Converse- All Star

Converse is a brand I respect immensely as it gives me a feel of being different from the rest. The best thing about these shoes is that they are very versatile and redefine style its in own sweet manner. They look amazing with their aggressive, playful, yet classy appeal. I remember buying these shoes off a hi end shopping mall some 7 years back and instantly fell in love with the brand. I have been a devoted converse fan ever since and own 4 pairs of shoes from the them.

Converse- All Star was first produced in 1917 as ‘Chuck Taylor All Stars’ which targeted the basketball shoe segment. It has evolved into a cult product and has carved a niche for itself with the masses. The brand recall is immense and its almost at par with other major brands like Nike, Reebok and Adidas.

Converse was not particularly popular until basketball player Chuck Taylor adopted them as his preferred shoe. He was so impressed with the design that he became the shoe's leading salesman. After proposing a few changes to the shoe, the shoe got its current name and Chuck Taylor's signature on its ankle patch.

The likes of Chuck Taylor, Kurt Cobain, Jimi Hendrix, Avril Lavigne and many such celebs, be it in the field of music, sports, acting or politics…have really given this a cult status and people perceive this brand as something they can identify with. Its much more than ownership…its more of a sense of belonging to the same league as those who really influence them.

The designs of the shoes that they came out with were very simple yet very different from conventional designs. They were one of the first ones to come out with different materials and design for the shoes. Materials such as canvas (mainly used as a tent material), leather, suede, vinyl, denim, and hemp etc are used for the material of the shoes.

Consumers demanded more variety from these shoes - particularly with respect to colours in order to match basketball teams - so coloured and patterned shoelaces became popular to complement the two colours, black and white, available before 1966. Afterwards, more colours and styles became available. Low-top or "Oxford", high-top, and later knee-high, versions were produced. Some versions of the shoe were offered without laces, held up instead by elastic. When Converse was bought by Nike and operations were moved from the United States to overseas, the design saw a few alterations. The fabric is no longer 2-ply cotton canvas but 1-ply "textile" and many wearers have noticed different patterns of wear.

The company really didn't brainstorm much to come out with different fits and designs for the different age groups, sex or professions of the customers, but followed a unique format where the shoes were unisex which could be custom designed and modified, just like a high end auto mobile.

The star logo inscribed into a circle and the ‘all-star’ brand name written at the heel of the shoe is really fascinating and appeals to the crowd. Youngsters have welcomed this brand with all their faith and they love the brand with all their heart. It's becoming a challenge to find musicians who don't own a pair of converse all-star!

I am a big fan of this brand and have been using it for at least 6-7 years. The brand has now catapulted into other merchandise as well such as bags, caps, apparels etc. it is very price friendly and at the same time gives us the sense of individuality. The brand owners have already become a club like a fraternity club, where they feel that the converse wearers belong to the same league.