King of goth-glam fashion Rick Owens has transformed the classic Converse Chuck Taylor into a sneaker that is sure to turn heads.
Owens finally collaborated with Converse to make his own official iteration of the Chuck Taylor, without eliminating its punk rock roots.
The sartorial rulebreaker specifically tweaked the Chuck 70 under his streetwear-oriented Drkshdw sub-label, while adding his signature freaky Rick Owens treatment while at it. The result? The TURBODRK Chuck 70 boasting monochromatic shades of white and black, and a dash of gothic eccentricity. The sneakers will be available in both a low top and high top version.
Owens creatively infused the minimalist luxury of his brand together with the black and white canvas of Converse in the sneakers. The biggest change though, is the shape of the toe. Owens replaced the traditional curved frontage of the classic Chucks with his own square-toe bumper, a first for the sneaker model.
The shoes also feature dramatically extended tongues plastered with co-branded tags that match the printed insoles. Plates printed with both brands are also found on the back of the thick platform-style soles.
The sneakers also boast a double sole and a triple toe cap, bringing back the era of punk rock that Converse high tops have become famous for decades. The TURBODRK Chuck 70 comes in a special shoebox displaying similar branding elements. Although Owens has perfectly “distorted” the sneakers, it is not hard to recognise the initial construction of it as the shoe still fits with the DNA of both brands.
The divisive structure is a testament to Owens’ experimental ways with a dash of high-fashion punk rock look to the original Chuck 70.
Available in high and low tops, the Converse x DRKSHDW TurboDrk Chuck 70 is available on July 27 at converse.com, RickOwens.eu, Rick Owens shops, and select retailers.
For more fashion stories, click here.
