Ĭonverse filed for bankruptcy on January 22, 2001. By 2000, Converse was slipping repeatedly into receivership as debt piled up yearly. Ĭanvas-rubber shoes regained popularity in the 1980s as casual footwear, but Converse eventually became too dependent on the "All Stars" brand, whose market collapsed by 1989–1990. The chevron and star insignia - a logo that remains on a large portion of Converse footwear other than the All Star - was created by Jim Labadini, an employee. A decade later, as Reebok introduced new designs and technology to the sports market, Converse was no longer the official shoe of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Ĭonverse lost their monopoly from the 1970s onward, with new competitors, including Puma, Adidas, and Nike. Jack Purcell shoes are still produced and sold today. Despite both brands being split, Converse had kept the trademark rights of the Jack Purcell line it had purchased from the PF Flyers acquisition. This led to a monopoly in the shoe market that in 1975 both brands had to split due to an anti-trust lawsuit. In the 1970s, Converse bought out one of its biggest competitors at the time, PF Flyers, from B.F. Artist Charles Kerins created cover art that celebrated Converse's role in the lives of high school and college athletes. Popular during the 1950s and 1960s, Converse promoted an American image with its Converse Basketball Yearbook. The company resumed production of athletic footwear after the war's end. entered World War II in 1941, Converse shifted production to manufacturing rubberized footwear, outerwear, and protective suits for the military. 1941–2001: War, rise, bankruptcy, and new management
In 1962, center Wilt Chamberlain of the Philadelphia Warriors scored 100 points in an NBA game while wearing a pair of Chucks, taking a 169–147 victory over the New York Knicks in Hershey, Pennsylvania on March 2.
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Converse also customized shoes for the New York Renaissance (the "Rens"), the first all– African American professional basketball team. He continued this work until shortly before his death in 1969.
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Converse gave him a job: he worked as a salesman and ambassador, promoting the shoes around the U.S., and in 1932 Taylor's signature was added to the All-Star patch on the classic, high-topped sneakers. "Chuck" Taylor walked into Converse complaining of sore feet. Then in 1923, a basketball player named Charles H. In 1918, the Converse All-Star basketball shoe was introduced. By 1910, Converse was producing shoes daily, but it was not until 1915 that the company began manufacturing athletic shoes. The company was a rubber shoe manufacturer, providing winterized rubber-soled footwear for men, women, and children. ( April 2021) ( Learn how and when to remove this template message)įorty-seven-year-old Marquis Mills Converse, a manager at a footwear manufacturing firm, opened the Converse Rubber Shoe Company in February 1908 in Malden, Massachusetts. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources.
This section needs additional citations for verification. Converse shoes are distinguished by a number of features, including the company's star insignia, the All Star's rubber sole, smooth rounded toe, and wrap-around strip.Īs of 2019, Converse sold products through 109 company-owned retail stores in the United States and 63 stores in international markets. Converse frequently collaborates on special edition product releases with other brands such as John Varvatos. Today the company's portfolio include products under the Converse, Cons, Chuck Taylor All-Star ("Chucks"), Jack Purcell, One Star, and Star Chevron trademarks. From the 1970s, the company lost its dominant position as competitors presented their own styles. It was one of the few producers of athletic shoes and for over a half century the company dominated the American athletic shoe market. ĭuring World War II, Converse shifted its manufacturing to make footwear for the military. Founded in 1908, it has been a subsidiary of Nike, Inc. Converse ( / ˈ k ɒ n v ər s/) is an American shoe company that designs, distributes, and licenses sneakers, skating shoes, lifestyle brand footwear, apparel, and accessories.