"Messing with a classic is tricky business. On the one hand, you don't want something to stagnate. Then again, if you go too far afield, you won't just piss off the puristsyou might also kill what made something great in the first place. And when the classic in question is the Converse Chuck Taylormore than a century old and arguably the most iconic sneaker of all timewell, things get even trickier."
"Working on a shoe like the Chuck Taylor is both a gift and a challenge, says Alex Restivo, Special Projects Footwear & Apparel Product Director at Converse. Restivo knows full well that any updates are liable to be met with scrutiny, criticism, and even scorn from dedicated fans. But even knowing the possible pitfalls, Restivo and his team set out to create a new line of elevated Converse classics called First String. Naturally, they started out with the Chuck."
"All mastery starts with a foundation and tough core, Restivo says. With the Chuck Taylor being the foundation and the core of the sneaker industry, we needed to build this from the ground up and not just make it. The result is the new First String Chuck Taylor, a bigger, beefier, altogether bolder take on the 108-year-old design. We asked Restivo to give us the lowdown on the new design, from its inception to what differentiates it from the average Chuck."
Updating a century-old sneaker requires balancing preservation and innovation to avoid alienating purists while preventing stagnation. Alex Restivo, Special Projects Footwear & Apparel Product Director at Converse, led development of First String as a premium line of elevated Converse classics beginning with the Chuck Taylor. First String aims for intentional, durable, long-lasting products built with mastery. Design priorities focused on proportion and stance, comfort, and durability, achieved by choosing a wider last and adding roominess. The First String Chuck Taylor presents a bigger, beefier, and bolder reinterpretation of the 108-year-old design.
Read at www.esquire.com
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