History of converse shoes
Converse High-Tops are an American institution. The best selling basketball shoes of all time, Converse High-Tops have been owned by sixty percent of Americans at some point in their lives.
Established all the way back in 1908, the Converse Rubber Corporation started out by making galoshes and all rubber boots for seasonal laborers. The company soon decided to produce shoes year round, and started focusing on athletic footwear as these are sold all year round. The rest, as they say, is history.
The Origin of the Converse High-Top
The sport of basketball was, at the time, in its ascendancy. More and more people were taking up this new and intriguing sport, a fact not lost on the management at the Converse Rubber Corporation. After many attempts and revisions, the legendary Converse All Stars basketball shoe was produced in 1917. It wasn't an instant hit as initial sales were slow. Original All Stars models came in a natural brown leather finish and black trim with the familiar all black canvas shoes coming out sometime in the 1920's.
Sales reached an all time high when Converse decided to use the name of one-time basketball star Charles "Chuck" H. Taylor on their shoes. The Converse High-Tops became the first mass produced American basketball shoe with an athlete’s endorsement. The popularity of such a move was undeniable, and Taylor's name started to appear on the side emblem of the All Stars basketball shoes. Converse had the market in an iron grip until the 1970s, when competing shoe makers gained dominance in the basketball footwear arena.
Although losing its market share in sportswear, Converse High-Tops were by now an all-American symbol. The sneakers found newfound fame among rock musicians, artists and fashionistas thanks to its distinctive colors, style and comfort. The fact that Converse High-Tops were cheaper than the high priced performance shoes from Nike also played a role in their widespread appeal. The company took advantage of this new found fame as a fashion symbol, and began producing their iconic Chuck Taylor All Stars in hundreds of variation that incorporated unusual prints, colors, patterns and styles.
The momentum did not last, however, and the company experienced hard times throughout the 80s and 90s, eventually filing for bankruptcy in 2001. The new owners maintained the iconic brand, but moved manufacturing operations to Asia in an attempt to save money. Eventually the new owners were bought out by Nike, Converse's one time rival.
It is astounding to think that more than 800 million pairs of Converse High-Tops have been sold around the world. While other sneaker brands wax and wane in popularity, the Converse brand has always remained fashionable in good times and bad. A shoe in continuous production for over 75 years, Converse "Chuck Taylors" has not changed design since 1949, a testament to the sneaker's timeless appeal.