Tuesday, August 12, 2008
This is the first of another regular M13 blog feature, Tuesday Reviews, where we offer totally subjective, biased, one-sided looks at various consumable items. Food, books, music, magazines, gear, tech toys and whatever else strikes our fancy. Enjoy!
Before they became a countercultural icon, footwear's symbolic answer to the leather jacket, Converse Chuck Taylors were for several decades the high performance shoe of choice for hoopsters. Originally released in 1917, the All Star gained widespread popularity when a young fan, Chuck Taylor, came on board and suggested various improvements, including the ankle patch for better support (!), which by 1923 bore his signature.
With a design that hasn't observably changed in over 80 years, the main appeal of Chucks today lies in their classic authenticity. When you wear Chucks, you're saying "I don't care about fashion or trends," which, of course, is nonsense. No matter, any fashion statement that involves original, gimmick-free products is OK by us.
Fun facts!
- Chucks are now produced by Nike, which purchased the bankrupt brand in 2003.
- A few famous wearers of Chucks in history: Jackson Pollack, John Belushi, JFK, Kurt Cobain.
*Info for this post was ripped from Buying In by Rob Walker, Consumed columnist for New York Times Magazine and Murketing blogger. An excellent book by a great thinker on consumer culture. Pick it up!
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Tuesday Reviews - Converse "Chuck Taylor" All Stars
posted by M13 on Tuesday, August 12, 2008