When it comes to fashion, consumers often find comfort in the familiar.
With that in mind, iconic sneaker brand Converse has continued to update its signature Chuck Taylor style via collaborations with artists from Andy Warhol to ready-to-wear labels such as Comme des Garçons.
It’s often been a case of “get them while you can” because these collections are often limited-edition and typically available only at select retailers.
Here, Footwear News takes a look back at some standout Chuck Taylor collars of the past as well as those currently at retail.
Among the most fun has been an ongoing series with DC Comics, the latest debuting this spring. Included in the offering are characters such as Wonder Woman, Superman, Batman, the Riddler and Catwoman.
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Earlier this year, Andy Warhol’s classic Campbell soup cans popped up on the Chuck Taylor. It was a marriage of two simple designs with long-lasting appeal.
Converse has even switched out its classic canvas uppers over the years for alternative upper options. For a 2010 collection, the brand used the famous red-and-black buffalo plaid made by more-than-a-century-old domestic-woolens manufacturer Woolrich.
Converse also tapped denim supplier Cone to do the upper of the Chuck Taylor for an exclusive run with Cambridge, Mass.-based retailer Concepts, set to hit shelves on May 30 for $110.
And don’t forget about Converse’s ties to the ready-to-wear community, forming ongoing associations with Missoni, for styles with the house’s signature wave design. This spring also marks the fourth collaboration with Comme des Garçons Play, featuring styles detailing the fashion labels’s signature heart logo that hit Dover Street Market this month for $125.
Since September 2013, the brand has also collaborated with French avant-garde fashion house, Maison Martin Magiela. The first release included both Chuck Taylor All Stars and Jack Purcell sneakers, all hand-painted on Margiela’s trademark white paint. As the paint cracks, the original color of the Converse beneath would reveal.
Converse has also done its share of giving back through a 2009 collaboration with rapper Lupe Fiasco for PRODUCT(RED) for AIDS Awareness.
