Converse

When we say we’re a brand for and of creators, we mean it. Last week, we got into the holiday spirit at our headquarters in Boston with the annual Lovejoy Market, where some of our teammates showcased their creativity by sharing and selling their personal creations. From vibrant waxed canvas pouches to hand-crafted jewelry, crocheted baskets, upcycled art pieces and more, the market showcased 20 of our Converse creators and offered our teammates a chance to take care of their holiday shopping and toast to 2024. Thank you to all our artists who came out and shared their amazing creations, and the planning team for bringing this moment to life. We’re looking forward to a 2025 filled with more creativity and much Love + Joy! A few of our amazing creators pictured here: Gregory Woods II, MBA, Sharon Baranov, and Tianna-Alysse Rivera.

It’s not your average logo. In one of his first acts as Creative Director for Converse Basketball, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander collaborated with the team on his newly released signature logo.     The distinct emblem takes inspiration from a design Shai hand-sketched. “I wanted the logo to embody the difference in my ‘on-the-court’ and ‘off-the-court’ personas,” he explains. “One that doesn’t necessarily follow a guideline or formula but that reflects who I am both as an athlete and a person. The ‘2’ in the logo not only signifies my jersey number but also this duality, which is why there are two number 2s.”     If you missed the reveal, the logo debuted yesterday right in Toronto — just around the corner from Shai’s hometown — ahead of the Raptors vs. Thunder game. 

Think you’ve already seen all the Camp Flog Gnaw highlights? We’ve got one more for you — and it’s among our favorites: Camp Flog Gnaw Community Day, which we were proud to participate in alongside AEG and Goldenvoice.  The experience offered more than 65 Los Angeles youth and young adults a peek behind the festival’s curtain, exposing them to the various careers of those who helped bring CFG to life.  Youth participants from Boyle Heights Arts Conservatory, Las Fotos Project, Inner-City Arts, Homeboy Arts Academy, and Legacy LA heard from our CMO Rodney Rambo. They also interacted with members of the day’s Power of Partnerships panel, including our own Lindsay Almeida, before engaging in a speed mentoring session. Thank you to all the incredible participants, volunteers and organizers who brought this day into being, including Frankie Gonzalez, Catherine Lewis, Colin O'Connor, Jay Yeadon, Nicholas Acosta, Scott Mackey, Sergio Roballo, Suevia Greloni Pierri-Ellison, and Victoria Gillott.

Tyler, the Creator was there, 50,000 fans were there, and so were we. Last weekend, Converse teammates descended upon Camp Flog Gnaw, Tyler, The Creator’s music festival and carnival, to document the moment and get in on the action.     Our social team — we’re looking at you Kelly Kinton and Madeleine Allen — kept cameras rolling and even captured a drone shot to provide a virtual all-access pass to CFG’s happenings: Think headline performances, BTS with Alistair Chevalier, and this year’s style vibes, which were heavily influenced by Converse.     At our pop-up spaces, guests found limited-edition designs and Converse icons. Our North America VP/GM Brandis Russell even worked the tents alongside our store teams and additional Retail, DC, and HQ teammates. They had the opportunity to attend the carnival to stretch their skills and gain insight into another side of the business (as well as catch the performances, of course). 

Being a brand of and for creators certainly has its perks! While on his Chromakopia pop-up tour, Tyler, The Creator stopped by HQ to play a surprise concert outside and chat with Lindsay Almeida and employees about his new album, Converse, his love for Chuck, and more.

While our just-dropped Converse By You x Billie Eilish collaboration lets fans customize their own unique pair of Chuck Taylor All Stars with lyrics, colors, graphics, and prints from her album ‘HIT ME HARD AND SOFT’ … bringing it into being was a team effort.      From Design to Global Sports & Entertainment Marketing to Social Media, team members from across Converse helped make it all happen, including graphic designer Ryan Skerry.      Ryan is the visual magician who stepped in once the collaborative design process with Billie was complete to translate her design choices and new product components from real life to the digital Converse by You customization builder. His mission? To ensure the Billie shoes of a fan's imagination are the ones that show up at their door.     For example, Billie’s signature “Blohsh” character embroidery and license plate, oversized and undersized lace selections, and soles printed with lyrics from the album are all new to Converse by You. Converting them to the digital realm required meticulous mechanics, and persistence. "The small stuff has to look perfect," Ryan explains. "The colors need to match just right, and the graphics and embroidery have to land on the shoes the way they’re supposed to — to make sure fans can select their assets and be happy with their ultimate product. It’s like a puzzle.”     Luckily Ryan’s well-versed in the challenge, since Converse by You updates its offerings every eight to 12 weeks to give consumers the freedom to create something wholly unique and of the moment. If you’re trying to design your own pair of the Converse By You x Billie Eilish collaboration, you only have until October 24. Get all the Converse By You details at www.converse.com/c/custom

"When you put a period on an idea, you’re not leaving space for the creativity to flow.” As our VP/GM of North America Brandis Russell reminded us this weekend — when she sat down with PLC Detroit president Dr. D'Wayne Edwards at the Black Footwear Forum — the best work comes out of the collective genius. Along with advocating for making space for young creators and replacing ego and fear with affirmation and care, she also encouraged women to “play big” — just some of the wisdom she’s gained over her career (which includes 20 years with Nike), that we get to benefit from every day.

We are a brand for and of creators — and the other week we took some time to celebrate the intersection by hosting The conVERSE in Boston, for our HQ employees. Some highlights … CONS riders Gavin Bottger, Bryce Wettstein, Zered Bassett, and Kevin Kowalski dominated a bespoke skate ramp that has since been donated to teens right in our backyard. Bryce then serenaded the crowd with her ukulele and an original song before the riders sat down with Celtics host Melisa Valdez (a.k.a. our MC for the day) to chat competition hacks and their favorite tricks. There was also plenty of action on the custom Converse basketball court, where employees competed in a wild of game of Around the World, while DJ Towfu spun tunes all afternoon long. Learn more about life and jobs and Converse at jobs.converse.com.

Behind every collaboration we do, there are Converse designers responsible for passing the partner’s vision through our heritage lens and managing product creation logistics, such as blueprint and pattern revisions. In the case of our recent Converse x Isabel Marant collection, one of those designers was Katie Blauer.    Katie helped design the first Converse internal wedge, the Platform Plus, back in 2012, which made her the perfect fit to join forces with the Converse Energy team in working with the French designer, who is widely credited for leading the sneaker wedge trend of the 2010s.    Together, Katie and the team took Isabel’s vision to give a legacy Converse shoe a signature Isabel Marant twist and turned it into a new silhouette: the Chuck 70 Wedge. They also translated Isabel’s eclectic aesthetic into a fresh take on the classic Chuck 70, allowing fans of either brand an introduction to the other.    And while Katie notes that the sneaker wedge silhouette is often either loved or hated, she believes this anti-conformist vibe makes it just right for us.

A huge shoutout to our teammates and athletes who brought their best game to Paris, inspiring us at every turn. Bryce Wettstein, Gavin Bottger, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, we’re looking at you! Plus, major props to CONS team rider Alexis Sablone for her incredible federation kit designs and leadership as women's skateboarding head coach. We couldn’t be prouder.