Converse Introduces their New Design in 100 Years
In 1917, Converse released the Chuck Taylor All Star, which became an American design classic. All Star shoes were the main selling item for sales, having a revenue of $1.7 billion in 2014. However, the iconic shoe company has announced that they are revealing their new design, Chuck II as a sequel to the already infamous sneaker that everyone needs to have. When you look at the shoe at first glance, it doesn’t look like a new design though. However, designers have introduced a more premium, luxe look to the shoe if you look closely.
When comparing the two, Chuck II better stitching, along with better quality canvas. The biggest difference is that the sequel pair is supposed to be more comfortable for walking purposes. The footbed was updated to contain Lunarlon technology. Converse’s parent company, Nike, provided the footbed, making this the biggest change between the Chuck Taylor’s.
Almost 100 years old, Converse has been compared to none other than the iconic Coca-Cola, states Converse brand VP Geoff Cotrill, who was a exec at Coca-Cola. From a design perspective, the Chuck Taylor is as simple as could be, shoe wise. The authenticity and design simplicity is what attracts consumers, not wanting the brand to change the simple design. Their ultimate goal was to change everything, but nothing at the same time. Possible? Yes.
The iconic silhouette and shape of the shoe was untouched, making it still the same popular and well known shoe that it is today. As designers, brainstorming ideas and creating new designs for such a unchanged product is difficult. But, it’s what the consumers want that make it happen. We recently published an article on intellectual property law, discussing the Chuck Taylor design. To read it, please click here.
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