When was converse invented

Finally embracing its role in the music scene, the company launched Rubber Tracks, a Brooklyn-based recording studio where bands can record for free, in Chuck Taylors are associated with punk rockers, especially the Ramones, but not everyone in the band wore them. He needed a lot of arch support and Chuck Taylors are bad for that.

Previously, it had just been a high-top shoe. Four years later, the company would introduce the first colors other than black and white. In , All-Stars were still considered a viable athletic shoe. Taylor or Chuck Taylor as he was known by the masses.

A basketball player for the the Akron Firestones, Taylor joined the Converse sales team in after coming across the shoe and seeing huge potential in its design. Renowned for his clever sales pitch and unique marketing ideas, such as the basketball clinics he held across high schools in America, teaching basketball to kids and promoting the shoe along the way, as well as the Converse Basketball Yearbooks that aimed to celebrate the culture of basketball.

The brand and the shoe would grow to become synonymous with the sport, favourited by players nationwide. Once the war had started for America, the All Star became a symbol of patriotism, with Chuck Taylor himself acting as a morale booster for US troops by doing what he did best, coaching basketball teams.

The white hi-tops were worn by the soldiers during exercise and training, and would become the official sneaker of the United States Armed Forces. The years after the war saw Converse introduce the black and white colour way of the Chuck Taylor All Star, a style that would become a favourite for many. If you wanted to take basketball seriously, you had to own a pair of Chucks.

The Oxford was available in a variety of colour options and became hugely popular with those looking for a more casual alternative to the basketball focused hi-top version. If you would like to comment on this story or anything else you have seen on BBC Culture, head over to our Facebook page or message us on Twitter.

Design Icons Fashion. Converse shoes: In the all star game. Share using Email. By Katya Foreman 21st October The ubiquitous rubber-soled shoes and boots made a successful leap from sport to streetwear. Katya Foreman looks back at their colourful history. Unfortunately, one year later he passed away. Along with the passing of Chuck Taylor went the dominance of the Converse Company.

New rival companies stepped in, spearheaded by the Nike Corporation, and began to chip away at the market share and influence of Converse. Lots of changes began to occur in the athletic shoe industry. These rival companies introduced new models with new colored looks, all leather uppers, and high tech innovations like pumps and air cells. Although Converse responded by introducing chucks in a variety of colors, and new models like the One Star and Dr. J, teams began abandoning their All Stars and going with other models and brands.

Starting in the s, athletic shoes became so popular as footwear that adults refused to give up wearing them. Everyone wanted the look and feel of sneakers on their feet. Many new athletic shoe companies emerged and marketed a wide variety of basketball and other sports and leisure shoes. The shoes became very popular with rock musicians, and younger generations wore them for their distinctive looks, colors, and comfort and as an alternative to the high priced high performance shoes made by Nike and other companies.

They were considered a leisure shoe and now were purchased because they were fashionable. Converse manufactured chucks in hundreds of different variations that included prints, patterns, unusual colors, and special models for different age groups.