basketball Team, 1936

In the same year, sneakers received another design innovation - ventilation holes on the sides.

In 1936, Taylor designed the white Chuck Taylor All Star shoe that became the official shoe for the US team in the first ever basketball championship at the Berlin Summer Olympics. The team received a gold medal.

With patriotic red and blue stripes on the sole and ankle logo, the iconic model also became the official training shoe of the United States military during World War II.

Life in color

Converse's golden era spans the 1940s and 1960s, when the company's athletic shoes became the go-to shoe for any sport (and arguably spawned an entire generation of flat-footed athletes).

At its peak, the brand controlled about 80% of the US athletic shoe market. At this time, the design of the model also changes. In 1949, the classic black and white Chuck Taylor All Star sneakers appear, and in 1957, the low Oxford Chuck model. Multi-colored models of sneakers began to be produced only in the 1960s at the request of basketball teams that the color of the shoe matches the color of the uniform.

Image copyright Everett CollectionRex Image caption Musical "West Side Story", 1961

Despite the fame of the best basketball shoes, Chuck Taylor All Star subsequently had to adapt to changes in the market. In the late 70s, when the new sports mania - running took over the world, Nike, Adidas and Puma brands began to release high-tech practical models of running shoes, along with a new generation of basketball shoes.

“The NBA players wore Chuck Taylors, they were the best, and so everyone wanted to wear what they were. When I played with the Nets (a professional basketball team), I had Michael Ray Richardson Chuck Taylors signature shoes in leather, which cost 19.95 dollars a pair,” recalls Michael Ray Richardson, a basketball player who played defensive end for the New York Knicks, Golden State Warriors, and New Jersey Nets from 1978 to 1986.

"They were beautiful but hard to play in, especially compared to the Air Jordans. I had to put orthotics in them," adds Michael Ray Richardson.

With the death of Chuck Taylor in 1968, a year after he was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame, Converse lost its powerful secret weapon.

A short-lived resurgence in the popularity of sneakers in the 80s and 90s was due to the musical culture - grunge. The image of Kurt Cobain in Converse sneakers marked a cultural shift in the fate of the brand.

With affordable prices, great designs, a variety of materials, colors and models (there were even knee-high models), Converse sneakers became the favorite everyday shoes of the baby boomer generation.

Image copyright getty Image caption The Ramones, 1978

This look has taken over pop culture ever since actor James Dean wore a Jack Purcell Converse in the 1950s.

The new generation was no longer interested in the basketball history of the Converse. When Converse fan and Ramones drummer Tommy Ramone was asked who Chuck Taylor was, the rocker replied, "Maybe he's a basketball coach or something. I don't know. He made cheap shoes."

Materialization of ideas

If at the beginning of the brand's history the rubber sole played a significant role in its success, then the other "ingredient" of the boots - the canvas fabric from which the upper part of the sneaker is made - became a contribution to the future.

After several management changes in the early 2000s, the company fell on hard times and filed for bankruptcy in 2001. Nike Corporation saved the brand. She changed the direction of the brand policy from sports performance to creative expression, collaborating with a number of prominent fashion designers such as Givenchy, Missoni and Maison Martin Margiela.

May 2014 French house haute couture Maison Martin Margiela has released a capsule collection of sneakers. The classic models of the brand Jack Purcell and Chuck Taylor All Star appeared in the signature white color of the fashion house.

Image copyright Maison Martin Margiela Image caption Converse sneaker collection by Maison Martin Margiela

Among the latest creative projects of the company are two models of Chuck Taylor All Stars, the fabric design for which was developed by the American artist Nate Lowman. The price of each limited edition model is $25,000 per pair.

The rebranding strategy proved to be effective. In 2012, Converse's sales reached $1.4 billion, while in 2002 they were only $205 million.

Converse sneakers amaze with their variety. The brand has successfully bridged the gap between sporty and fashionable casual shoes, which are sometimes worn even at formal events. Like, for example, actress Kristen Stewart, who can wear her favorite Converse pair on the red carpet. And the classic white model Chuck Taylor All Stars has long been an attribute of fashionable weddings.

"Our brand is now at the pinnacle of its development, and this is thanks to the collaboration with the creative community," - said Jim Calhoun, President and CEO of Converse, in an interview with Footwear News magazine. - The priority of our brand policy today is shoes "made for artists, inspired by artists."

Image copyright getty Image caption The brand has successfully bridged the gap between sports and fashion shoes

While the company respects its brand's design heritage, it recently decided to phase out the production of athletic basketball shoes. This is an unprecedented decision in almost a century of the company's history. However, Jim Calhoun admits that management breathed a sigh of relief.

“We were very afraid to abandon the sports part of our brand, especially basketball, because we put a lot of effort into meeting the modern requirements of sports shoes. But in fact - this decision gave us the opportunity to rethink our history and realize that it was not connected exclusively with sports," the president of the company explained.

However, the original classic design of Chuck Taylor All Star, which has hardly changed over the centuries, allows you to confidently believe in the successful future of the brand.

The history of the brand begins in 1908, then an experienced manager of a winter footwear company Marcus Converse, opens his own shoe company Converse. Initially, the company focused on the manufacture of family shoes, but in 1915 the assortment was replenished with sports models. Two years later, under the company logo, the world's first basketball shoes are released - Converse All Star.

In 1918, wearing the legendary All-Star sneakers, the basketball player begins his career Charles Taylor, who in 1921 officially joins Converse and releases his signature sneaker model - Chuck Taylor All-Star.

