Converse, with an assist from Utah Jazz star Kyle Korver, today announced the launch of MyChucks, a contest inviting participants to design a Chuck Taylor All Star shoe with the chance to win the ultimate prize of having their shoe produced by Converse and sold exclusively by Eastbay.

MyChucks gives contestants the chance to bring their own creativity to the Converse canvas and showcase their design to the world.

Watch this video of Kyle Korver talking about the contest.

Kyle Korver submitted his own design of the Chuck Taylor All Star shoe which will be featured online, along with a video of him designing his shoe and explaining the process.
Korver’s shoe features pinstripes to represent all of the people in his life, and a red stripe to represent himself and his desire to be an original. Converse will produce 226 pairs of the shoe, which pays homage to Korver’s jersey number 26, and will be donated to the Kyle Korver Foundation, whose mission is to make a positive impact on the lives of under-privileged children by improving the quality of life for disadvantaged youth and their families.

“My grandmother was an art teacher and she helped begin my interest in design at a young age. I enjoyed it so much that I majored in visual communications in college, and I’ve had a passion for art and design ever since,” said Utah Jazz forward Kyle Korver. “I’m known as a basketball player but basketball isn’t everything that defines me, and I’ve always looked for opportunities to express myself off the court. I’m very excited for the MyChucks contest because it gives people the opportunity to express themselves by using the most iconic shoe of all time.”

To enter, contestants can visit mychucks.eastbay.com to download the entry kit which contains a silhouette of the Chuck Taylor All Star shoe and contest instructions. Participants need to submit a scanned image of their design and a 20-30 second video explaining their entry. Submissions will be placed in an online, public gallery where visitors can vote on each design. Visitors to the website can also register for a chance to win a new pair of Chuck Taylor All Star shoes every day between April 28 and July 6.

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Japanese retailer United Arrows has teamed with Converse to create this new version of the Weapon Hi. These sneakers reflect the sophisticated style of United Arrows, using three subtle colorways - black, grey and navy blue. Personally I prefer the black version, and the navy aren’t bad either. However, the grey is much too drab.

If you are a fan of the old school Weapon, these shoes are a nice option. They are a nice change of pace from some of the loud shoes that are available these days. You can get these kicks from United Arrows soon for 14490 yen. Via Hypebeast.

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Another scaly looking shoe is this Converse All Star Low. Denim and Sole just got this shoe in and it’s priced at $150.

It features a reddish-purple leather that resembles dragon scales. The sneaker has a blue Weapon icon on the side. These shoes come with a set of purples laces and a set of neon yellow ones too. Via Sneaker News.

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Basic canvas shoes are trendy right now. This shoe from Converse looks like a classic boat shoe crossed with a classic canvas sneaker. Its simple silhouette and rubber sole keep it very low profile.

Two colorways are available - Navy with white stitching and details, as well as White with touches of gold. Look for these shoes at your local Converse store, or you can grab a pair on ebay. Via Sneaker News.

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As part of the Converse 100th Anniversary campaign, this new version of the Jack Purcell will be release this May. Taking inspiration from the 2004 Jack Purcell Leopard Fur, this shoe features leopard print throughout the upper.

You can take a walk on the wild side by adding the Converse 100th Anniversary Jack Purcell Leopard to your wardrobe. The simple silhouette is done very nicely in the leopard print. Leopard print shoes have been very popular lately in women’s pumps, sandals and ballet flats, and now the leopard look is carrying over to sneakers. This shoe features a white toe cap and sole. Via HighSnobiety.

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Converse (PRODUCT) Red has teamed up with Dr. Romanelli, Lupe Fiasco and others previously. And this time, they have joined force with UNDFTD to created the “No Raw Dogs” Chuck Taylor All Star.

The blue sneaker features the “Wear a sock kid!” and “No Raw Dogs” messages in a fun design. Also included are a matching T-shirt and Bearbricks. This collaboration is set to release on April 5th at all UNDFTD USA locations and online in the online store.

