Converse is continuing its ongoing commitment to honor Black culture and Black history with its newest collection.
Called the “It’s Possible Collection,” the range was developed by Converse-sponsored WNBA athlete Natasha Cloud along with the footwear brand’s designer Marissa Bynoe and product merchandiser Javon Martin.
According to Converse, this collection is part of the brand’s ongoing commitment to honor Black culture and uplift Black joy.
A part of the collection, each of the three collaborators share their personal life journeys expressed through one signature Converse style.
For Cloud, she took on the Leather Ox sneaker. With nine patches, words, and symbols that represent elements of social change that are easily applied and removed, the design allows these shoes to be worn in many different ways. Cloud said about the style that she knows that changing your shoes to match your present self is “a way of therapy, it’s a way of vulnerability, it’s a way of strength.”
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Bynoe reinterpreted the Chuck 70 style for this collection. Bynoe credits her mother and grandmother, who encouraged her to become a professional creative, as the main inspiration of her sneaker. It features mixed material patchwork that, according to Converse, “nods to the beauty that is born from resilience.” Byone added, “I’ve always been inspired by my family as creatives and It’s Possible shows other young, Black people that the stars can align, and these kinds of careers are possible.”
And for Martin, he drew inspiration from his childhood neighborhood, Blue Hill Ave in Dorchester, MA, for his take on the Run Star Hike silhouette. “My community is what motivated me to want to be great,” said Martin, who is eager to shine a light on the industry and encourage young Black creatives to know it’s possible to achieve success.
This is Converse’s latest project featuring Cloud. The footwear brand signed the Washington Mystics’ guard in 2020 for not only her record on the court but also her activism efforts. “Cloud is known for extending her influence through leadership efforts that place emphasis on being a voice for the voiceless, specifically using her platform to speak out against the racial injustices that are killing Black people in America, while also advocating for equality for women and the LGBTQ+ community and working to guide youth in her communities,” Converse said in a statement at the time of her signing.
The It’s Possible Collection, which retails between $90 and $120, is now available at Converse.com.
