Converse Shoes still Captivate People's Imagination

Converse shoes have come a long way from their early days in Massachusetts, when they were produced at a rubber shoe-making company. From humble beginnings they have grown to be one of the world's most famous shoe brands, and have been worn by everyone from famous athletes, to musicians, to models.

Converse shoes became a household name in 1917, when they introduced the All Star basketball shoes. In 1921, basketball player Chuck Taylor joined the company, and grew the brand until 1968, seeing Converse shoes become the largest sneaker manufacturer in the US with a market share of over 80%.

In the 70's, the popularity of Converse shoes among athletes began to decline, as some of the bigger footwear names came onto the scene. However, Converse didn't simply disappear from the spotlight. As their popularity as sports shoes waned, people from all walks of life began to buy Converse shoes for everyday use.

While the Chuck Taylor 'All Star' basketball shoes remain the bestselling style of Converse shoes, three other sneakers that have taken the market by storm over the years include:

*Converse Jack Purcells: Jack Purcell was a former world badminton champion who designed a rubber badminton sneaker for the B.F. Goodrich Company of Canada in 1935. This Converse shoe was designed to provide support for feet on the badminton court.

*Converse By John Varvatos: Varvatos is a menswear designer who is known for his high fashion suits and jackets. He worked with Converse to create a new line of high-end Converse All-Star shoes in 2001. They were an instant success, and Converse continues to work with Varvatos to design designer sneakers.

*Converse One Star: Another modern Converse shoe was produced in 2008, when the brand joined forces with Target to produce the One Star line. The shoes sold extremely well, which led to the production of One Star apparel.

Things may have changed over the 100 years that this iconic brand has been around, but even as styles and customer preferences have changed over time, Converse shoes have never lost their popularity or their strong hold on the footwear market.

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