Converse has been around more than 100 years. Although most of its customers and most passionate fans are teenagers or people in their 20s, the Converse brand is worn by and loved generation after generation of American youth and teenagers. In the minds of many, the company is synonymous with everything American. This includes apple pie, the stars and stripes and even the flag.
Converse was founded by a man with the same surname. Contrary to popular belief, this is not merely because the name sounds cool or fits in well. It also describes the whole ethos of the company. Marquis Mills Converse was an individual who quit his job as a high-ranking manager in a shoe manufacturing company in his late 30s to start a new company.
In order to achieve this, he founded the Converse Rubber Shoe Company at Malden in Massachusetts. It was just one year before the First World War. The company began manufacturing nearly four thousand pairs per day of Converse shoes for women, men and children. However, it wasn’t until a few more years that the first Converse Trainers appeared. The Converse Company began manufacturing trainers in 1915. A young basketball player named Chuck Taylor wore these trainers because they were comfortable.
Chuck Taylor loved the Converse shoes he wore so much that he went back to company with suggestions on how they could be improved. This gave rise to what is now known as the Converse Chuck Taylor All Star. The shoes became an instant success when he began working as both a salesman as well as a brand ambassador for the company. Chuck Taylor suggested the star patch, which was later adorned with his signature. Converse Trainers still carry this patch today.
Converse shoes are very popular among youths for two reasons. First, they are made of a simple and sturdy construction. They also provide comfort which is why Chuck Taylor started wearing them. Converse Trainers are also very affordable, just like the rest Converse range. This has allowed most people to purchase many pairs and given rise to an industry that specializes on customizing Converse Shoes with paints and colours to increase their style and trendy quotient.
