Converse is no stranger to collaborations. The sneaker company has collaborated with everyone from John Varvatos to J.W. Anderson, and their collaborations are known to be best sellers. The latest addition to Converse’s pantheon of collaborations is Rick Owens, whose collaboration debuted during his fall 2021 runway show in Lido, Venice with the appearance of the first design, the Turbodrk Chuck 70. 

Converse’s black and white canvas footwear met with Owens’ world of edgy minimalism and luxury to create a distinct silhouette that was recognizably Converse, but with a twist. This isn’t the first time Owens has been inspired by Converse. The Drkshdw spring/summer 2014 Ramones were an interpretation of Converse’s classic basketball silhouette that was a reinterpretation of the Chuck Taylor All Star. 

"When I think of Converse, I think of the black and white Chuck Taylors and the punk rock generation. These have always been iconic pillars of my aesthetic," said Owens. "Wearing Chuck Taylors, you align yourself with a generation that was experimental. There is a confident dynamic to the subculture."

The Turbodrk Chuck 70 follows Owens' practice of confident contortion of cultural signifiers. His choices bend and reshape the shoe — extending the tongue and squaring-off the toe — the first time the famed Converse has presented in this execution in its century of existence.

"When I see something ubiquitous, I feel like I want to distort it. I don’t know what that’s about. Maybe it’s some kind of adolescent rage. But that’s one of the greatest appeals of the Chuck Taylor All Star," said Owens.

Converse and Rick Owens will continue to release collaboration pieces throughout the year. Here’s to many square toes on the horizon.