Taylor's shoes are becoming incredibly popular, while reaching different categories of buyers: in Chuck Taylor All-Star sneakers you can see both a professional athlete and an ordinary teenager. The company, in turn, becomes the representative of the basketball sport in the country and shoes most of the basketball teams. At this time, the factory undertakes to produce sneakers for the first African-American team - New York Renaissance, whose successful game in subsequent years will serve as confirmation of the quality of Converse products.

In 1941, during the Second World War, the company changes priorities and begins to produce shoes for pilots and infantry. In addition to traditional sneakers, which have become the official shoes of the US troops, Converse designs for the air force A6 Flying boots.

In 1949, professional basketball players of the mass wear Chuck Taylor All-Star. Among ordinary Americans, Converse sneakers are also at the peak of popularity, after the war period, when shoes were made in dark colors, the company produces sneakers in a variety of colors, which makes them in demand among children and youth.

In the 1960s and 70s, in order to maintain the image of a sports brand, Converse, in addition to a large number shoes produces lines of clothing and accessories for different types sports. At the same time, a variety of subcultures pick up the fashion for Converse sneakers, hippies and punks easily combine leather jackets, jeans, T-shirts with All-Star. The brand's shoes are also preferred by the musicians of the bands Nirvana, Pantera, Green Day, Ramones, who use sneakers, both in everyday life and on stage.

The decline in the popularity of Converse shoes began in the late 1980s, when the company could not cope with the competition. Nike, Reebok and Adidas, which are increasingly presenting new footwear with the use of innovative technologies aimed at the comfort of using shoes.

Converse sneakers stop responding fashion trends time, while maintaining its conservatism, and soon the demand for shoes becomes minimal

In 1995, Converse was acquired by ApexOne However, things do not go better and in 2001 the Converse brand declares itself bankrupt.

In 2003, Converse is acquired by Nike, which is its owner and still is. Under the new management, many Converse models have been re-released, many have been redesigned by Nike designers and presented in new styles. Nike's work on Converse shoes has drawn criticism from fans of the classic All-Stars, but despite this, Converse managed to resume sales of their products.

Informative. The section is updated daily. Always up-to-date versions of the best free programs for everyday use in the Essential programs section. There is almost everything that is required for daily work. Start to gradually abandon pirated versions in favor of more convenient and functional free counterparts. If you still do not use our chat, we strongly advise you to get acquainted with it. You will find many new friends there. It is also the fastest and most efficient way to contact project administrators. The Antivirus Updates section continues to work - always up-to-date free updates for Dr Web and NOD. Didn't have time to read something? The full content of the ticker can be found at this link.

Rubber-soled sneakers in a variety of colors and shapes have made a successful leap from obscure sports boots to a fashionable everyday trend. A BBC Culture journalist explores the stellar history of Converse.

A masterpiece of utilitarian design with flowing lines and a textured contrast of fabric and vulcanized rubber, black and white (originally) athletic shoes have their roots in basketball.

Converse Rubber Shoe was founded in 1908 in Malden, Massachusetts by Marcus Mills Converse. At first, the company produced warm winter boots with rubber soles. A few years later, a separate branch of the company entered the sports shoes market, specializing at first in such sports as tennis, netball and football (the Spalding brand then remained a monopoly of basketball goods).

The first Converse All Star basketball shoes were released in 1917. Although the person to whom they owe their success entered the history of the brand a few years later.

"He had a very interesting life," says Joe Dean, former head of sales at Converse, in an interview with the Philadelphia Inquirer. "It was impossible not to love him, he knew everyone. If you were a coach and looking for a job, you called Chuck Taylor. Sports managers always turned to him when they were looking for a coach."

US Olympic Basketball Team, 1936

In the same year, sneakers received another design innovation - ventilation holes on the sides.

With patriotic red and blue stripes on the sole and ankle logo, the iconic model also became the official training shoe of the United States military during World War II.

Life in color

Converse's golden era spans the 1940s and 1960s, when the company's athletic shoes became the go-to shoe for any sport (and arguably spawned an entire generation of flat-footed athletes).

Musical "West Side Story", 1961

"They were beautiful but hard to play in, especially compared to the Air Jordans. I had to put orthotics in them," adds Michael Ray Richardson.

With the death of Chuck Taylor in 1968, a year after he was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame, Converse lost its powerful secret weapon.

The Ramones, 1978

This look has taken over pop culture ever since actor James Dean wore a Jack Purcell Converse in the 1950s.

Materialization of ideas

After several management changes in the early 2000s, the company fell on hard times and filed for bankruptcy in 2001. Nike Corporation saved the brand. She shifted the brand's direction from athletic performance to creative expression, collaborating with a number of prominent fashion designers such as Givenchy, Missoni and Maison Martin Margiela.

In May 2014, French fashion house Maison Martin Margiela released a sneaker capsule collection. The classic models of the brand Jack Purcell and Chuck Taylor All Star appeared in the signature white color of the fashion house.

Converse sneaker collection by Maison Martin Margiela

The rebranding strategy proved to be effective. In 2012, Converse's sales reached $1.4 billion, while in 2002 they were only $205 million.

The brand has successfully bridged the gap between sports and fashion footwear.

However, the original classic design of Chuck Taylor All Star, which has hardly changed over the centuries, allows you to confidently believe in the successful future of the brand.

Discount center Converse All Star https://converse-ru.ru/