The Converse brand of athletic shoes first gained fame with its Converse All-Star high-topped canvas basketball shoes. Widely known simply as “Chuck Taylors”, after the basketball star who first endorsed them in 1921, they are still the footwear of choice not only for serious basketball players but also anyone wanting a hip, comfortable, casual shoe. Now, Converse offers a wide range of lace-up and slip-on styles for men and women in a dazzling array of hip materials, colors, and patterns.

Shoemaker Marquis Converse opened the Converse Rubber Shoe Company in Malden, Massachusetts, in 1908, dedicated to manufacturing waterproof winterized footwear. Seven years later, the company expanded its line to include tennis shoes before expanding to basketball shoes. The company’s purchase by Nike in 2003, led to the introduction of more sleek, modern styles such as The Weapon, which have been seen on the feet of no less a star than Kobe Bryant.