From Basketball Courts to Garage Bands to Art Studios, Converse Commemorates 100 Years of Being Worn by True Originals

In 2008, Converse Inc. will commemorate its centennial year as one of the world’s most coveted, iconic brands. From the invention of the All Star® shoe in 1917 to the African-American barnstorming teams of the 1920s and 1930s, to the birth of the NBA and rock ‘n’ roll to today’s pop culture, so many of those who have disrupted the status quo and changed history have worn Converse. The Converse centennial and stories of the true originals who’ve worn the brand will be told through product, advertising, retail displays and online components throughout the year.

“Converse is the footwear company that was first in sports and first in rock ‘n’ roll, and we will continue to be the brand that inspires originality for the next 100 years,” said Jack Boys, Converse CEO. “Converse has gained tremendous momentum with our recent resurgence in performance basketball. We evolved our footwear collaboration with John Varvatos, one of the world’s most renowned fashion designers, to launch Converse’s men’s and women’s premium apparel business called ‘Converse by John Varvatos’ in Fall 2006. And this year, we launched our long-term partnership with (PRODUCT) RED™ to help assist in the global emergency and epidemic of AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis in Africa. We are extremely proud of our heritage and excited about the momentum we have as we embark on our next 100 years.”

The year will be a celebration of the people who have made Converse the cultural icon it is today by incorporating original designs, product collaborations and re-issues of classic shoes into the Converse Century footwear collection. The collection, which will roll out throughout 2008, includes new variations on timeless classics and all-new product that blends modern design with Converse originality.

To read the rest of this article and view our image library with print quality downloads, click here: http://mnr.onthescene.com/converse/converse100.html

Contacts

Converse
Molly Carter, 312-558-3153
molly.carter@converse.com
or
Jason Thome, 646-563-7488
jason.thome@converse.com

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