Converse Shapes Collection

Specs

Fabric Blend: 50% recycled cotton, 50% virgin cotton

Details: Fabric panels are cut to reduce waste

Sizes: I, II, II, IIII $25-$75

The fashion industry plays a major role in perpetuating a binary system of gender. Clothes are divided into men’s and women’s designs, a process that not only separates but also assigns genders to inanimate objects, thereby excluding countless people in the LGBTQIA+ community who don’t identify as one or the other. Though major brands like Gucci try to be inclusive by blurring the lines of traditional gender norms, collections are still split along binary lines.

Converse acknowledges that many people don’t identify as a man or a woman, but everyone does have a physical body. In traditional sizing, there are 14 sizes across men’s and women’s, but the brand’s Shapes collection simplifies things by using just four sizes, labeled as I, II, III, and IIII, completely shedding the binary gender division. It also removes the stigma associated with letter sizing, helping to promote body positivity. Each garment is cleverly cut with hidden gussets and seams throughout to allow the wearer to choose their size based on their body and style, with silhouettes ranging from relaxed to super slim.

As a collection of basics, Shapes isn’t especially flashy, but it is forward-thinking in how it balances inclusion and simplicity. The collection manages to account for countless body types and multiple gender identities within just four sizes, creating a new sizing system along the way. It addresses body positivity and individuality, too. Though it’s difficult to tell how much further Converse’s new system will go, it could end up as the industry standard, just like the Chuck Taylor.