Converse has announced its latest footwear collaboration and this time, it isn’t with a clothing company or athlete, but rather with a rock band.
Converse is teaming up with Brit rockers Gorillaz on a limited-edition version of the brand’s iconic Chuck Taylor sneaker, to launch this spring. The sneaker takes the signature Chuck Taylor silhouette and mashes it with the band’s legendary graphic images, created by designer and Gorillaz co-creator Jamie Hewlett. The exclusive prints mix elements from the band’s diverse backgrounds and unique influences to create a one-of-a-kind collection.
The partnership with Gorillaz will also include a Converse “Three Artists. One Song” music collaboration that will coincide with the launch of the collection. The band, which celebrates the 10th anniversary of its debut album this year (album cover pictured at right), says working with Converse was a natural fit for them, as they wear the sneakers all the time on stage. But they also welcomed the collaboration as an extension of their creative outlet.
The Converse x Gorillaz collection will feature four different looks inspired by the band. The military inspired camouflage print, taken from the cover of their self-titled debut, is the signature design for the collection and the first look to be released. The full collection will be revealed in February 2012 and available nationwide and globally at select retail stores and online at www.converse.com. Will you be checking it out?
Ladies and gentlemen, allow us to present to you two very different and unique pairs of sneakers up for comment (and available for sale in stores) this week.
The first, is Converse’s latest sneaker collaboration with Missoni. For fall 2010, they’ve re-worked the iconic Chuck Taylor All Star into an elegant black, grey and cream creation. The shoe — which pairs perfectly with a trim black suit or basic T-shirt and jeans — features an upper made from signature Missoni zig-zag printed fabric, and a rusted red tongue and logo patch made from a super soft and moldable leather. The thick, white rubber sole keeps it classic Converse and fresh for fall. Two different patterns will be released for the collabration, with both featuring the Missoni logo embossed on the tongue. The Converse x Missoni sneakers are available at boutiques like Aloha Rag, Jeffrey’s and Missoni and retail for $200.
Scott is no stranger to whimsical (and head-scratching?) mashups when it comes to footwear. He famously created a pair of Mickey Mouse basketball sneakers for Adidas earlier this year. This time, he’s wrapped an Adidas hi-top in a pink fur-like material, with an actual stuffed teddy bear’s head sitting on the tongue and its arms wrapped around the ankle. It’s like those fluffy animal slippers you get at Christmastime re-imagined for the street. The sneakers come in a cotton candy pink and a more subtle (well, as subtle as you can get with these kicks) shade of brown. The shoes make look silly and laughable, but they just came out this week and they’re already selling out in stores and on eBay, proving that once again, it seems that Jeremy Scott always gets the last laugh.
As signs of spring begin to show, thoughts of sunshine, bike-riding and short sleeves start to take over. And let’s be honest: getting that new “spring” ensemble feels pretty amazing. There’s lots of variations on the warm-weather outfit. But a great pair of sneakers will always be a constant. Lucky for the discerning sneaker-wearer, Converse has teamed up with one of the most iconic music acts in Rock & Roll history: Blondie.
Debbie Harry, the band’s infamous bombshell singer, has lent her image to the new Spring 2010 collection of Chuck Taylor All Star shoes (in stores now). Think classic “Chucks” with an 80s rock and roll twist. The sneakers come in both hi-tops and low-tops and are adorned with animal prints and the band’s album art, among other recognizable designs. Picture a little piece of pop culture history mounted to a rubber sole. It’s musical icon meets footwear icon, wrapped up in this perfect warm weather shoe. For availability and sizes visit converse.com and your local Converse retailers.
Her 20-letter name (it’s Russian) may catch you off-guard at first, but that’s not the only way Elizaveta Khripounova is capturing attention. Born in New York (where her parents were stationed at the United Nations) but raised in Moscow, Khripounova is now making waves across America with her music — a unique brand of jazzy pop, rock and even a touch of opera. Her voice recalls a young Norah Jones, while her earnest lyrics perfectly capture the angst and fragility of growing up. We gave the young singer 200 words to tell us about herself and asked her to snap a self-portrait on her digital camera. Here are the results:
I am a hybrid of cultures, musically and otherwise. The Russian part of me is always very strong, in the sense that I feel things rather deeply, and I write music from that place. I also love to combine genres and I am finally in a place, creatively, where I follow my muse rather than limit myself to what’s expected or being done. That’s how recently I found myself combining my opera training with my pop songwriting. I find it exciting that the music industry has had to undergo this complete and utter transformation nowadays and I am here in the right place and at the right time to take advantage of the opportunities. I can do what I want and present my work to the world almost instantly, as well as pursue a number of different musical projects at the same time which can feed off of each other creatively. I also write poetry, have played piano since I was very small, and now I am also exploring guitar and cello. What I want to do is keep combining musical components and create a mix of the best of both worlds, where I have a classic sort of sensibility-meets-technology, but in an organic sort of way.
Khripounova’s latest release is called “You Said No to Prom”. The track is available as a free download at Converse.com. In the meantime, check out the video below and find out more about Khripounova at elizaveta.net
