The Beginning 1908-1917

It’s safe to say that Converse All-Stars are one of the world’s (and our) all-time favourite sneakers. Instantly recognisable and without a doubt iconic, we’re willing to bet that at some point in your life you’ve laced up a pair. These shoes are probably the most versatile footwear from the entire last century, so we thought we'd tell you a thing or two about them. Step into our style Tardis and we’ll take you back to 1908. The Converse Rubber Shoe Company was producing galoshes from its Massachusetts factory. A far cry from the super-cool sneakers we know today, these were a type of rubber boot that slipped on over your regular shoes to keep them dry. Imagine what would happen if you crossed a welly and a giant rubber sock and you'll start to get an idea of what they might have looked like. We don't have anything particular against galoshes, and there are certainly a few days in Manchester when it might be handy to have a pair stashed in our bags, but the man in charge, Marquis Mills Converse came to his senses in 1917 and started using the rubber to make sneakers. The prequel to the All Star shoe that we know today had rubber soles and canvas uppers. They were designed to be high performance basketball shoes and were named "Non-Skids".  

But who the heck is Chuck Taylor? 1917-1949

In 1923, an American basketball player, Charles ‘Chuck’ Taylor joined a team that was sponsored by Converse; the aptly named ‘Converse All Stars’. Basketball player, turned salesman, Chuck taught high school children all over America to shoot hoops, selling basketball shoes to their parents as he went. A man of many talents, he made improvements to the design of the shoes, to make them more flexible and supportive. He also incorporated a patch to protect the ankle. Converse got their major break when basketball was included in the 1936 Olympics. Thanks to the worldwide publicity, word of the new sports shoes spread like wildfire. They were even worn by soldiers for training sessions during World War II. Of course the troops needed to protect their toes, which is where the reinforced rubber toe guard came from.  

Rockers and rebels of the underground unite 1949-2003

It wasn’t until the '50's that Chucks made the leap from athletic and utilitarian wear to alternative fashion. The classic black and white version was too cool for school, and soon became a wardrobe staple for every self-respecting young rocker. James Dean cemented their status, when he was photographed wearing his – and that was that. There was no point in being a Rebel Without a Cause if you were a rebel without your Converse. When Chuck Taylor sadly passed away in 1969, All-Stars lost their footing in the sports shoe world. Their simplicity, and their very flat soles, meant they couldn’t keep up with other sports brands. But, it wasn’t all bad news. Whilst the jocks were jumping ship, quite the opposite was happening amongst those who didn’t play sports. In 1971, just in time for the hippie movement, Converse unveiled coloured versions of the shoe. The first colours available were green, orange, red, blue, light blue and believe it or not, gold. The new range of bright, fun hues was a hit with youngsters, and the brand was soon dominating another market; kids’ Converse became a firm favourite in elementary schools across the USA. In the '70's, '80's and '90's the world went Converse-crazy. It seemed that every anti-establishment, counterculture icon was wearing them; from punk band The Ramones to hip-hop legend Ice Cube. These were the shoes for rockers and rebels – the only way to show that you were bang on trend and super stylish but didn’t give a damn about it. In a way, these shoes were an equaliser – they united many subcultures, showing that no matter what your cause, we all tread common ground. Walking a mile in someone else’s shoes became much easier because they were exactly the same as yours.  

Riding the wave of noughties hipster fashion 2003 - NOW

Despite being a bona fide emblem of the underground, in 2003 Converse nearly went bankrupt. No one has really worked out why – yes, the shoes were cheap but popular enough so that a nosedive for bankruptcy should never have been on the cards. While the more die-hard fans might have disapproved, Converse was sold to Nike for an unholy sum of money. Or $305million to be exact. After Nike’s acquisition, the brand was unstoppable. Thanks to a formidable marketing team armed with a mighty budget, Converse’s popularity exploded once more. The shoes were worn and loved by many, and gallantly rode atop the wave of style that washed the world; powered by a combination of influential pop culture, typically laid-back noughties fashion and the cultural revolution of the hipster. Today, more than 550 million pairs of Converse Chuck Taylor All Stars have been made and sold worldwide. Rumour has it there’s a pair sold every 43 seconds. With Men's, Ladies', and Kids’ styles available at Jake Shoes, it must surely be time to add another pair to your own collection.  

So where does Converse One Star fit in to all this?

The first One Star Converse was released in 1974. Made from suede and with a low top, the shoe was branded with a single five-point white star. The star looked like it had been cut out of the canvas to reveal white fabric underneath and was outlined with white stitching. In the 1990s the One Star trainer found its way out of the basketball realm and on to the surf, skate and grunge scene. In February 2018 Converse launched a brand new collection of Converse One Star, with colour and design variations on the classic shoe. The retro look of the One Star style is still popular amongst skater boys and girls today. Shop our full collection of Men's, Ladies', and Kids' Converse in store and online and make your own American dreams come true.