Future nostalgia: Converse revamps its classic styles for a whole new world

Converse is adding revamped Chuck Taylors and Weapons to its innovative CX line, alongside one brand new futuristic model

22June 2021

It wasn’t Vice President Kamala Harris’ choice of shoe that won the Democrats the US election last year, but it certainly played a part. Yes, there was the odd heel for a spangly TV appearance, and a sensible wedge here and there, but for the vast majority of Joe Biden’s 2020 presidential campaign, Harris was rarely seen without a trusty pair of Converse. It was a sartorial detail that was as practical as it was political. Eschewing the traditional dress code for female politicians (think Nancy Pelosi’s stilettos or Theresa May’s kitten heels), Harris’ Chucks were taken to signify two things. Firstly, that she was ready to get her hands dirty and secondly, that she was just like you.

Since their inception in the early 20th century, Converse sneakers have shapeshifted throughout culture, beloved by 50s heart-throbs, 80s basketballers, 90s grunge icons, and now, 21st century politicians, alike. As such, the power of the Converse is that they belong to everybody, and absolutely nobody in particular. This everyman, universal nature, is inherent to their appeal. On Harris, therefore, Converse became a conscious marker of authenticity – a levelling of the politician and the public. That’s not to say the shoe is, in any way, derivative, though. If anything, counter culture and Converse have been longtime bedfellows.

Today, Converse has carried that renegade attitude through to its avant garde, fashion forward, partnerships – particularly its chunky JW Anderson capsules, or more recent collaborations with Rick Owens, Comme des Garçons, and A-COLD-WALL*. Just last year, the brand debuted its CX collection, arguably its most visually striking to date, with gargantuan, gooey soles and snug, techy cushioning. It’s all about taking those classic Converse styles and pushing at the borders of style and comfort. Now, Converse are dropping three new CX styles, “the next chapter in comfort and self-expression,” as they put it. See what’s in store below.

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Courtesy of Converse

Aeon Active CX

The Aeon Active is Converse’s all new style, although it looks like nothing the brand has ever produced before. A futuristic, lilac, slip-on, it’s what would happen if a Parma Violet was cooked up in a NASA lab. With its pill-like silhouette, the Aeon Active has been forged from a new kind of stretch bootie construction, designed to provide all day comfort. “It can be a polarizing silhouette”, says Phil Russo, VP of design and innovation, “and I feel that's good. It's emotional in that way. It moves people and it's unexpected from Converse in terms of design language.” A-COLD-WALL*’s Samuel Ross took to Instagram this week to unveil his alien collaboration of the style, due to drop later this year.

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Courtesy of Converse

Weapon CX

Converse’s CX line revolves around three core tenets: fit, ride, and stride. Core to each new style is the label’s patented CX foam, which has been used specifically to enhance comfort and adapt to the contours of the foot. The Weapon, which was Converse’s classic 80s basketball shoe, has been subtly revamped for a hybrid sport-style functionality. “With the Weapon, the teams pushed on proportion. They've created a different stance. They're using a totally new last. The toe down is different. There's definitely something that is familiar in the legacy of this shoe, but it is progressive, different, bolder,” says Brandis Russell, VP of footwear design.

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Courtesy of Converse

Run Star Motion CX

Converse’s classic Chuck Taylor All Star has, of course, got an upgrade within the new CX collection, too. Complete with a meandering, chunky, sole, it’s as if the label’s design vocabulary has been put into overdrive, or a hall of mirrors, perhaps. The resulting style is one which pushes on fashionability while retaining a vague sense of nostalgia, not to mention all the cultural cachet which comes with that OG Converse shoe. Tech wise, there is plenty of CX cushioning, alongside a brand new stretch canvas, too. But it’s really about the emotional update, here, imbuing the shoe with new cultural associations – something Russell describes as “future familiar”.

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