Gone in 43 seconds: why anti-fashion Converse are the fastest-selling sneakers in the world
telegraph.co.ukKamala Harris wore them on the cover of Vogue. If you wander down your street, the chances are high that you’ll see someone wearing them before you’ve even reached the coffee shop.
Whether you call yours Chuck Taylors, All Stars or Chucks, Converse is the sneaker that ate the world, a style staple of men, women and children’s wardrobes alike, which in its 114th year remains in ruder health than almost any other centenarian fashion brand, with a pair estimated to be sold every 43 seconds.That Converse was never meant to be a fashion brand is a large part of its appeal, and never more so than in the era of the vainglorious, extortionately priced designer trainer.
Launched in Massachusetts by Marquis Mills Converse in 1908 as a football and netball shoe, in 1917 the company designed the forerunner of the modern All Star sneaker, marketed under the name “Non-Skids” on account of its rubber sole.
In 1921, semi-professional basketball player Charles ‘Chuck” Taylor joined the company, his input leading to improved flexibility and ankle support, as well as its use as a basketball shoe.
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