Can you believe that Converse Chuck Taylor All-Stars have been around for more than 100 years ago? The original Chuck Taylors were released by Converse in 1917, and they continue to be popular in this day and age.
The Chuck Taylor shoes that people wear today, though, are not like the Converse Chuck Taylors that were worn all the way back then. Like most other Converse shoes, the Chuck Taylor model has evolved quite a bit over the years.
If you’re a big fan of Chuck Taylors, you should get to know a little bit more about the evolution of this classic sneaker. It’ll provide you with a newfound appreciation for what Chuck Taylors bring to the table.
We’re going to take a trip down memory lane and walk you through the evolution of Chuck Taylors. Check it out below.
1917: The First Converse All-Stars Are Introduced
As we just alluded to, there isn’t anything particularly new about Converse Chuck Taylors. The first “Chucks” came out in 1917. They were one of the first basketball sneakers ever produced.
Chuck Taylors were actually in development for quite some time. The Converse Rubber Shoe Company, first founded by Marquis Mills Converse, was established back in 1908.
Chuck Taylors featured a canvas upper and a rubber sole. Although the design for the sneaker was pretty simple and straightforward, it would eventually prove to be ahead of its time.
1921: Charles “Chuck” Taylor Helps Converse Sell Their Signature Sneaker
At the very beginning, Chuck Taylors weren’t actually called Chuck Taylors. They didn’t earn this nickname until a semi-professional basketball player named—you guessed it!—Charles “Chuck” Taylor got involved with them.
Chuck Taylor worked for Converse as a salesperson, and he also made some suggestions on how to improve Chuck Taylors to make them better. These suggestions led to Chuck Taylors becoming more supportive sneakers with more flexibility.
Chuck Taylor’s suggestions also led to the now-iconic ankle patch on Chuck Taylors being added to the mix. It was one of the things that was designed to help provide those who wore Chuck Taylors with additional ankle support.
Thanks to Taylor’s involvement in the development of Converse’s first sneaker, he was named the first official celebrity endorser for a basketball sneaker.
1926: Taylor Takes Converse Chuck Taylors Far and Wide
While getting Taylor to help promote the Chuck Taylor sneakers was a win for Converse, it didn’t automatically lead to success for the shoe. It took some time for the momentum to build up behind Chuck Taylors.
Taylor himself played a part in this by hitting the road and holding basketball clinics in high school gyms, YMCAs, etc. to promote his Chuck Taylors. He also launched a traveling basketball team called the Converse All-Stars that was based in Chicago but went all around the country marketing Chuck Taylors.
1936: Converse Chuck Taylors Become a Huge Hit Among Olympians
Throughout the late 1920s and early 1930s, Converse Chuck Taylors caught on among professional basketball players. Many of them chose to wear these sneakers on the court while they played.
But Converse got its biggest break yet in 1936 when many Olympic athletes decided to begin wearing Chuck Taylors during the Olympic Games. This would continue all the way up through the 1960s.
1950s and 1960s: Converse Chuck Taylors Put the Basketball World in a Headlock
For the first 30 years or so, professional athletes were some of the only people who really wore Converse Chuck Taylors. But in the 1950s and 1960s, many high school and college basketball players started to wear them, too.
At one point, it was difficult to find basketball players at any level who weren’t wearing Chuck Taylors. They became popular among basketball players who appreciated everything that Chuck Taylors had to offer.
1970s: Converse Chuck Taylors Begin to Become a Little Less Popular
As Converse headed into the 1970s, the company looked like a force to be reckoned with. There weren’t any other sneaker companies producing basketball sneakers like they were.
But at around this time, a lot of pro basketball players started transitioning to wearing sneakers with leather uppers and rubber soles that were harder than the ones on Chuck Taylors. It led to a decline in popularity for Chuck Taylors.
A few NBA players, like Wayne “Tree” Rollins continued wearing Chuck Taylors into the 1980s. But once the 1980s hit, many players started wearing basketball sneakers made by other sneaker companies like Nike and Reebok.
1990s: People Start Wearing Converse Chuck Taylors Away From the Basketball Court
Converse Chuck Taylors were almost always viewed as basketball sneakers by the general public. But in the 1990s, that all started to change.
Many people started wearing Chuck Taylors off the basketball court. It wasn’t out of the ordinary to see artists, musicians, and more wearing them. Chuck Taylors turned into casual shoes that anyone could pull off. This continued well into the 2000s.
2015: Converse Switches Things Up With the Chuck Taylor All-Star II
It took Converse almost a full century to come out with a sequel for their Chuck Taylors. But they finally pulled the trigger on it in 2015 by launching the Converse Chuck Taylor All-Star II.
By this time, Nike purchased Converse, which allowed Converse designers to incorporate Nike technology like Lunarlon into the mix. Designers also worked many other modern materials into the plans for the Chuck Taylor All-Star II.
Today, both the original Chuck Taylor and the Chuck Taylor II remain popular among sneakerheads. You can buy Converse shoes here if you’re interested in seeing what Chuck Taylors have become.
Pick Up a New Pair of Chuck Taylors Today
There is no denying that Converse Chuck Taylors have come a long way since 1917. They’re much different sneakers today than they were back then.
But the heart and soul of the original Chuck Taylors still remain. They continue to make Chuck Taylors some of the best sneakers ever produced, and they pretty much guarantee that Chuck Taylors will remain popular for at least another 100 years.
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