Converse with the model Chuck Taylor was founded in 1908 in the USA, to be precise in Malden. A true bit of American history can be found in the Converse story. Converse is particularly characterised by basket ball – but by other types of sports too where the label could be and is found. The "Chuck" (invented in 1923) was sold over 750 million times throughout the world – a true highlight!

Who wears Chuck Taylors?

A short history of Converse All Star Chucks.

1908

The Converse Rubber Corporation was set up, a time when basketball was well on its way to becoming one of the most popular sports in America. Of course Converse immediately put itself to designing a shoe people could also wear when playing basketball.

1917

After plenty of research and development work the very first shoe was launched, in which basketball could also be played, a sport that was becoming ever more popular in the States. It only came in black! and was the first sneaker to go into mass production in North America. It had a very thick rubber sole, the covering all the way over the ankle was of canvass. Despite all the research that went into the shoe it did not, at the start, make it really popular, especially not among the target group, the basket players.

1921

Not until, as the story goes, a young man walked into the Converse Chicago sales offices one day complaining of sore feet. He begged and persuaded the Marquis Convrese, the founder of the company, to design a shoe especially for basketball.
This young man was Charles "Chuck" H. Taylor! A player of Akron Firestones. He not only liked the Converse shoes, he was so convinced of them that he joined the sales force and propagated them and the basket ball game itself, for which he was called the "Ambassador to Basketball" all across America - after all, he knew many players himself. He not only promoted the shoe, but also made important changes to it.

1923

Finally the All Star basketball shoe was born! "Chuck Taylor" was added to its trademark, the five-pronged star ankle patch as thank you for his promotion work - the launch of the All Star basketball shoe. His name has been adorning the Converse basketball shoe ever since, adorning a shoe that has sold most in history (since its launch in 1931 more than 600 million pairs have been sold!).
At that time the "Chucks" were only available in high or low canvas, in either black or white. Today 25 different colours, shapes and sizes are on the market.

1936 - 1968

The Chuck Taylor "All Star" became the official basketball shoe of the Olympic Games as was the case in the last Olympic Games in Athens too.

World War II

Chuck Taylor was the fitness consultant to the United States Armed Forces. The All Star "Chuck Taylor" went off to war as the GI's did their exercises in the white high top chucks, the "official" sneaker of the United States Armed Forces.
After the war, the teams were clamouring for more colour, they died their white shoes or adorned them with colourful laces.

1958

Chuck Taylor was the second living person to receive the honour of being enshrined at the Sporting Goods Industry Hall of Fame .

1966

The Converse Corporation, to meet the need for more glamour, started producing a variety of colours in addition to the traditional black and white.

1968

Chuck Taylor dies.

The popularity of "Chuck Taylor" sneakers continues to live on despite of all the innovations and changes in the athletic shoe industry. Converse All Star "Chuck Taylor" sneakers are ninety years old and still going strong today and some 30'000 pairs of high top chucks are still sold each week worldwide.
In the 1970s leather uppers were added and in the 1980s a number of other high-tech innovations emerged.