Converse’s tribute to L.A. style
Over its 100-plus years of existence, the Converse Chuck Taylor sneaker has remained instantly recognizable, even as collaborative partners over the seasons — Missoni, the Gap and Nintendo among them — have come and gone, each imprinting its own identity on the stitched canvas upper.
Los Angeles is a lot like that too, with street scenes and cityscapes that endure even as those that give the city its texture and vibrancy move through.
It seems only fitting, then, that the Nikeowned Converse brand has paid homage to the City of Angels as of late, rolling out collaborations and forging partnerships with local streetwear brands, sports teams and a tattoo artist to the stars.
“Los Angeles is a style-driven city, unique to itself, and there is nowhere in the world like it,” said Paul Mittleman, vice president and creative director at Converse. “It’s glitzy in some parts and gritty in others. Youth culture is at home here, and we wanted to tell this story through four different lenses.”
Mittleman was speaking specifically about collaborations with four influential streetwear brands: Babylon LA, Rokit, RSVP Gallery and Clot, each of which created its own iterations of the Chuck 70, Fastbreak and One Star Court Classic sneakers and accompanying apparel, guided by a basic black-and-white color palette to which they could add an additional pop of color. The result launched around the world last month, with apparel prices starting at $45 and footwear priced at either $110 or $120.
For Babylon LA co-founder Lee Spielman, it was about bringing what he called a “technical spin on classics” to the iconic brand. On the Fast Break high top, he used a reflective silver fabric alongside off-white suede, and added the same touches to a collection of basketball shorts, hoodies and jerseys “so they catch the sun when you move around,” he said.
Edison Chen, co-founder of Clot, said he was “humbled at being allowed to represent” given that he is originally from Hong Kong, he said the themes within the L.A. Pack “resonated within our internal DNA.”
“Clot has always had the mission to bridge fashion and culture between the East and West, and this collaboration showcases L.A. culture and my move to L.A. 10 years ago,” he said. His favorite piece from the collaboration is a Chuck 70 with a knit upper and leather accents.
But Converse’s aesthetic nods to L.A. are, like the city itself, about more than just streetwear. The label’s ongoing collaboration with the NBA has nods to the Lakers and the Clippers that include Chuck 70s served up in each team’s colors with the coordinates of Staples Center ($125 each at www.converse.com).
And for those whose love of Los Angeles runs more than skin deep, born-and-raised Angeleno and tattoo artist Brian Woo, a.k.a. Dr. Woo, created three styles of limited-edition Chuck 70s covered in needlework spiders and laser-engraved spiderwebs.
Mittleman said he’s happy the collaborations open a portal to local street culture — and the world’s understanding of it. “L.A. is different now from what it was historically,” he said. “It’s massive in terms of its importance in the world. And these designers have each told their own story of L.A. for people who may have a hard time otherwise understanding it.” image@latimes.com