Converse is working with three women’s wear designers on the brand’s latest collaborative project. Koché, Feng Chen Wang and Faith Connexion have each designed a capsule collection of apparel, footwear and accessories, which will launch on April 26, FN’s sister publication WWD has learned.
“We’ve tapped their expertise with clothing and accessories to push the bounds of our product offering and showcase new capabilities in these categories,” said Darryl Jackson, apparel director of Converse. For the capsules, the designers have reimagined a classic Converse silhouette and looked to the brand’s archive for inspiration.
Koché’s seven-piece collection has been paired with the brand’s Jack Purcell low-top sneaker, ballet flats and Converse’s Mary Jane sneakers. Pieces include a polo dress with a multi-patterned skirt and a brown camo tracksuit.
Designer Christelle Kocher of Koché said she wanted to keep Converse’s sporty elements, yet inject some of Koché’s femininity into the designs. “I played with codes of sports dressing and gave them a twist. I integrated some strong elements of the Koché vocabulary as well. Some pieces are very feminine with lace for example, but other pieces are unisex and can be worn with the same energy.”
Founder Maria Buccelati from Faith Connexion focused on utility, “using our recognizable detailing such as camouflage print, street art on fabrics, visible logos and destroyed raw finished,” Buccelati said. She paired the pieces with Converse’s platform RunStar sneaker and low-top One Star silhouettes.
“When going through Converse’s All-Stars archive, it was easy for us to recreate styles that are true to both Faith Connexion and Converse yet highlighted Faith’s disruptive touch. Our woman is fearless, modern and always on the go,” Buccelati added.
For Wang’s six-piece collection, she stuck with a palette of pinks and reds and took inspiration from basketball kits. Pieces include a tonal pink tracksuit, a basketball-jersey style and a longline track jacket.
Pieces start at $40 for a Converse x Faith Connexion bra top to $250 for a Converse x Koché polo dress.
“This is both a response for consumer desire and our desire to present more female silhouettes to the market. In short, the collection creates a bridge between our partners’ ecosystems, and our own, allowing each to interact with a new set of customers,” said Matt Sleep, footwear design director at Converse.
This story was reported by WWD and originally appeared on WWD.com.
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