Converse’s Chuck Taylor All Star sneaker is receiving its first update since its debut 98 years ago.
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The thought is enough to cause serious panic for the legions of loyal fans of the almost century-old iconic rubber-soled shoe with the star on the side. He added that the more comfortable materials and small design tweaks haven’t ruined the shoe’s classic appeal. “This is not New Coke, as I’ve been saying to people”. “We focused on the comfort that customers were asking us for”.
The original Chuck Taylors came out in 1917.
Converse lovers everywhere are no doubt excited to see the new Chuck Taylor II shoes drop in stores today (July 28). “The name stuck. What didn’t stick was their intention”.
By the 1970s, the canvas rubber soled shoes made their way from the courts to the screen to the punk rock music scene. The launch presentation, led by Converse President and CEO Jim Calhoun, was delivered to more than 130 members of the media and special guests from around the world.
That change can be followed in film. It’s a foam called Lunarlon which has been used in basketball shoes.
“Now, the Chuck Taylor can be embraced for multiple reasons”, Semmelhack said. The Chuck II line of Converse shoes should do a lot to change that view. A perforated artificial micro-suede upper liner has also been introduced to help prevent the wearer’s feet from getting too hot and sweaty. The goal? To finally make them comfortable.
“That’s the thing with a fashion icon is, it’s supposed to be exactly like it always was”, said Frederick, who now runs Exeter Research, a shoe design consulting firm in New Hampshire. “People keep telling us they don’t like to wear their Chucks when it rains”.
“I think the brand is – and I want to say this a little tongue-in-cheek – is the anti-Nike”, said Powell. It’s not about athleticism.
Of course change is inevitable, but how can we forget these darling shoes that have defied the odds of oneupsmanship for decades as a heated rivalry played out in the athletic shoe industry.
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“I was walking down the street the other day and a 12-year-old kid walked past me with a Ramones T-shirt on”. Converse Chuck Taylors are one of the most popular shoes in history, and chances are good you’ve got two or three pairs of varying colors in your closet right now.
