“Love, Chuck” Is An Ode to the OG Sole-Mate
Close your eyes for one second and picture the perfect sneaker. What does it look like? Chances are, it was probably Converse’s Chuck Taylor All Star.
Beginning in the arena, with the sneaker wooing NBA players and Olympians from the jump, the Converse craze couldn’t be contained only to the court. Before long, the sports staple enamored legendary heartthrobs Elvis Presley and James Dean as their esteemed stamp of approval helped raise the shoe’s coveted cool factor. Grunge and punk pioneers like Kurt Cobain and Patti Smith were the next to fall under the Chuck Taylor spell, transforming the shoe into a counterculture staple.
The 2000s ushered in the era of wearing Converse on the red carpet, while a succession of grailed collabs and captivating celeb takeovers have defined the last decade. Through it all, the sneaker’s timeless look has remained unchanged, a testament to the staying power of the original design.
From your great-grandparents to Gen Alpha, the iconic shoe has stolen hearts for over a century. And with its latest “Love, Chuck” platform, the footwear company responsible for decades of style assures us the feeling is mutual.
Acting both as a love letter to our cherished Chucks and an ode to its inspiring wearers, this endearing effusion is the kind of love we could all use right about now. Fronting the Chucks-centric showcasing is the latest cohort of creatives who’ve found their sole-mate in the classic Converse silhouette, with big names Charli XCX, Tyler, the Creator, and Vince Staples leading the pack.
“Love, Chuck” spotlights how the shoe is an effortless part of each featured figure's ensemble, whether they’re tearing up a stage or strolling down the street. (Or, in Charli’s case, casually lounging in a bathtub—very brat!) Comfortable to wear and versatile enough to dress up or down, the Chuck Taylor is a prime example of kicks that’ll go the distance with you.
They’re not just for artists, though. Athletes are in the mix, too, in a nod to the sportswear roots of the Chuck Taylor shoe. Joining the cast of cultural powerhouses are skateboarders Zion Effs, Louie Lopez, and Alexis Sablone, along with Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (who dropped his first signature shoe with the brand last month). Each innovator rocks a different pair of All Stars, styling their Chucks to match their unique aesthetic and daily rhythms. Narrated by Tyler, a seasoned Converse veteran himself, the campaign channels the OG canvas sneaker’s distinctive spirit of self-expression (“If you make something and you like it…that’s all that matters.”).
Consider it the unofficial ethos of Chucks: it’s up to us wearers to do what we love, wear what we love, and lift each other up in the process. So, as Tyler states, “Go do that.”
Discover more at converse.com.