The whole (PRODUCT) Red concept was created by Bono and Bobby Shriver, Chairman of DATA to raise awareness and money for The Global Fund by teaming up with the world’s most iconic brands to produce (PRODUCT)RED branded products. A percentage of each (PRODUCT)RED product sold is given to The Global Fund. The money helps women and children affected by HIV/AIDS in Africa. (RED) money is already at work as part of Global Fund grants in Rwanda, Swaziland and Ghana.

Via HypeBeast and Freshness Mag

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As part of the Converse Century Celebration, they will be releasing a special collection of sneakers in May 2008 inspired by Kurt Cobain.

The distressed shoes feature artwork and doodles from Cobain’s personal notebooks. Both black and white colorways will be available and these are expected to be priced at $50-65.

If you are a big Nirvana/Cobain fan, grab a pair of these unique kicks when they hit the shelves in May. They are an interesting tribute. Via Nirvana Club.

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Converse has been busy in the last few months celebrating the brand’s 100th anniversary. The latest editions to the brand’s retro lineup is the Skidgrip, a low-top casual sneaker that can be traced back to the 1940s. These shoes are availabale in two colorways including the patriotic red/white/blue and the blue/orange/green colorway shown above.

I like the Skidgrip’s profile but I dislike the colorways immensely. I have profiled efforts by Converse and Adidas to bring the past into the present with mixed results. The problem is that the colorways are stuck in a place and time that cannot be transferred to the 21st century (at least not on a pair of shoes).

The American flag-inspired Skidgrips show the World War II roots of this shoe. The blue/orange/green shoe would fit in well with rental shoes available in a bowling alley in the 1970s. The Skidgrips fill a very small niche in the retro sneaker market that includes flag wavers, high school students looking for ironic footwear and dabblers wooed by the Converse name.

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Converse has launched the lastest in their series of vintage sneakers. The Poorman Pro features classic stitching and fabric in a very nice looking high top. It has been released in two colorways - the Yellow/White/Navy combination pictured above and a Brown/White/Orange colorway.

Both these colorways manage to offer a fresh take on an old school look. Each come with extra laces and you get these right now at Major DC. I prefer the yellow edition but the brown and orange shoe is a terrific option for fall.

Major is located at 1426 Wisconsin Ave. NW in Washington, DC and can be reached at (202) 625-6732. Via Major.

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Converse continues rolling out new shoes. As part of their Spring collection, they have recently released the Converse All Star Mono OX in two solid colored choices. These sneakers now come in both low and hi versions in two colorways - all black and all red.

Made from corduroy, these shoes feature all over color, including the sole and toecap. If you like the simplicity of monochromatic kicks, then these are great option. Personally, I’m not a fan of these shoes … too plain. However, they are very affordable.

The All Star Multi Mono OX is now available at Mita. Expect them on eBay and at U.S. retailers soon.

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As part of the their 100th anniversary celebration, Converse continues to release an assortment of interesting shoes.

This time, it’s a velcro version of the popular Jack Purcell. This sneakers, which come in three colorways, feature a leather upper with a white toe cap and midsole.

These kicks are available right now at Mita for 11,340 yen (about $106 USD), but they are expected to drop in local Converse retailers very soon.

If you like simplicity and the easy of velcro shoes, you should pick up this pair of affordable sneakers. They are very basic yet still quite stylish.

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The Converse Pro Leather debuted in 1976 and was worn by some of the game’s best players. This new edition of the Pro Leather is a tribute to the Black Fives, the black players who played in the racially segregated basketball era.

As part of the Converse 100th Anniversary, three original models have been created to make the Converse Black Fives Pro Leather Century Pack. These three shoes include the Pro Leather 1976 (pictured above), the All Star Revolution and the 1933 Rens All Star.

These old school sneakers are available right now at various Converse retailers, as well as the Black Fives online shop. The Pro Leather 1976 is priced at $200 with the other shoes in a similar price range. The All Star Revolution is $175 and the 1933 Rens All Star is $150. If you want all three shoes, you can save a little money by purchasing them together in the Century Pack Collection for $485.

These shoes are packed in a collector’s wooden box. Watch this video to learn more about the Century Pack.

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