Converse

In 1908, Marquis Mills Converse founded and established rubber shoe company, Converse.  From the very beginning the company made waves. For instance when the company just started operations, Mr. Converse made the controversal decision to bypass a rubber trust; which kept most companies from doing direct business with their respective retailers. True enough, this stroke of genius succeeded and allowed the label to survive the cut-throat world of footwear fashion.

Converse Dwayne Wade Shoes.

Converse Dwayne Wade Shoes.

Five years after the launch, Converse came up with a catalog that contained words that would prove prophetic to the company’s success. It stated, “Our company was organized in 1908 fully believing that there was an earnest demand from the retail shoe dealer for a rubber shoe company that would be independent enough not to follow every other company in every thing they do.”

Swimming away from the current, Converse made shoes for basketball, a relatively young sport at the time. This would prove to be more successful than Converse’s other venture, making car tires.

In 1918, famous basketball player Chuck Taylor decided to make Converse Rubber Company his second family. No one knows for sure how Chuck Taylor came to form an affliation with Converse. Yet one thing was fairly certain, Chuck Taylor truly loved the game of basketball and wanted to popularize the game by selling the revolutionary, custom-made shoes for the game.

Besides basketball sneaker, Converse decided to enter the world of badminton. By 1935, legendary badminton player Jack Purcell, who lent his name to the Converse Signature Shoe, won five Canadian Championships and has been heralded the world badminton champion. Up to now, Jack Purcell remains to be the famous name that has made badminton sneakers a hit.

By the time the World War II broke, Converse found more business opportunities despite the events of the day. Veering away from sports shoes, Converse created products which were to be used by servicemen all over the world. The company produced a number of merchandise for the service, including apparel, footwear, and boots for army servicemen and pilots. The company has also designed parkas, ponchos, and rubber protective suits for the men in service.

After the war, Converse found a niche in Rock and Roll. The “dark” times, as most people would say, gave birth to a new breed of fashion;  that of leather jackets, blue jeans, and high-top sneakers. Also at that time, the company found its way during the birth of the National Basketball Association. As Rock and Roll and the NBA flourished, Converse created a colorful line of All Stars shoes.

By 1974, the famous All Star Sneaker received a most-awaited makeover. The shoe was remade in a vibrant suede with a huge bold star on the side. The shoe was custom-made for basketball but its impeccable style drew in a flock of fans, including rebels, rockers, and skaters. Two years later, Converse came up with the Pro Leather, a unique shoe which provided basketball the little kick it needed.

An iconic Converse shoe from the Pink Floyd Collection.

An iconic Converse shoe from the Pink Floyd Collection.

Through the late 70′s, there was certainly no stopping Converse. It came up with another design, the Weapon sneaker, which became an immediate favorite of professional, college and high school teams from the 80′s to the 90′s. By 1986, Converse released its “Choose Your Weapon” ad, a pivotal campaign which features two basketball rivals wearing the famous Converse shoes.

In 1996, the famous All Star shoe received another great makeover. Named the All Star 2000, it was Converse’s first attempt at making an All Star Chuck Taylor sneaker for the game. However, its red midsole stripe and ankle patch became a big seller with 1 million shoe fans wearing these sneakers.

Keeping up with its spirit of collaborating with famous personalities, Converse has come up with famous collaborative footwear, such as that of the John Varvatos sneakers, and the Spring 2009 Brit Rock collection which featured shoes British rock legends like Pink Floyd, Ozzy Osbourne, and The Who.

As Converse reaches its 111th year in the business, it continues to make sneakers for men, women, and children as it continues to embody their drive for competition, success, and fashion. This no-nonsense spirit can be found all around the globe. After all, Converse merchandise are available all around the world.